Onsen Tokyo with tattoos

Hello all! My husband and I are traveling to Tokyo May 20th and want to go to an onsen, however, we have some pretty large tattoos. I am told that as long as I cover them up at the entrance I will more than likely be ok. I have heard some stories of people being asked to leave. We plan on visiting this onsen:

http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo/venue/8672/Utsukushi-no-Yu

Has anyone been there before?

Can you recommend a good onsen in Tokyo that will be ok with tattoos?

I am told that as long as I cover them up at the entrance I will more than likely be ok.

No, you are wrong. It is not just at the entrance they should be invisible, they should be invisible in all facilities of the onsen. It is not a game, just because they don't see them at the entrance doesn't mean they will not see them when you are inside. They will ask you to leave. It is usually put as a warning a the entrance and they have the right to make you leave for not respecting the rules.

By the way Utsukushi-no-Yu onsen does NOT accept people with tattoos according to their website.
http://www.nafsport.com/utsukushi/guide/
刺青・タトゥーのある方、泥酔状態及び施設が不適当と判断した方のご入場はできません。


Please remember, when in Rome...

According to Thread #102464, you are in the group of 4 persons who will travel in (and around) Tokyo on May 21 - 27. That means you will have 3 weekdays outside busiest seasons for most tourist spots.
So, if you are worried about tattoos, I suppose it is worth considering staying in a facility in a spa resort where you can utilize hot-spring water privately in your room.

Personally I would not be startled at a tattoo when it looks artistic and its wearer appears to be of ordinary people in a foreign culture. Generally in Japan, however, a tattoo may well be considered, especially by elderly Japanese people, as a sign asserting power of a person such as a gangster.

I do not know of the facility you mention. But I understand that in urban areas across Japan, it is rather easy to find hot water vain using a boring machine, and many facilities are using such an artificially-struck vain, not a traditional hot-spring source.

As suggested, rules are presented so that those who are too shy to speak up and say that they are offended by other people's tattoos can still have the right to relax in the bath.

It's really up to you to ignore these shy people and force your own rights, but all the nice tattooed locals stick to private baths and pools.

Actually though, you are likely to be lucky enough to have the whole bathing room to yourself in the early hours of the afternoon when bathers are all out sightseeing or working ;)

Whatever you do, though, you should obey the rules when you notice them, so to keep a good reputation for fellow foreign tourists.

Thank you everyone! The last thing we want to do is offend the onsen and we do not want to take advantage/disrespect anyone. We are not sure if we will be able to go to a private hot spring but it's definitely a good idea. Thank you for your guys input! :)