The Irezumi Dilemma

So, I've reached a bit of a dilemma guys.

Tattoos have always been a weird thing for me. In the past, I've always had a hard time deciding on what I would get imprinted onto my skin. My mind would always be changing and I could never really stick to one idea without being able to talk myself out of it. Of course, I was also a lot more reserved back then. Since, I've been a lot more lackadaisical about my decision making process and have been able to come up with a design that I believe I'd be happy having ingrained in me for life. I've even gone so far as to plan on getting it done this summer break. This is where a new challenge has arrived.

Being an American who will be working in the art/design world, I have no problems with getting tattoos, in fact it is almost something that is expected. The problem is I'm also half Nipponese. My family was planning a trip to Japan later this summer and it's common knowledge amongst the folk there that tattoos are, for the most part, a taboo. In their history, tattoos have played a major part in marking criminals and are associated with that of the Yakuza. Now, tattooing has been legal in Japan since WWII, but it still holds a strong social stigma till this day. Unless you live in one of the bigger cities, having a visible tattoo is a no-no.

The fact that having a tattoo is taboo is not going to stop me from getting one. The problem is that the tattoos I want would be located on my outer wrists. In most cases, this could easily be avoided by dawning a long sleeved tshirt. However, during the time of year that I'll be visiting, temps will reach the 100s and the humidity will be thick enough to slice with a butter knife. You sweat simply by doing nothing. Wearing any more then you have to is pretty much out of the question.

Basically, the choices are either; wait till after I get back from Japan to get my ink, or be forced to wear wrist bands the entire time I'm there. I'd really would like not to have to wait that long, but it looks like I may very well have to.