Japan's darts scene has shifted in the last few years — pros who used to keep their tattoos covered have started showing them openly. Here are the real cases and the timeline behind that shift.
Iwata Natsumi: from covered to open
Professional player Iwata Natsumi said in a November 2018 interview that her tattoos were mostly in inconspicuous places and that she'd "keep covering them in competition going forward." By around October 2023, she started competing in JAPAN LADIES events with her tattoos visible, no longer hiding them.
Yamada Yuki: covered at home, visible abroad
Yamada Yuki, nicknamed "Yanmar," competed at the 2019 PDC World Championship with his tattoos fully visible, creating a contrast — covered domestically, visible internationally. He's mentioned on X (Twitter) that a PDC player named Gary influenced his decision to get inked.
Asada Seigo is another case
Starting around April 2024, Asada Seigo was also observed with tattoos faintly visible below his short sleeves.
The turning point is roughly 2023-2024 — and a possible reason why
All three players are signed to TRiNiDAD Undisputed, and one darts outlet has speculated the shift may be connected to that brand backing players under a more globally-standard culture — that's one outlet's observation, not an official statement. Zooming out, Japanese society's attitude toward tattoos has also been loosening in recent years: a 2015 court case involved the city of Osaka requiring civil servants to disclose whether they had tattoos, and an employee who refused and was disciplined then sued — the dispute was about whether the survey violated privacy rights, and it has nothing directly to do with darts, but it shows the broader social climate was already starting to treat tattoos as a form of self-expression worth protecting, well beyond the darts scene alone.
For more real player stories, see notable Japanese darts players; to see how pros actually adjust their mindset and gear, see this post. AI DARTS runs 24-hour self-service if you want to come throw — see here. Menu's here.