Tattoo-accepting Onsen in Tokyo

My friend (ok, more than friend really) is coming to Tokyo on Golden Week. He would like to stay one night in an onsen/ryokan in the area. He is fairly heavily tattooed though. Can anyone recommend a nice onsen/ryokan in the Tokyo area, accessible via train/bus, that will accept his multi-colored self?

Thanks!

Sean

Assuming his tatooes are not visible when he wears clothes, he should have no problems using private baths, which are offered at many ryokan (for example, in the Hakone, Izu, Gunma region).

In Tokyo itself, there are no onsen ryokan according to my knowlegde. And the public onsen baths, LaQua and Oedo Monogatari have strict rules against tattoes with signs in English.

What if I have a small tattoo on my back? Like... half a palm size? Why so strict huh?

Why because tattoo in japan is associated to the mafia or the bad people lol

So... small tattoos not allowed too...?
Hmm.. then i gotta plaster it then.

Sean, I guess probably the answer is "Not acceptable" if it's not a "private" onsen bath tub. I guess your friend has very big one which covers entire his back...?

His tats are on his arm, leg and chest, not back, but the idea is the same, yeah.

Sean

i have a big ass tattoo of a dragon on my right quad and i had no problem when i was in Oedo Monogatari onsen. when i was walkin around in the bath area, the guy that worked there told me to wear a towel to cover it up when im walkin around the area.

these days lots of young japanese people have tattoos and most poeple know they are fairly common on westerners so i think onsen are not so strict these days.

also there is a distinction between tattoo and irezumi or the yakuza style tattoo.

i used to live in the sticks and would regularly see heavily tattooed yakusa at onsen.

i certainly wouldn't have had the courage to say, "sorry you can't come in."

I saw a bulky Japanese guy with a whole body tattoo in one of the best known spas in Noboribetsu in Hokkaido in my recent visit. He was soaping just next to me. A couple of guys talked to him at the rest area in the changing room. Why he was there, I have no idea.

Toei Oedo line to Azabu-Juban station. corner of Kurayamizaka and Azabu-Juban Dori. They are fine with tattoos.