Hello from Japan :)

[Cicada]

Long time lurker just decided to get involved :)

Think I'm up to about just over 80 hours coverage or thereabouts now, full back piece, both arms half sleeved and some wrist and rib work.

Everything done in traditional Japanese style.

Looking forward to chatting to some people

C

[Iwar]

Hello hello!! Welcome to the site @Cicada. Would love to see some pictures!

[joakim urma]

Welcome to the forum! I'm also interested in seeing pictures of your tattoos :)

[Suiren]

Welcome!

How is the attitude towards tattoos in Japan nowadays? Considering that many connect it to Yakuza and entering a bath house with tattoos isn't permitted.

[Cicada]

Just posted two quick pics up on my gallery. My backpiece is finished but the ribs need another hour or so to finish the detailing.

[Cicada]

It's pretty mixed over here with regards to attitudes to be honest. In the big cities if you're walking around for the most part people don't really take much notice particularly if you look foreign (non Asian anyway). In the countryside it's usually pretty rare to see anyone publicly displaying tattoos and most people tend to keep them covered whenever they are outside.

The majority of Onsen (hot springs) still don't generally allow tattooed people to enter but they are private businesses. There are similar places called sento which are public bath houses and they are much more accessible thankfully. I visit sento semi regularly, I'm pretty heavily covered and to be honest i usually end up chatting with people who are curious about my work.

Gyms, water parks and swimming pools are pretty much all no go zones unless you have tattoo work that's small enough to be covered with sticky plasters or strategic clothing. Also one that's kind of interesting is that Tokyo Disney has a no visible tattoo policy and you'll be asked to cover up if you visit.

[RoryQ]

I went to Tokyo Disney and was wearing shorts and a t-shirt...

When I went through the ticket area I was getting some pained looks but I (honestly) didn't realise until later in the day, when I saw a sign, that tattoos were to be covered.

I guess they were irritated but for some reason said nothing (I think even Japanese employees look the other way if it's too much hassle / embarrassment sometimes).

Had I known I would have covered up, if it's the rules then it's the rules...

[Cicada]

I've never been a Disney kind of guy so that ones no great shakes for me but i do miss being able to go swimming which is pretty much never going to happen for me over here now :(

[joakim urma]

@Cicada

But at least some of the Yakuza people most enjoy a good swim from time to time. Maybe you just need to find a new circle of friends ? ;)

[Cicada]

Just a little update on something pretty strange and very disappointing.

I had posted up a couple of photos of some of my pieces with credits to my artist. They were custom designed one off Japanese pieces created by my artist here in Tokyo. Someone found the images, copied the photos that I had posted and then contacted my artist and asked for them to make appointments to recieve exact copies of my pieces when they visited Japan on holiday later in the year.

My artist said that they couldn't copy the images but they could create original pieces inspired by the work on me. The person asking for the tattoos refused this offer to recieve unique pieces of their own and then said that they would take the photos of my pieces to another artist in their own country and have them tattoo them with my designs instead.

i know that it's probably too late to stop them from going to someone else and I'm sure that they will find another artist willing to copy custom work but the attitude of this person and lack of respect they have shown is so appalling to both myself and my artist. I've deleted the images that I'd posted but it sucks that I've felt the need to do this.

If my pieces were traditional work or images taken from flash then I genuinely would have no issue at all with sharing the same design with other people. It's just sad that someone who appreciates Japanese style tattooing enough to want to get pieces of their own doesn't understand the meanings behind receiving a unique personal piece.

I'm probably done posting pictures anywhere online now, I had just thought that it was safer to do so on here.

[Nina Worthe]

Ah, that totally sucks :(

At least there is some comfort in knowing that it won't be to the same standard as yours, because a good artist is likely to refuse an exact duplicate as well.

[Cork]

@Cicada That's a shame, but the internet is the internet. LST is as subject to that as anywhere else. That's the risk we take to share what we have with others.

Who is the artist who has done your work? I'd love to see a portfolio or something. Traditional Japanese is my favorite.

[hogg]

I'm really sorry to hear that (especially since I never got to see the photos), but those things will happen. Good for your artist for turning them down. Any respectable artist would do the same.

[taaarro]

@Cicada I haven't tested this, but this is a site that supposedly tells you about baths and pools where tattooed people are allowed: タトゥー・刺é’を入れã¦ã‚‚大丈夫ãªæ—¥æœ¬ä¸*ã®ãƒ—ールã«ã‚µã‚¦ãƒŠãƒ»æ¸©æ³‰ãƒ»éŠ*湯情å*±å…±æœ‰ã‚µã‚¤ãƒˆã€ã‚¿ãƒˆã‚¥ãƒ¼ã‚¹ãƒãƒƒãƒˆ

Also, if you're in Tokyo, you might already know this, but the Tokyo Metropolitan Gym allows tattooed and has a nice pool. I've run into some cool Japanese tattoos there ranging from old school traditional to a Shige piece.

[Bali Singh]

Welcome, I just joined too!

[Jeff Hoag]

too bad would love to see some of the art