I think if you're a gaijin, and it's small enough to cover up easily, I doubt they will really pester you. If you had a whole bunch, then it might not be so easy =/ I don't think all onsens deny people with tattoos, so you're not completely out of luck! :)

From what I have heard is that you can hide/cover it with your towel, and get inside, (not legal).

The tattoo deny is not because of illness from what I have heard,
but since most Yakuza have tattoo they say no tattoo to onsens, since then the Yakuza can not enter.
like other says, it is not anti-tattoo, but anti-Yakuza.

So waterproof cover will not work here. you will have to hide it from there vision.
(if im wrong please correct me)

man i sure hope i won't have too many problems when i study abroad in japan in 2010. right now i only have one tattoo and it's small and on my wrist. but in a few months i plan on getting a bigger one on my back and there's a couple more that i have in mind but when i get them will depend on when i save up the money for them. more than likely though before 2010

I have quite large arm, chest, rib tattoo's but they are oriental in style (no naked ladies, skulls etc).

I'm not concerned about Onsen, but i would like to know if there is a tattoo bar in temples, visiting the centre of Shingon buddhism is the focal point of my trip together with paying respects at other temples.

Please advise....

Um well. Is it really that bad if you can't go to all onsens? (there is alot of other things to do over there)

Temples? Well, can't you wear...clothes...while visiting the temples?

Sure, but staying there involves bathing, and staying in traditional accommodation requires communal nude bathing.

The last thing i would wish is to cause offence in such a spiritual setting

I understand.

The same topic was previously covered: http://www.japanforum.com/forum/livi...e-society.html

You Simply have to throw your believes away, understand and adapt to how the local people will react. This is not something that "carried over" from old age only.

Some argue that rock star and celebrities have tatoo as well, however, chances of them going to a public bath is skim, and if they do go to an onsen, their agency will probably make prior arrangement

Tatoos banned at one swim beach.
 

I've read with great interest the banning of tatoos at the public baths in the previous posts.

About 20 years ago on a visit to Japan, there was this one swim beach in the Osaka area that banned those wearing tatoos.

Then on the other hand I have a friend who lives in Chiba, a white-american, who has never heard of a stigma over tatoos. He gets a new tatoo every so often.

So is this a "Kansai-thing?"

Too bad you can't leave your tatoo at home.

A lot of younger people have tattoos.