Tattoo in public pool

[Philotus]

How can they ban even Yakuza from public facilities? If they are paying their local taxes and are not breaking any laws they have the same rights as anyone else.

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by Philotus

How can they ban even Yakuza from public facilities? If they are paying their local taxes and are not breaking any laws they have the same rights as anyone else.

But they`re not banned. They`re asked to cover their tattoos. It`s a policy, not a ban in the end when it comes to public facilities. The full back and body suit tattoos that are popular with them are just a lot harder to cover...
Private facilities do ban, however, and won`t just ask for it to be covered.

[Philotus]

The funny thing is, I've been swimming in this pool for years. There's never been a squeak until now. Once or twice some curiousity from other users.

If they have the backing of the law behind them then there's nothing I can do, but I am going to get legal advice as covering up every time is going to be a real hassle. 　

[Philotus]

Oh yes, I saw the rules and it does say "gangsters cannot use the pool".

[seiki]

Good to know that they have them posted.

[Nyororin]

Good luck on legal action over covering a tattoo.

I am pretty amazed that it is posted as "gangsters". What sort of wording are they using, exactly? And where exactly is this?

Really, I doubt you`ll get anywhere at all as blocking tattoos is not racism, and tattoos are not protected by law. They`re looked on as a gang symbol fashion choice - not something that will get people up in arms about if blocked. Even if you are a resident of the town/city and pay taxes - you still have to follow the rules in public areas. One of the rules is to cover your tattoo.
Paying taxes doesn`t make you immune from that.

[Jaydelart]

Forgive me if this sounds naive; I have no real experience with legal business... But, wouldn't it cost more to take legal action than to just cover up -- or find other pools?

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

It seems they hang out more in Osaka and Tokyo...

That would tally. This was all stuff I heard off of a couple of Japanese guys living in downtown Osaka. Then again, they weren't exactly roughty-toughty hang around after dark sorts either, so I did kind of guess this wasn't their first-hand experience and not to take it all too literally.

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Back long long ago, you could get beat up by the Iranians for not buying their fake phone cards...

Yeah, mugging, beatings and (rarely) attempted arson was the sort of thing I was being told about.

Originally Posted by Nyororin

On the other side of the river one of those loud irritating motorcycle gangs was apparently gathered and doing their thing... and were really nice in the end.

And... There is a very obvious yakuza house in an area I frequent.

Not that I'm claiming to have much experience with these things, but I was with some friends at a nightclub in osaka and (whilst I was in the ladies) one of the girls was getting pestered by some overly-fresh frat boy and apparently, some yakuza guy (or someone who appeared so anyway) stepped down out the VIP area and was all "Hey, the lady isn't interested. Go away", which was pretty decent of him (if it's true. Girl in question relatively prone to misinterpretation and hyperbole).

Another friend and I also ran into a couple in the narrow section between a crosswalk and the underground car park, who were super polite and stepped aside for us (we had massive boxes destined for the post office at the time) and were all smiles and 'ganbatte'. So yeah, compared to some of the nasty lot you get in London (who aren't even gangsters usually) I don't think they really go out of their way to cause problems for the general public.

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by Columbine

So yeah, compared to some of the nasty lot you get in London (who aren't even gangsters usually) I don't think they really go out of their way to cause problems for the general public.

I think you`re mostly right - but it`s not a good thing to romanticize them either. In the end, they do generally have their hands deep into crime. I don`t really think that people should be as terrified of them as individuals, but I also certainly don`t think people should be welcoming of them by any stretch.

I think there is a big difference between the real gangsters and the wannabe misguided kids (like the ones who took me home). I never approved of my friend dating one, and in the end he did screw her over (or rather, he tried to "lend" her to some of his friends while drunk, and those friends tried to get her drugged up as to not fight with them... And was completely stunned that she broke up with him because of it.) It seems like there is a decent person there with a whole different moral structure there under the surface with completely different ideas of what is acceptable and what is not.

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

I think you`re mostly right - but it`s not a good thing to romanticize them either. In the end, they do generally have their hands deep into crime. I don`t really think that people should be as terrified of them as individuals, but I also certainly don`t think people should be welcoming of them by any stretch.

I think there is a big difference between the real gangsters and the wannabe misguided kids (like the ones who took me home). I never approved of my friend dating one, and in the end he did screw her over (or rather, he tried to "lend" her to some of his friends while drunk, and those friends tried to get her drugged up as to not fight with them... And was completely stunned that she broke up with him because of it.) It seems like there is a decent person there with a whole different moral structure there under the surface with completely different ideas of what is acceptable and what is not.

No, I completely agree. I was of the same opinion when the girl in the club wanted to go back there specifically just on the grounds that her 'hero' might be there again. The juvenile delinquents might be just as bad, but at least they didn't decide to try and make a career out of it. Half of them at least have just fallen into it for arbitrary psychological reasons.

It's the whole gremlins thing to me. They might look harmless, and indeed be harmless half the time, but I can just imagine what they're like after midnight, and I don't like the thought of that one bit.