Just when it’s beginning to look like tattoos are slowly gaining more mainstream acceptance in Japan, things end up going in the opposite direction. In this case, the opposite direction happens to be a zero tolerance policy toward tattoos.
Japan has just played host to the 2009 Bledisloe Cup, a rugby tournament which, as near as I can tell is only played between two teams. I’m sorry, but at this time if it isn’t glaringly obvious that I know nothing about rugby, then I confessing that as far as this famous match between New Zealand (The All Blacks) and Australia (The Wallabies) goes, I’m clueless. Sorry. I do know that I once unintentionally risked a beating at a pub, after asking a Kiwi guy if the rugby that they play in Australia is the same as the stuff they play in New Zealand. Who knew that was a sore spot.
Anyway, speaking of sore spots, this whole edition of the Bledisloe Cup in Japan is one giant sore spot. I guess that in the sport of rugby, it’s often common for the different teams to train by working out in a swimming pool. These are then referred to as “pool sessions”.
When is this going to start being about tattoos, you ask? Right now! So these pool sessions are open to the public. The problems begin once it becomes obvious that many of the rugby players on both teams are tattooed. Being tattooed is apparently such an offensive act in Japan, that the players were are all asked to cover up during the pool sessions. That means that the players had to wear training vests, which covered them from the waist up (arms too). This way, the tattoos were not on display. According to this article, the players were asked to cover up in accordance with Japanese culture.
I don’t think so. I’ve lived in Tokyo and have friends who tattoo in Tokyo and never have I heard that tattoos are disrespectful toward Japanese culture. What I did hear and to a lesser degree experience, was the general fear of tattoos, due to the belief that they are reserved for members of the Japanese mafia: the yakuza. I just don’t feel that it’s fair to rely on misguided stereotypes and then hide under the defense of it being part of any culture. The organizers of this event should reconsider setting future Bledisloe Cups in Japan if a certain degree of tolerance can not be expected toward the visiting teams.
Tags: Dislike, Japan, Japanese, News, pool sessions, rugby, the all blacks, the bledisloe cup, the wallabies, Tokyo
November 5th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Hahaha, is the sport different in Australia….you’re lucky you didn’t get a jug in the face. Yes the Bledisloe Cup is only played between NZ and Oz, and last year and this year were the first two times its been played out side of either country. It gets played with the Tri Nations tournament. (South Africa, NZ and Oz) Tattooing used to be a very popular part of Japanese culture, but as Japan became more Westernised the current emporer decided to ban tattooing as he thought that foreigners would think the Japanese barbarians. The American sailors and soldiers were however quite fascinated. That is why tattooing is a big part of yakuza, because they are being rebels. It is a symbol of rebellion now i think. Sorry can’t remember the emperors name or the period….round WWII anyway.