Regarding the Dec. 31 Kyodo article "Tokyo bathhouses look to tap foreigners but ensure they behave": If Japanese onsen owners wish for more foreigners to visit and enjoy their facilities, they may need to revisit their "no tattoos" policy.
Many people from all over the world have tattoos these days, and it does not mean they are criminals.
The conservative Japanese preconception that tattoos equate with crime needs to be discarded as the outdated prejudice that it is. All people need to feel that they are welcome, regardless of their choice of body decoration, including multiple piercings, etc.
Body ornamentation is a fact of life these days, and inked and pierced people should be just as welcome to bathe in an onsen, as those who prefer their skin completely au naturel.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.