Are tattoos a taboo in Japan?

Yes, tattoos are still a tabu and have a negative impression in Japan. Although most people are not “tattoo = belong to antisocial group”, surprisingly tattoos give you restrictions of your activities. Typically entering to amusement parks, swimming pool facilities, hot springs, sports centers, and ryokan (Japanese-style inns) are prohibited. For business scenes, tattoo won’t give any good impression either. You need to cover those tattoos with long sleeve clothes.