Tattoos rare sight at Tokyo festival

Every year, Tokyo celebrates Sanja Matsuri. This three-day Shinto festival happens in the city's Asakusa district. People give thanks for three human gods. These men set up Asakusa's Senso-ji temple. This is Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple.

The festival includes traditional music, dancing, parades and 'mikoshi'. Mikoshi are tiny copies of the gods' holy building, which are carried through the streets. They bring the gods and good luck to each street.

Another feature of the festival is 'irezumi'. These traditional tattoos aren't usually seen in Japanese society. They're often connected with 'yakuza' criminal organisations.

Yakuza gang members used to get tattoos all over their bodies. The pain and the cost of irezumi made them a status symbol. But their history goes back a long way.

Tattoos had many uses during the Edo period, from 1603 to 1868. Criminals were marked with tattoos. They also became popular with working people.

Firemen and skilled tradesmen got tattoos that were connected to their jobs. Asakusa's one district where these workers lived. Tattoos at Sanja Matsuri are part of this tradition.

Tattoos were banned for over 70 years. They're still banned in most gyms and 'onsen' hot springs. Masaki Oyama rarely shows his in public.

Masaki Oyama: "I try not to show them while I'm at work to avoid any trouble for my company. So I make sure they don't show. Even on my days off, I wear long sleeves. It's not like I'm consciously trying to hide anything in particular, but I've been doing it for so long. That's just how it is."

Many young people aren't worried about tattoos. They're seen as part of modern life. An increasing number of businesses and events are now tattoo-friendly spaces. View Less