On the eve of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, players and fans are advised by the organizers to cover up their tattoos during the tournament.
Many tattoo tourists have experienced culture shock when 3d shirt coming to the country of cherry blossoms - where tattoos are especially stigmatized. They can't even experience the things that are most popular with tourists in Japan: people with tattoos are banned from most onsen (hot springs), sento (public baths), ryokan (inns) traditional), swimming pools, gyms or even capsule hotels.
In 2013
Erana Te Haeata Brewerton, a Maori, who went to Hokkaido for a local language conference, was not allowed to enter the hot springs because of the traditional ta moko tattoo on her face. This incident sparked a controversy in Japan, prompting a senior member of the Cabinet to say that Japan needs to be more welcoming and respectful of international culture - especially during events of such magnitude. Rugby World Cup or Olympics.
Current Japanese stereotypes exist mainly
because of the association between tattoos and criminal american baseball jersey organizations, or the Yakuza. The land of the rising sun has two tattoo cultures - western style and yakuza. The underground rules are mainly set for the gangs to define the area of operation.