Unlike Western countries, which are making the practice of tattoos and piercings increasingly common, in Japan, these are still considered major taboos. In the past, in the land of the rising sun, tattooing was a way to mark prisoners, and over time, it became one of the biggest symbols of the Yakuza, the great Japanese mafia.
In the land of the rising sun, people with tattoos can even be barred from public places, such as clubs, public baths, and others. Piercings are also not exempt, although they are not as associated with the Japanese mafia. However, as it is a country where discipline speaks louder, people tend not to use such accessories, for fear of marginalization or worse things.
Even ear piercings, which are so common in our country, even among men, are completely discouraged, especially in schools. Japanese students must follow strict rules regarding their appearance and behavior, being even prohibited from dyeing their hair any color other than good old black.
This is well depicted in manga (Japanese comics), where some students are seen as delinquents for altering their natural hair color, for getting tattoos, or for using piercings. The manga known as Horimyia shows exactly this taboo when one of the main characters, known as Izumi Miyamura, has to constantly hide his own body with a winter uniform for fear of being judged by his peers or even expelled from school.
All this fear is due to the fact that he has some tattoos on his body and some piercings, which he hides with his long hair. Although it may not seem like a big deal to us, this story shows us how the vast majority of Japanese people view tattoos and piercings.
For adults, it is not so different, as the use of piercings and tattoos at work is seen as something unethical and unprofessional. Fortunately, these more… rebellious individuals can find a bit of refuge in large urban centers, where there is a bit more cultural plurality, and various tribes mix and often respect each other.
Have you ever wondered why Japanese women do not shave their pubic hair? Click below to also read our article: Why Japanese women usually do not shave.
Do even foreigners suffer from this taboo?
Well, some say that this marginalized view of people who use piercings or tattoos only happens with the Japanese. However, there have been cases of famous foreigners who had to hide their tattoos due to the prejudice of the Japanese.
Those who think this only happens with large tattoos are mistaken, as even small ones can guarantee an offensive look from some more conservative Japanese. For example, in 2015, a renowned journalist reported being embarrassed in a public pool for showing a tattoo of only 8 cm.
Despite being a major taboo, we can see that little by little it is being broken, even in a society that values its own precepts as much as Japan does. Anyway, we hope you enjoyed this article. Until next time!
If you want to know more about the subject, we recommend reading our complete article on tattoos in Japan.
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