Japanese “salaryman” Kyono displays his tattoos as he poses for a photo in Yokohama. Photo: AFP
Tattoo taboo: body art still provokes deep suspicion in Japan but will the Olympics change that?
- People with body ink are refused entry to public swimming pools, bathing spots, beaches and often gyms, while visible body art can be harmful to job prospects
- As Japan opened up to the outside world in the 1800s, tattoos were outlawed – along with snake-charming and public nudity – because the Japanese feared outsiders would judge them
Topic |
Japan
Japanese “salaryman” Kyono displays his tattoos as he poses for a photo in Yokohama. Photo: AFP