Dec 17 (Kyodo) - A famous hot spa resort is offering an online map showing "onsen" spots available for tattooed tourists traveling to the region for next year's Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Tattoos are typically frowned-upon in Japan due to their association with gangsters, meaning people who wish to bathe in onsens, public pools or public baths are unable to do so.
But the city office of Beppu in the World Cup host prefecture of Oita, has prepared the map on the web page titled "100 tattoo-allowed hot springs" based on the understanding that tattoos are part of traditional culture in such countries as New Zealand, whose national rugby team will play in Oita during the tournament.
