Mat Roniss

Mat Roniss is a Japanese-American traveler and lifelong onsen lover with over 30 years of firsthand experience visiting hot springs across Japan—from childhood summers with grandparents in Hokkaido to family trips to Okinawa. Since taking his first solo backpacking trip in 2017, he’s explored over 30 countries, planning trips for himself, family, and friends with meticulous attention to local culture, accommodation, and tourism access. In 2022, a family trip to Japan took a surprising turn when Mat’s brother revealed a hidden full-back tattoo—forcing them to cancel all their original onsen bookings. That moment sparked Mat’s mission: to spend 100+ hours researching tattoo-friendly onsen across Japan and launch this free travel resource to help others like his family (and maybe even yours) find inclusive, welcoming bathing experiences.

Before launching Tattoo Friendly Onsen, Mat spent 8 years at the heart of the Japanese video game industry, working as a Product Marketing Manager and Brand Manager for SEGA and Atlus. He specialized in localizing and launching Japanese games for Western audiences across the U.S. and Europe—helping bring fan-favorites like Sonic the Hedgehog, Persona, Puyo Puyo, and Hatsune Miku to global players on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam. His final project, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, marked a fitting conclusion to his game career and a new beginning in wellness, travel, and mission-driven entrepreneurship. Today, he combines cross-cultural marketing experience with lived expat insight to create travel content that’s as inclusive as it is immersive.

Mat holds advanced training in mindfulness and wellness education, including the two-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program led by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach, with accreditation from Sounds True, the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and The Awareness Training Institute. He is also a RYT-200 certified yoga instructor after a month-long training at Arhanta Yoga Ashram in India, strengthening his foundation in both Eastern philosophy and trauma-informed practice. These certifications inform his teachings, writing, workshops, and field research, helping travelers bring more presence, joy, and awareness into every journey—whether soaking in an open-air bath or navigating tattoo etiquette in a traditional ryokan.

Outside of his work, Mat is an avid indoor climber, slowly building up the courage to take his bouldering outdoors. He studies Japanese weekly through a mix of Shonen Jump manga, JRPG, Ghibli, and anime soundtracks, combining language learning with nostalgia. These days, he doesn’t game nearly as much—but is always open to JRPG recommendations. He’s also a self-taught ramen chef, making rich homemade bowls to satisfy his cravings while abroad. Mat travels internationally at least three months a year, and grounds his lifestyle in mindfulness, personal development, and the teachings of the Buddha. Through his work and way of life, he’s always striving to prioritize joy over stress—and help others do the same.