Abstract
It is said that the majority of bathing houses in Japan refuse the use of customers with tattoos. The problem of refusing the use of facilities based only on tattooing has been raised, but there is still a lack of objective data and discussion to deepen the discussion. In this study, 10 public bathing facilities such as public bathhouses and hot spring inns, as well as hot spring associations and tourist associations were visited, and semi-structured interviews with facility managers were conducted. The interviews focused on the policy of handling tattoos, the impact and consequences of the policy, and the issues related to the handling of tattoos. The results showed the existence of half-hearted handling, resulting paradoxical problems, and the difficulty of an organized approach. It was also suggested that an alternative approach to changing the stereotype of public users be considered.
