Northern Edition
Select Edition
Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

There's good news for tattooed bathers at the Rugby World Cup

Tattoos are traditionally not welcomed at Japanese 'onsens'

Japanese bathing houses or ‘onsens’ look set to relax their here-to-fore strict rules regarding tattoos at the upcoming Rugby World Cup in Japan.

ADVERTISEMENT

In Japan, tattoos have long been linked to the ‘yakuza’ organised crime syndicates, and as such tattooed bathers have traditionally been shunned at Japanese ‘onsens’.

However, rules appear to be about to relaxed as hundreds of thousands of potentially tattooed rugby fans flock to the island nation – many eager to bathe in the country’s famous thermal waters.

Onsens owners in Sapporo – where England will play Tonga in the pool stages – will be allowed to decide their own policy for the period, while discussions are ongoing in Atami over potentially relaxing the rules, temporarily at least.

Video Spacer

The city of Beppu in Oita appears to be the most open to tattooed fans, stating: “even though Beppu is a small town, there are many onsens of all different types that do allow tattoos. There are approximately 100 onsens that tattooed guests may enter, so no one has to give up on entering an onsen in Japan.”

With the increasing popularity of tattoos in Western culture, it’s not just fans that could be affected by onsen protocols. Leaving aside Pacific Island players who have been wearing tattoos for centuries as part of longstanding cultural traditions, many star players in Tier 1 sides now boast ‘ink’.

Among others – the Springboks’ Francois Hougaard, England’s Jack Nowell, Joe Marler and Courtney Lawes and Ireland’s Andrew Porter all have extensive tattooing.

ADVERTISEMENT

Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan is the ninth edition of rugby’s showcase global event and the first in Asia. The world’s top 20 national teams will play in 48 matches hosted across 12 match cities.

The Rugby World Cup is the sport’s financial engine, generating approximately 90 percent of World Rugby’s revenues for reinvestment in the global game over the four-year cycle. The record-breaking success of England 2015 is enabling World Rugby to invest GBP £482 million at all levels of the game between 2016 and 2019, eclipsing the previous four-year cycle by 38 percent, to ensure strong and sustainable growth.

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

Top 10 inspiring Lions speeches

United States of Rugby | Episode 1 – Welcome to Dawgtown

Top 10 Best Lions Tries of the 2000s

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo vs Kubota Spears | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 Final | Full Match Replay

Saitama Wild Knights vs Kobe Steelers | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 Bronze Final | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 42 | Investec Champions Cup Final Review

Spain's Incredible Rugby Sevens Journey to the World Championship Final | HSBC SVNS Embedded | Episode 14

The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

TRENDING
TRENDING Leinster player ratings vs Bulls | 2025 URC Final Leinster player ratings vs Bulls | 2025 URC Final
Search