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Currents
August 2019
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among western Europeans, they are less so in east-
ern European countries.
Although Japanese tattoo artists are renowned for
their superior skills, the Japanese tend to frown upon
tattoos because they are associated with the yakuza
- that is, the Japanese mafia. For this reason, indi-
viduals with tattoos are usually not allowed entry to
public baths and onsen (hot springs). However, in
view of the increasing number of foreign visitors,
especially from western countries, as well as the
2020 Olympics, these restrictions may have to be
relaxed.
Why are so many people getting inked - to use the
popular expressions for tattooed? For most, it’s a
form of self-expression that allows them to make a
personal statement on their body. The tattoo may be
purely decorative, or it may have a symbolic mean-
ing. Some people get inked after they’ve gone
through a period of crisis - illness, divorce, depres-
sion or loss of a loved one. The tattoo then becomes
a visible reminder of this trauma.
You may be surprised that the number of inked
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