What the 23 stays we checked in Arima (Hyogo) publish about tattoos, researched on each stay's official site (exceptions labelled) with the evidence on the stay's own page. Data checked 11 Oct 2026.
3 of the 23 stays we checked publish a rule that lets tattooed guests bathe (verified); 10 more are possible: a hot-spring private bath is listed, but the inn hasn't stated a tattoo rule (our inference, not a promise). Of the rest, 2 have a recorded rule or private bath that opens no hot-spring bath today, 5 publish a no-tattoo rule and 3 publish nothing about tattoos.
Written rules first: the stay itself (or its operator) says tattooed guests may use the shared bath, may use it if the tattoo is covered, or may use a private hot-spring bath. Then the stays that list a hot-spring private bath but say nothing about tattoos — that one is our inference.
“Check prices” links may earn us a commission. We add no fee, and it never changes a status. Disclosure
In brief: The inn has no large bath at all. Every room has its own kinsen (gold hot-spring) open-air bath, so tattooed guests bathe in-room. The terms clause "11.刺青の方の大浴場の入浴はお断り" is boilerplate for a bath that does not exist.
Hot-spring bath in your room
Inn's official site · checked 11 Oct 2026
In brief: Book a room with open-air / semi-open-air bath.
Hot-spring bath in your room
Inn's official site · checked 11 Oct 2026
In brief: All baths in the building are private baths (no shared large bath). Free for staying guests, first come, first served.
Private hot-spring bath, reservable
Inn's official site · checked 11 Oct 2026
A rule or a private bath is recorded, but here it does not lead to a hot-spring bath today: for example an operator policy that allows tattoos at a property with no shared bath on site, or a private bath that is not hot-spring water or not open yet. Not counted above.
In brief: Paid private open-air bath (outside the building, has steps)
Private bath, but not hot-spring water
Inn's official FAQ · checked 11 Oct 2026
Private bath, but not hot-spring water
Inn's official FAQ · checked 11 Oct 2026
A hot-spring private bath is listed but the inn has not stated a tattoo rule. A private bath means nobody else is in the water, so a shared-bath rule may not apply — our inference, not the inn's word. Ask before you book.
Our inferencePrivate hot-spring bath, reservable — listed on the inn's official site. The inn has not published a tattoo rule.
No tattoo rule published · private bath listed on the inn's official site · checked 11 Oct 2026
Our inferenceHot-spring bath in your room — listed on the inn's official site. The inn has not published a tattoo rule.
No tattoo rule published · private bath listed on the inn's official site · checked 11 Oct 2026
Our inferenceHot-spring bath in your room — listed on the inn's official site. The inn has not published a tattoo rule.
No tattoo rule published · private bath listed on the inn's official site · checked 11 Oct 2026
Our inferencePrivate hot-spring bath — listed by gekkoen.co.jp. The inn has not published a tattoo rule.
No tattoo rule published · private bath listed by gekkoen.co.jp · checked 11 Oct 2026
Our inferencePrivate hot-spring bath, reservable — listed on the inn's official site. The inn has not published a tattoo rule.
No tattoo rule published · private bath listed on the inn's official site · checked 11 Oct 2026
Our inferencePrivate hot-spring bath, no reservation (use it when free) — listed on the inn's official site. The inn has not published a tattoo rule.
No tattoo rule published · private bath listed on the inn's official site · checked 11 Oct 2026
Our inferenceHot-spring bath in your room — listed on the inn's official site. The inn has not published a tattoo rule.
No tattoo rule published · private bath listed on the inn's official site · checked 11 Oct 2026
Our inferenceHot-spring bath in your room — listed on the inn's official site. The inn has not published a tattoo rule.
No tattoo rule published · private bath listed on the inn's official site · checked 11 Oct 2026
Our inferencePrivate hot-spring bath — listed on the inn's official site. The inn has not published a tattoo rule.
No tattoo rule published · private bath listed on the inn's official site · checked 11 Oct 2026
Our inferencePrivate hot-spring bath, reservable — listed on the inn's official site. The inn has not published a tattoo rule.
No tattoo rule published · private bath listed on the inn's official site · checked 11 Oct 2026
These 5 stays publish a rule that does not permit tattoos. Under each name: which baths the rule covers, what we found about a private bath, and whether the ban goes further. A listed private bath is not a yes — the inn has not said tattooed guests may use it, so ask.
From accommodation terms (宿泊約款)
The cited rule says tattooed guests may not use the shared bath. Private bath: not recorded.
The cited rule says tattooed guests may not use the shared bath. Private bath: not recorded.
Listed under 'we kindly ask the following persons to refrain from bathing at the large public baths'
The cited rule says tattooed guests may not use the shared bath. Private bath: not recorded.
No private/reservable bath; some rooms have non-onsen in-room baths (not stated as a tattoo option)
The cited rule says tattooed guests may not use the shared bath. Lists a private bath (not hot-spring water); not stated whether tattooed guests may use it.
Clause in accommodation terms.
The cited rule says tattooed guests may not use the shared bath. Private bath: not recorded.
These 3 stays' official sites say nothing about tattoos. Silence is not a yes.
Lists a private bath, but not stated to be hot-spring water
Lists a private bath, but not stated to be hot-spring water
Each stay's page has a polite Japanese message you can copy and send before booking — or read our guide on asking.
How to ask a ryokan →A schematic of the 23 stays above, by status. Every stay on it is also in the lists above.
Each pin sits in the free spot nearest its position in our data, so none overlap. Not a street map.
Arima Onsen is in Kita Ward of Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, on the north side of the Rokko mountains.
Its two kinds of spring water are called kinsen (“gold”, reddish-brown) and ginsen (“silver”, clear).
城崎 · HyogoKinosaki31 stays checked · 5 verified · 18 possiblePhoto: Mypom9 (photo page on Wikimedia Commons, opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence, opens in a new tab)
玉造 · ShimaneTamatsukuri11 stays checked · 1 verified · 5 possiblePhoto: Editor0206 (photo page on Wikimedia Commons, opens in a new tab) · CC0 (licence, opens in a new tab)
高山 · GifuTakayama22 stays checked · 2 verified · 6 possiblePhoto: 663highland (photo page on Wikimedia Commons, opens in a new tab) · CC BY 2.5 (licence, opens in a new tab)
道後 · EhimeDogo23 stays checked · 1 verified · 9 possiblePhoto: Japanexperterna.se (photo page on Wikimedia Commons, opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence, opens in a new tab)Researched by the Tattoo Onsen Japan editors from each stay's official site (exceptions — a prefecture database or an operator's group-wide policy — are labelled on the stay's page). Data checked 11 Oct 2026. English translations are ours.
Rules change. Before booking, read the stay's page and, if in doubt, ask the stay. How we verify →