RetireJapan

Hi all,

I live in Ichikawa-shi, which is in Chiba, but quite close to Tokyo. I was considering joining a fitness club with a pool, to pick up swimming as a way of exercise. Making the muscles stronger and losing same body fat sounded like a good idea.

However, to my disappointment and surprise, the 3 clubs close to my home simply refuse anyone with (any size of) tattoos. They even ask this on the intake form. I am clearly not a Yakuza and don’t have e.g. a full “bodysuit” or skull on my forehead tattooed, but the conservative (I was conserving using the word “retarded”) society doesn’t care about that. I cannot hide my 2 tattoos with a patch or something, which clearly won’t hold in a pool. I still cannot believe this stance and was wondering if any of you have different experiences or suggestions.

Regards,

Hans

Hi Hans

Yeah, very common here unfortunately. You might be able to cover any visible tattoos (they sell special plasters for this here). But it's one reason I don't have any tattoos living in Japan. Still very restrictive.

(although the actual yakuza seem okay, I sometimes see people in onsens with full body tattoos, while the kids with a rose on their ankle get turned away )

JapHans wrote: ↑Sun Aug 27, 2023 3:38 pm Hi all,

I live in Ichikawa-shi, which is in Chiba, but quite close to Tokyo. I was considering joining a fitness club with a pool, to pick up swimming as a way of exercise. Making the muscles stronger and losing same body fat sounded like a good idea.

However, to my disappointment and surprise, the 3 clubs close to my home simply refuse anyone with (any size of) tattoos. They even ask this on the intake form. I am clearly not a Yakuza and don’t have e.g. a full “bodysuit” or skull on my forehead tattooed, but the conservative (I was conserving using the word “retarded”) society doesn’t care about that. I cannot hide my 2 tattoos with a patch or something, which clearly won’t hold in a pool. I still cannot believe this stance and was wondering if any of you have different experiences or suggestions.

Regards,

Hans

You'll never be able to oversome the whole "computer says no" thinking here.
I have a mate who is a black guy and he faced the same issue when trying to join a gym. He was like "Err, I don't think the Japanese yakuza are too keen on letting black dudes from America join their ranks, right?!". But nope, no joy.
I always shave my head, yet I have to wear a bathing cap whenever I enter the pool. I have more hair on my chest and legs than on my head.
I pointed this out one day to the staff but they just looked at me as if the circuits in their brains were popping from short circuiting.

JapHans wrote: ↑Sun Aug 27, 2023 3:38 pm I still cannot believe this stance and was wondering if any of you have different experiences or suggestions.

Keep looking... most public swimming pools should allow you in, if you agree on covering your tattoos.

It really boils down to individual business' policies, years ago MIDBREATH had a quite large gym in Yotsuya, with swimming pool and sauna.. and they didn't care about tattoos, it was really really good..

places like Gold Gym and Joy Fit hav a no tattoo policy... bigots

at Anytime Fitness, you can be tattooed, but you are supposed to cover them while in the facility

Several gyms on the higher end of the spectrum in downtown Tokyo do not have tattoo policies.

I am 99% sure you can go here, for example:
https://www.tef.or.jp.e.apk.hp.transer. ... index.html
Last time I did contact them, they said tattoos are ok, but must be covered.

If you've seen any pics of outdoor pools here, lots of people have fully covered upper bodies (UV protection).

Could you wear something similar--would it cover enough?

** edited based on feedback**

Slightly off topic (just in case you end up not being able to swim), you said:
>>Making the muscles stronger and losing same body fat sounded like a good idea.

FWIW - Swimming is not for muscle-building (but is good for muscle toning and efficiency).
For muscle building, you need weights (gym); and cycling is good for building certain leg muscles.

This is interesting. Where i go,( not Tokyo) there are a few guys who go in with tats. One wears a long top, to cover his arms.and he wears leggings to cover his legs. Sadly they say tats are about the yakuza ( and since gaijin) can't be in the Yakuza, it just seems (insert word of preference).

gaijin86 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 6:36 am
FWIW - Swimming is no good for making muscles stronger and you'd have to do an awful lot of it in order to lose body fat.

For muscle building, you need weights (gym); and cycling is good for building certain leg muscles.
For losing fat you need an activity that requires carrying your full body weight (e.g., walking (fast if possible); jogging/running, climbing steps, etc.).
But with cycling and especially swimming, you're not carrying your full body weight, so it takes much longer to burn calories.

I have a different experience. You said you want to make the muscles stronger, but not BUILD muscle. Well, I have been swimming for a few months now and I have lost about 10 kilos, and I'm doing about 1 hour. You will (I believe ) make your muscles stronger because you have the resistance in the water to contend with). In fact, we use it for rehab in hydrotherapy specifically because it builds muscle with no impact on joints. I don't know your body type or size, but you most certainly won't do any harm. You'll also be giving the heart muscle a massive workout but It also depends on what you like.
I use this swim calorie calculator.
https://caloriesburnedhq.com/calories-burned-swimming/

I guess something like this would be perfect....and I'm sure there are looser-fitting ones too. But the guys in my pool just wear these along with something over the legs.
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B09X5LJXF2/ ... th=1&psc=1

good luck and let us know what you find. Check out youtube on a guy who lost 100 Lbs. Kinda inspiring.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RK6PfSzmmw

Roger Van Zant » Mon Aug 28, 2023 10:05 am


I always shave my head, yet I have to wear a bathing cap whenever I enter the pool. I have more hair on my chest and legs than on my head.
I pointed this out one day to the staff but they just looked at me as if the circuits in their brains were popping from short circuiting.

Ah yes. This would the be the infamous slight head tilt, of "so what's your point?" and the rule thing. LOL. Blinking, and syntax error or common sense.

This blog post (in Japanese) reviews eight gyms for their tattoo policies. Some of them are OK with tattoos but most are not.

My gym is Tokyu Oasis in Kabukicho which definitely does not allow tattoos and that blog accurately assessed it as NG. It's funny since Kabukicho is known for its large yakuza population you would think they'd cater to the local community.

Man, these stupid rules. I’m pretty curious how places that are popular with tourists (especially onsens) are going to handle the tattoo rules. Not to mention I’m seeing more and more younger Japanese people walking around with visible tattoos.