Are you what we could define as a globetrotter? If we have to add a passion for tattoos to your love of seeing the world and traveling, there is something you should take into account. And, as we mentioned in the headline of the article, there are some countries that are not very fond of tattoos. If you have a small tattoo in a discreet area that cannot be seen while dressed, there will be no problems.
But What happens to people who have a large part of their body tattooed? Well, they will have many problems to travel to according to which countries. In this first installment we mention some of them, mostly Asian countries. Later we will publish a second installment with other countries to which it would not be advisable to travel with many tattoos. Although, and as you will see later, in the vast majority of cases we talk about the possibility that we have restricted access to what places, but do not think that they will put me in prison as soon as I get off the plane, since it will not be like that.
Vietnam
For much of Vietnamese society, tattoos are viewed in a bad light. Today having tattoos or opening a tattoo studio is illegal. And it is that a large part of society in Vietnam today continues to associate tattoos with a criminal connotation and people with a bad life.
North Korea
Although in reality little "official" information can be said about the situation of body art in the most hermetic country in the world. Although and according to what I have been able to find out, apparently, it is illegal to get or give someone a tattoo unless it is for a “medical description”. Apparently, the few people who have tattoos tend to get them secretly or very privately.
South Korea
We could not talk about North Korea without mentioning the situation that the tattoo experiences among its brothers from the south. The "legal" situation that the art of tattooing in the South Korean country is experiencing is very similar to that of the North, although apparently, in recent years it has been changing little by little thanks to the movement promoted by some associations such as KTAA (Korean Association of Tattoo Artists).
Japan
Although it may seem a lie, in Japan the simple fact of wearing tattoos is still a stigma for much of Japanese society. And I say that it seems a lie since the art of the tattoo that we know today owes a lot to the Japanese culture. While you can freely travel to Japan with tattoos, there are some places that are not allowed if you have a tattooed body. Some examples are gyms, bath houses and even some SPAs. It is common to find signs of "no entry to tattooed people." Despite this, these restrictions are often overlooked when it comes to tourists.