I am looking and moving to Japan to work for a few years and I am just wondering what the consensus is about tattoos? I have a few but as far as I am aware as long as it’s covered I am ok to work, is this correct?
Also would I need to cover it when I am outside of the classroom?
19 comments
Nobody needs to know that you have tattoos if you never reveal them.
As a general rule, you’re going to need to cover all tattoos during work hours AND you will want to cover them when you are on work premises and/or can be identified to your company (ie, in the vicinity or wearing any identifying clothing, etc.).
On your own time, in your own area, you should be fine not to cover them. You’ll get an odd look here or there but mostly people keep to themselves.
Whenever I apply for a job I usually divulge that I do have tattoos (transparency is important here). Most companies don’t care as long as you don’t display it. Cover it. But hell having a tattoo here is a stigma. My friend and I one time bickered with an employee at an amusement park because I forgot to cover a freakin’ small tattoo on my ring finger and she saw it and I wasn’t admitted. Aggravating as hell. They’re basically inculcating people here that if someone has a tattoo he/she is automatically a bad person (stems from the Yazuka image etc.).
You’re not gonna get arrested just by having tattoos. If you decided not to tell your employer, keep it as a secret. Don’t trust coworkers.
My teacher friend wears long sleeve stuff at the pool because of his tattoo. But that’s probably a general pool/onsen thing.
I swear this subreddit loves to downvote any questions. Yes, you will want to cover up. I have two arm sleeves and I only cover up at my new work place. But don’t trust any co workers, i don’t plan to ever talk about my tattoos or hangout with any of them outside work. I live far from my work as well so I can get comfortable on my days off.
It’s going to depend on your company and contracting organization but fwiw an ALT in my city was given the go ahead to show her tattoos at work, as our board of education felt it’s an opportunity to teach about foreign culture.
Afaik that approach is pretty rare but if you disclose the fact you have them to your employer, it’s worth having a discussion with them whether you can show them.
My friend assumed no for most of the summer but decided to ask after suffering through lots of hot days in long sleeves- we were all pleasantly surprised.
So maybe expect to not be able to, but still worth bringing up.
Yes, cover them. There is an association with tattoos and organized crime. If you go to a public pool, bath house, or hotspring, you *have to* conceal them. Anywhere else except for hanging out in a big city, you *should* cover them.
If you live in a big city and don’t live close to your job you don’t have to. I never cover mine but I live far from my job (and in the city) a lot of young Japanese people have tattoos too nowadays. If you live in the country side or small town good luck
I live in a small city and people have their tattoos uncovered in public all the time. Most workplaces just have a rule to cover them at work. Many Japanese people in their 20s and 30s have tattoos these days, and if they’re obviously ‘Western style’ tattoos, no one is going to think you’re yakuza.
Just check with onsens, public pools and gyms about their rules. I know the main onsens here don’t care about tattoos because they get a lot of tourists.
We need a sticky about tattoo questions.
Yes, it’s fine. Yes, you should cover up in any situations where you are likely to meet the people you engage with at work. Tattoos are really not *that* rare here (the idea that the only Japanese who have tattoos are yakuza is a myth that needs to die soon), but it’s usually people who are of a low socioeconomic status (not judging) or who are social outsiders who show them them off.
I just left my job at a uni. Covered for work and on the way to work. If I wasn’t in transit or at work, I didn’t cover them. You’ll get stares and interested looks. You’ll have people avoid you. That’s normal. If you have patchwork or sparsely placed tattoos, it may not even be noticed next to you being a foreigner.
Nobody has to know you have them. But also don’t break your back trying to cover them or yourself when not needed.
I honestly don’t think anybody gives a shit. Like anywhere…
– If you’re the kinda person who would show-off tats during a job interview, or during your first dinner with a nee girlfriend’s parents then you do you. I don’t think it’s contentious to say that tats aren’t to everybody’s liking and there’s a time/place for them (same with various pieces of clothing… dress for the occasion).
– The major hard restrictions will be onsens. Some allow them but most don’t. Most places are gonna be pretty up-front about it.
Also, along with what others have said, there will be some places that refuse to admit you if they are aware you have tattoos. There is a very strong connection to organized crime with tattoos, so if you plan to go to a hotel and use the pool, go to onsen (hot springs) etc everyone is going to see them, and may complain to management. A lot of clubs and other places will have a sign that states no tattoos, but Japan is very much a don’t ask don’t tell society so if you cover it up, you should be ok. If you meet someone here and have a serious relationship, their family may be very unsympathetic to tattoos, so care is needed there, as well.
On this topic: Is it legal to get fire because having a tattoo?
Honestly not had too much trouble,I’m heavily tattooed and I cover them during work but as I’m out of the building I rip those sleeves off. Some people look, most people don’t care. I have to cover them in the gym, ironically not when I’m doing judo which is in the same building. There are onsens that allow it, some don’t. Just ask at the reception. The stigma is there but it’s slowly going away I feel. I’ve seen a bunch of Japanese people with large tattoos.
yeah cover it up even outside, lest you be reported by a vigilant obachan or other friendly neighbor. Yes, it has been known for your neighbors to rat you out to your employer about anything and everything…
Bro, just hide them.
I taught in Japan and hire people to come teach in Japan as a current job.
I have Lots of tattoos and a full sleeve. Just cover it up and say no on your application.
You’ll be fine as long as you inform your future employer about your tattoos and cover up during work. Outside of work, that’s completely up to you. For the most part, you should be fine once you are far away from your workplace although it’s definitely going to be in your best interest that the people you work with never find out about the tattoos. Meaning, you shouldn’t talk about your tattoos either. You’ll find that once one person knows, soon everybody knows.
With that in mind, it’s likely people may see you in surrounding residential neighborhoods, nearby supermarkets, train stations or just any places frequently occupied by students (e.g., McDonalds, game centers, DVD rental stores etc.)
If you choose to work in the countryside, chances are the locals will already be keeping a close eye on you and talking about you as the “local foreigner” amongst themselves.
Tattoos are still highly stigmatized in Japan so there are definitely people around that feel uncomfortable or stare with disapproval. In particular, the elderly. And, although it’s rare for people to approach strangers, that can happen too. A language barrier isn’t going to stop somebody from coming up to you, making accusations, and rambling about how they disapprove of tattoos in Japanese. Although this kind of behavior is also socially unacceptable in Japan which is why I say it’s rare.