Japan (9) - Tatami

14 July 2010 - When I arrived in the Takayama Ouan Hotel yesterday, I was immediately requested to take off my shoes. That's kinda normal in Japan, but this hotel is one big tatami mat. It is probably one of the marketing points of this place, because once up in my room (see picture above) I found a note saying "The touch f tatami that you first felt on your arrival must still be lingering in your feet. The floors within this hotel are all tatami. Please feel free to walk around barefoot, and feel the delightful warmth of the tatami on your skin." That's true, but there is more. There is also a pyjama (it's called Samue robe, but I don't know what that is), and an onsen on the roof of the hotel. The onsen has an indoor and outdoor bath, where you can enjoy a view of the surrounding mountains while relaxing in the water. There is a note in the onsen "Persons with tattoos may not use the bath.". Do Japanese think tattoos are dirty?

4 comments:

Unknown said...

me wondering why too!?...mmmm

Jean-Michel said...

They believe only mafia people have tatoos. So you are not welcome with Tatoos

WATER-TROTTER said...

Well ... I guess that makes sense, but then again many things don't make sense here!??

Larigot said...

Yes it is to avoid 'yakuza' related people to use these facilities. Once I saw an 'tattoo' guy entering a public bath, every one left the facility !