Onsen with Tattoos: How to Check Before You Go (Advice from Beppu)

Why rules vary

We're based in Beppu, one of Japan's best-known hot spring towns, where steam rises from the streets and there's a bath on almost every corner. One of the questions we hear most from visitors is simple: can I go in with my tattoo?

The honest answer is: it depends on the place. Japan has no national law banning tattoos at onsen, 温泉 (onsen). Each bath sets its own policy. Many older policies come from tattoos being linked with organized crime, and some baths keep them to make regular local customers feel comfortable.

Attitudes are changing, especially as more international visitors arrive, and many baths have relaxed their rules in recent years. But it's still uneven. Two baths on the same street can have completely different policies.

The three kinds of policy

In our experience, most onsen fall into one of three groups:

1. Tattoos welcome. Some baths openly accept everyone. A growing number say so on their website or at the entrance.
2. Small tattoos allowed if covered. A common middle ground: tattoos smaller than a certain size are fine under a cover sticker. The limit is often described as roughly the size of a hand or a postcard, but each place decides [VERIFY: common size limits].
3. No tattoos. Some baths refuse any visible tattoo, whatever the size or style. You may see a sign with a crossed-out tattoo, or the words 入れ墨お断り (irezumi o-kotowari) or タトゥーお断り (tatū o-kotowari).

Policies can also differ within one place. A hotel might allow tattoos in private baths but not in the large shared bath, or have different rules for day visitors and overnight guests.

Cover stickers

Skin-colored cover stickers are sold for this purpose, and some baths sell them at the front desk. They work well for small tattoos on a wrist, ankle or shoulder.

• Buy them before your trip, or ask at the bath whether they sell them.
• Apply them to dry skin before you wash, so they stick properly.
• Bring a spare. Hot water and steam can loosen them.
• Don't assume covering is allowed. At a strict no-tattoo bath, a sticker won't change the answer.

Private baths (kashikiri)

A private bath, 貸切風呂 (kashikiri-buro), is a bath you rent for yourself, your partner or your family for a set time, often 45 minutes to an hour. Because no one else is there, tattoos are usually not a problem.

1. Look for 貸切 (kashikiri) or “private bath” in the listing.
2. Check whether you need to book ahead or can just turn up. Popular ones fill up in the evening.
3. Ask whether it's open to day visitors or only to hotel guests.

In Beppu, private baths are a very common choice for visitors with tattoos, and many travelers enjoy them more than a busy shared bath anyway.

Other ways to enjoy hot springs

If the baths you wanted don't accept tattoos, you don't have to skip hot springs entirely. Living in Beppu, these are the options we suggest most to friends visiting:

• Foot baths: 足湯 (ashiyu) are shallow baths for your feet, often free or cheap, and usually open to everyone. You only roll up your trousers, so tattoos don't come into it.
• Sand and steam baths: some hot spring towns have sand baths or steam baths where you wear a light robe, 浴衣 (yukata). Rules on tattoos vary, so ask, but covered skin often makes it simpler [VERIFY: tattoo policies at sand and steam baths].
• Hot spring sightseeing: many towns have hot spring sights you visit rather than bathe in, like Beppu's colorful “hells,” 地獄 (jigoku).
• Hotel rooms with a bath: many hotels in onsen towns pipe hot spring water into the room's own bath.

Ask locally, too. Small community baths, guesthouse owners and tourist information centers often know which places are relaxed about tattoos, even when it isn't written anywhere online.

Ryokan baths

A traditional inn, 旅館 (ryokan), usually has shared baths for guests, and often private ones too. Some ryokan have rooms with their own open-air bath, 露天風呂付き客室 (rotenburo-tsuki kyakushitsu). That's the most relaxed option if you want to soak as much as you like.

Ask before you book, not when you check in. Smaller ryokan may not explain their tattoo policy online, and many are happy to answer by phone or email. If you're booking a ryokan by phone anyway, our guide on booking places that only take phone reservations has phrases that work there too.

Basic onsen etiquette

Getting the etiquette right matters as much as the tattoo question. Staff and other guests notice good manners, and it makes everything easier.

1. Take off your shoes at the entrance and use the right curtain: 男 (otoko) for men, 女 (onna) for women.
2. Undress fully in the changing room. Swimwear isn't usually allowed.
3. Wash and rinse thoroughly at the shower stations before getting into the bath.
4. Keep your small towel out of the water. Many people fold it on their head.
5. Tie up long hair so it doesn't touch the water.
6. No swimming, splashing or loud conversation.
7. Dry off a little before going back into the changing room.
8. Don't take photos in the bathing area.

How to check a specific onsen

1. Check the website. Look for a tattoo policy, often in an FAQ. Japanese pages may say タトゥー (tatū) or 入れ墨 (irezumi).
2. Check recent reviews. Travelers often mention tattoo rules, but policies change, so don't rely on old reviews.
3. Ask your hotel. Front desk staff often know local policies, especially in onsen towns.
4. Ask the onsen directly. This is the only reliable answer. Describe the tattoo's size and location, and ask whether a cover sticker is OK.

If you'd rather not call, our onsen tattoo check asks for you in Japanese and tells you exactly what they said.