Japan remains one of the most contradictory countries on the global tattoo culture map. On one hand, the Japanese art of irezumi inspires admiration from collectors worldwide. On the other, within the country, individuals with body art still face harsh discrimination. Visiting public baths, swimming pools, or gyms is often prohibited for people with tattoos. This social stigma has its roots in the Edo period (1603–1868), when tattooing was used as a brand for criminals and later became an integral attribute of the yakuza. However, today the industry is undergoing tectonic shifts, striving to definitively separate high art from its criminal past.