Any recommendations? How strict are they on the whole tattoos at the beach thing anyways? (I have large visible tattoos btw so they can’t be easily covered). Thanks!
Zushi is your best bet. Lots of foreigners, lots of tattoos. There are no tattoo signs, but everyone ignores them.
Enoshima left or right side, chigasaki, yuigahama, etc. anywhere except Zushi I’d recommend since you can go into shops with tats at all of the them except Zushi.
In my experience not strict at all.
Katase Nishihama by Enoshima is full of people with tattoos. The beach huts have signs saying to cover tattoos but it doesn’t seem to be enforced, at least for the ones I’ve been to (some of the staff even had some small visible tattoos), but that might vary by hut. However, I live not too far from here, I’ve been many times over the last few years, and nobody has ever said anything even though I am pretty visibly tattooed (forearms, shoulders, chest).
Likewise there’s tons of signs around Zushi saying to cover tattoos, but I didn’t get any grief when I went last year. Ended up sat next to a young Japanese guy that was way more tatted up than me as well.
I’ve seen heavily tattooed Japanese people at southern beach in Chigasaki. This was during covid though when there were no like lifeguards or anything so not sure if it would be enforced otherwise.
Are there actually people with authority patrolling beaches, violently removing the impure?
Went surfing in Chigasaki last year and saw a few local guys and gals with tattoos.
There are beaches in Japan where tattoos is not allowed? There are decent beaches in Hayama area. Need to take the bus though.
Nobody at the beach will care if you have tattoos.
Even if there is a tattoo sign it is a public place that you also pay taxes for so don’t worry about it.
Yuigahama in Kamakura will have someone ask you to cover it up, but I’ve seen people just ignore it and not be asked to leave.
I went to Morito beach recently and I saw quite a few tattoos.
Many foreigners on that beach also, so maybe that helps.
Very nice beach btw, low waves (great for my 2yo!), quite a few “restaurants” on the beach for lunch or a drink, and you can see Mt Fuji if you’re lucky. Plus a temple right next door in case it interests you.
I was at a beach in chiba a couple weeks ago and was told to cover my tattoos by a life guard, which is impossible without putting on a jacket and pants, so I asked them what would happen if I didn’t. They said I’d be asked to leave. So I asked if they can make me leave, they said no. That was the end of it. I stayed at the beach, didn’t cover anything, and wasn’t bothered again.
Go to any public beach you like, ignore any nonsense. It sucks that you have to feel like you’re doing something rude, but you’re not really, it’s a public place and they need to get with the times. I will respect any private business that refuses me, even if i think it’s stupid, but public is public.
14 comments
Zushi is your best bet. Lots of foreigners, lots of tattoos. There are no tattoo signs, but everyone ignores them.
Enoshima left or right side, chigasaki, yuigahama, etc. anywhere except Zushi I’d recommend since you can go into shops with tats at all of the them except Zushi.
In my experience not strict at all.
Katase Nishihama by Enoshima is full of people with tattoos. The beach huts have signs saying to cover tattoos but it doesn’t seem to be enforced, at least for the ones I’ve been to (some of the staff even had some small visible tattoos), but that might vary by hut. However, I live not too far from here, I’ve been many times over the last few years, and nobody has ever said anything even though I am pretty visibly tattooed (forearms, shoulders, chest).
Likewise there’s tons of signs around Zushi saying to cover tattoos, but I didn’t get any grief when I went last year. Ended up sat next to a young Japanese guy that was way more tatted up than me as well.
I’ve seen heavily tattooed Japanese people at southern beach in Chigasaki. This was during covid though when there were no like lifeguards or anything so not sure if it would be enforced otherwise.
Are there actually people with authority patrolling beaches, violently removing the impure?
Went surfing in Chigasaki last year and saw a few local guys and gals with tattoos.
There are beaches in Japan where tattoos is not allowed? There are decent beaches in Hayama area. Need to take the bus though.
Nobody at the beach will care if you have tattoos.
Even if there is a tattoo sign it is a public place that you also pay taxes for so don’t worry about it.
Yuigahama in Kamakura will have someone ask you to cover it up, but I’ve seen people just ignore it and not be asked to leave.
I went to Morito beach recently and I saw quite a few tattoos.
Many foreigners on that beach also, so maybe that helps.
Very nice beach btw, low waves (great for my 2yo!), quite a few “restaurants” on the beach for lunch or a drink, and you can see Mt Fuji if you’re lucky. Plus a temple right next door in case it interests you.
I was at a beach in chiba a couple weeks ago and was told to cover my tattoos by a life guard, which is impossible without putting on a jacket and pants, so I asked them what would happen if I didn’t. They said I’d be asked to leave. So I asked if they can make me leave, they said no. That was the end of it. I stayed at the beach, didn’t cover anything, and wasn’t bothered again.
Go to any public beach you like, ignore any nonsense. It sucks that you have to feel like you’re doing something rude, but you’re not really, it’s a public place and they need to get with the times. I will respect any private business that refuses me, even if i think it’s stupid, but public is public.
Onjuku area should be tattoo friendly
[Yoshihama Beach](https://www.feelshonan.jp/en/sightseeing/4467) in [Yugawara](https://goo.gl/maps/hfK9deGcPPrvhLkE7) ftw. I’ve got ink myself, take friends there with massive ink all the time, frequently see others. No problemo.