Since then, tattoos have moved from ubiquity among both the upper and lower classes in the Edo period to complete taboo status after their illegalization in the early 20th century, when they were ...

Fans and players heading to Japan for the Rugby World cup have been urged to cover up their inking to avoid ... although due to the stigma the tattoos hold in Japanese society, they often cut ...

A growing number of Japanese enthusiasts are trying to tackle a 400-year-old taboo associating tattoos with organised-crime gangs such as the yakuza. Their tattoos often feature characters from ...