5 tattoo-friendly onsens in and around Tokyo

If you’re heading to Tokyo and plan on visiting a tattoo-friendly onsen, there are a few social codes and rules of etiquette you should consider before you arrive. This article covers tips and the etiquette of onsens both in and outside Tokyo, including advice on what to wear, how to navigate tattoo policies and inspiration for places to stay in Tokyo.

Historically, those with tattoos have been prohibited from using onsens, owing to the Japanese culture surrounding tattoos and their associations. 

Nowadays, the public opinion surrounding tattoos has evolved since the early days of onsens. Many tattoo-friendly onsens in Tokyo may request that you cover your tattoos using a waterproof sticker, while others offer tattoo-friendly or private bathing areas. 

Granted, your tattoos may be harder to cover if you’re inked from head to toe, but if you’re planning on visiting an onsen, it’s always worth clarifying their tattoo policy in advance.

Nowadays, most onsens provide waterproof stickers to customers, enabling them to cover their tattoos before they bathe. 

These stickers come in varying shapes, sizes and skin tones and should be applied to dry skin to ensure maximum efficiency in a humid onsen environment. 

Although most onsens will provide waterproof stickers on-site, it can be a good idea to purchase stickers online in advance.

If you’re planning on experiencing a new culture for the first time, it’s important to be aware of the rules and etiquette that come with it.

Typically, bathing areas are traditionally separated by gender and full nudity is expected. Before entering the water, always ensure your body is clean. This means showering on-site before stepping into the baths and making sure to wash away any soap suds from your body. 

When entering or leaving the water, do your best to cover yourself with a towel and ensure the towel does not enter the water. Also, diving or jumping in onsens is typically prohibited, as these are places of peace and serenity.

1. Yudonburi Sakaeyu

Yudonburi Sakaeyu is a traditional sento-style onsen located in the historic Asakusa district of Tokyo. Known for its relaxed tattoo policy, Yudonburi features bubbling baths and hot water springs in a luxurious modern setting while preserving all the charm of a traditional sento bathhouse. The onsen’s location in one of Tokyo’s most historical districts only adds to the charm, placing you near some of the city’s most famous attractions, including the Asakusa Shrine and Sensō-ji – one of the oldest Buddhist temples in the city. For somewhere cool to stay nearby, check out this modern apartment within walking distance of Hoppy Street – a lively area filled with izakayas (traditional Japanese pubs).

2. Mannenyu

Mannenyu is a traditional Japanese sento located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, a five-minute walk from Shin-Okubo Station on the JR Yamanote Line. Compared to other onsens in Tokyo, Mannenyu offers something a little more budget-friendly and features retro touches like mosaic-tiled walls, a coin laundry and massage chairs in view of shoji-style windows and murals. Another great thing about Mannenyu Onsen is that it's tattoo-friendly and open late, meaning you can pop in and relax after a day of shopping or exploring some of Tokyo’s most famous landmarks. If you’re looking for a place to stay nearby, Hotel Cen is an excellent choice.

3. Daikoku-yu (Oshiage)

Located close to Tokyo Skytree, Daikoku-yu (Oshiage) is a tattoo-friendly onsen within Tokyo’s Sumida ward. Most recently, the onsen gained minor fame for featuring in the independent Japanese movie, Perfect Days. In comparison to the onsens in Tokyo we’ve already mentioned, Daikoku-yu provides something all the more authentic, in the sense that the locals give this place a heads-up. The onsen also features a roof terrace with hammocks, where you can relax beneath the Tokyo stars before heading back to Japan house sky tree.

4. Hasunuma Onsen

Located approximately 20 minutes by train from Shinagawa Station, Hasunuma Onsen is a traditional tattoo-friendly onsen in the heart of Tokyo. The onsen’s standout feature is its stained-green decor and tiling, which comes together to create a sultry contemporary ambience. Regular visitors to Hasunuma have coined this place the ‘beautiful skin bath’, because of its black spring water, featuring fossilised plant particles believed to enhance dermatological health. The Art Deco design coupled with the wood panelling of the changing areas, creates a warm and hospitable environment typical of the most traditional of Japanese onsens. If you’re looking for somewhere to stay nearby, check out Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Haneda. 

5. Hisamatsuyu Onsen

Situated in Nerima City, Tokyo, Hisamatsuyu Onsen is ideal for those looking to sample a traditional Japanese onsen in the capital. Known for its mineral-rich ‘black water’, traditional of Tokyo onsens, Hisamatsuyu features rotenburo baths, allowing bathers to relax in open-air CO2-infused pools that help increase blood flow and provide a relaxing tingling sensation. In terms of tattoo policy, rules have significantly relaxed in recent years, although visitors can still be turned away based on the type and size of their tattoos. If you’re planning on visiting this particular onsen, make sure to contact them in advance to ensure your tattoos are acceptable for entry.

Hakone 

It’s not just in Tokyo where tattoo-friendly onsens are on the rise. In Hakone, a 90-minute drive from Tokyo, you can find many onsens surrounded by the beauty of nature. Whether you’re looking for private ryokan hot springs or more communal experiences, Hakone’s close proximity to Tokyo means you can spend a morning or afternoon at ease without diverting from your itinerary too much. Some of the town’s best onsens include Tenzan Onsen, overlooking the Sukomo River, Yama No Chaya and Kansuirō Onsen, where visitors with tattoos can enjoy the therapeutic waters without restriction. 

Kyoto

In Japan’s ancient capital, Kyoto, you can find plenty of tattoo-friendly onsens housed within the city’s ancient architectural walls. Just outside of Kyoto, in Kurama, you can find hot springs embedded within nature, allowing you to combine the serenity of a city hot spring with natural peace and quiet. Notable onsens in Kyoto include Arashiyama onsen located in the city’s Arashiyama district, Hanaikada featuring tatami-style lodgings and Funaoka onsen – one of Kyoto’s most historically significant onsens. Those travelling to Kyoto from Tokyo can do so fairly easily, with regular two-hour bullet trains departing from the capital. 

Kinosaki, Toyooka

Most areas in Japan include onsens in some way or another, but in some towns, onsens take centre stage. Said to have been discovered by a Buddhist monk, the onsen town of Kinosaki features seven mystical pools that have attracted locals and tourists for centuries in search of its restorative waters. Kinosaki has seven public bathhouses to choose from, each surrounded by willow trees and the calming sounds of the Otani River. While tattoos are not explicitly accepted, Kinosaki's tattoo policy has eased over the years and gradually become more accepting. If you are planning on visiting this particular onsen town, make sure to wear a tattoo patch and abide by other rules of etiquette like wearing white robes. 

Sapporo 

A bit further afield on the island of Hokkaido, you can find Sapporo’s Hōheikyō Hot Spring, featuring three expansive open-air hot springs from which you can admire picturesque views of the surrounding mountains. After taking a dip, you can sample some Indian cuisine at Hōheikyō’s onsite restaurant before exploring the region further. One special feature of this onsen is that during the winter months, the area surrounding the springs can receive snowfall, creating a mystical onsen experience. Flights to Sapporo are available from Tokyo, while scenic drives and ferry rides from the mainland are other good options.