The number of foreign visitors to Japan in 2015 was the highest ever, at approximately 20 million. Besides Japanese food and shopping, one of the most popular attractions for tourists are onsen (hot spring baths). However, in the entrances to many Japanese onsen there are signs that read, “People with irezumi or tattoos are not allowed to take a bath.” In Japan, people associate irezumi (traditional Japanese tattoos) with gangsters, and are even apt to view those who have tattoos for fashion reasons as being antisocial. In 2010 a defendant, who had entered a facility ignoring a “tattoos prohibited” sign, was sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment. In addition, back in 2002 during NHK’s “Kouhaku Utagassen,” there was quite a ruckus when singer AMURO Namie – who was then at the height of her popularity – sang in a sleeveless dress that exposed the tattoos on her arms. After a flood of protests from viewers, starting from the following year, artists were banned from displaying tattoos. On the other hand, Japanese people have become more familiar with tattoos through period TV dramas such as “Toyama no Kinsan.” Kinsan masquerades as a friendly tattooed local, but is in fact a magistrate there to unmask villains. In recent years, tattoos are popular among the young as a fashion statement, and stickers that resemble real tattoos are also on sale. Generally, in Japan irezumi refers to tattooed images that have a deep cultural significance, while tattoos are done in the Western-style. In the run-up to the hosting of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, more and more facilities are reassessing their attitudes towards irezumi and tattoos. According to a survey carried out by the Japan Tourism Agency in June, 2015, 56% of facilities replied that they “would not allow tattoos,” 31% “would allow tattoos,” and 13% “would allow them with conditions,” like hiding them with a plaster.