Originally Posted by
JayK
I may have missed it, but I did not see similar signs in English at the gyms at the Imperial Hotel, Hotel Okura, or the Westin.
I'm not familiar with the Imperial or the Okura, but as far as I'm aware the Westin has the same policy. Whether signs are present or not is another matter.
I know that the reason for this is that Yakuza members have tattoos. But the Miyako is supposed to be an international hotel, and the sign I saw was in English, which is hardly the language of the Yakuza. Put another way, international English-speaking guests are not going to be members of the Yakuza, but may have tattoos as many respectable, non-gangster people in the west do. They should not have to face such English-language signs.
It really doesn't matter what language you speak or where you're from. When you go to a foreign country, you abide by local customs and culture. This is how traveling has always worked. You don't go to India and whine about not being able to get a steak, or go to Brunei and complain about the lack of alcohol.
And just so you're aware, there are both Yakuza members who speak English, and those who do not live in Japan.