Ryosuke Yamada (山田涼介, also written Yamada Ryosuke) of the Japanese boy band Hey! Say! JUMP is sometimes seen with tattoos on his neck and chest in photos, including some from concert days. Japanese media describe his neck designs as tattoo stickers, and we found no statement from him or his agency saying he has real tattoos. Here is what each design shows and what the English lettering says.
Key points
- Japanese media describe the designs on his neck as tattoo stickers, and we found no record of him announcing a real tattoo
- Different designs show up on the same spot below his ear from photo to photo: "DEAR princess" lettering with a star, a peace sign, "Always keep the faith" and more
- They have been seen in behind-the-scenes photos from concert days, such as a 2022 Hokkaido show and his 2026 solo dome tour
- We found no record of Yamada explaining what the designs mean or why he wears them
Looking for a similar look? Browse lettering tattoo designs and neck tattoo designs on Tattoo Japan.
Who Is Ryosuke Yamada?
- Name
- Ryosuke Yamada (山田涼介)
- Born
- May 9, 1993
- Birthplace
- Tokyo
- Height
- 164 cm (5 ft 5 in)
- Group
- Hey! Say! JUMP (CD debut on November 14, 2007)
- Agency
- STARTO ENTERTAINMENT
- @ryosuke_yamada059
Yamada made his CD debut as a member of the idol group Hey! Say! JUMP in 2007, and released his first solo single, "Mystery Virgin," in 2013. (Source: Japanese Wikipedia)
As an actor, he has played the lead in the TV drama "The Files of Young Kindaichi Neo" (2014) and the films "Assassination Classroom" (2015) and "Fullmetal Alchemist" (2017). (Source: Japanese Wikipedia)
In 2026 he took his solo dome tour "Are You Red.Y?" to Kyocera Dome Osaka and Tokyo Dome. Japanese media reported it as the first solo dome tour by any artist of STARTO ENTERTAINMENT, counting the years under its predecessor agency. (Source: Daily Sports, July 26, 2026, in Japanese)
Ryosuke Yamada's Tattoo Designs and What They Say
These are the main designs you can make out in photos. Most of them sit on the same spot on his neck, below his ear, and the design changes from one photo to the next.
| Placement | Design | When |
|---|---|---|
| Chest | Cursive lettering | Apparently on stage |
| Neck | Star, "DEAR princess…" | Apparently on stage |
| Neck | Peace sign, handwriting | Hokkaido show, Sep 2022 |
| Neck | Star, small lettering | Apparently on stage |
| Neck | Vein-like design | Osaka dome show, Jun 2026 |
| Neck | "Always keep the faith" | Date unknown |
We found no record of Yamada explaining what any of these designs mean or why he chose them. The meanings of the lettering below are our translations of the English text, and the meanings of the star and peace sign are what those motifs commonly stand for.
Chest: Cursive Lettering
In what looks like a concert photo, with Yamada singing into a microphone, cursive lettering shows on his chest just below his necklaces. The photo is too blurry to read what it says.
Neck: "DEAR princess" Lettering
On the side of his neck there is a small star and four lines of English lettering. In this photo it reads "DEAR princess / Start walking to / The future while / Shine eternally."
Taken literally, it means something like "Dear princess, start walking toward the future while shining forever." We found no record of Yamada saying who the message is for.
Neck: A Peace Sign
Below his ear, there is a peace sign with some handwritten, cursive-style lettering. The lettering is too small to read in the photo.
This photo comes from a set of behind-the-scenes shots that Hey! Say! JUMP's official Instagram posted on September 10, 2022, on the day of a concert in Hokkaido. See the post on Instagram (@heysayjump_official)
The Japanese music site UtaTen covered the post and described the design on his neck as a tattoo sticker. (Source: UtaTen, September 11, 2022, in Japanese)
The peace sign is widely known as a symbol of peace and the anti-war movement.
Neck: A Star
Below his ear there is a star with eight points, with a few lines of small lettering underneath. The photo is too blurry to read them. The "DEAR princess" photo above also shows a star.
Stars are often chosen to stand for hope, wishes or finding your way.
Neck: A Vein-Like Design on His 2026 Dome Tour
After the second night of his solo dome tour "Ryosuke Yamada DOME TOUR 2026 Are You Red.Y?" at Kyocera Dome Osaka on June 28, 2026, a behind-the-scenes photo showed a design on his neck that looked like raised veins, according to a Japanese news site. (Source: Nishispo WEB OTTO!, June 29, 2026, in Japanese)
The same article notes that Yamada now and then appears wearing tattoo stickers in a variety of designs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ryosuke Yamada's Tattoos
Are Ryosuke Yamada's tattoos real?
The neck designs appear to be tattoo stickers, not real tattoos. Japanese media describe the designs on his neck as tattoo stickers, and we found no announcement from him or his agency that he has a real tattoo. (Sources: UtaTen, September 11, 2022; Nishispo WEB OTTO!, June 29, 2026, both in Japanese)
Comparing photos also shows that the design on the same spot of his neck changes from photo to photo. We found no report on whether the chest lettering is a sticker.
When can you see Ryosuke Yamada's tattoos?
They have been seen in behind-the-scenes photos from concert days and in what look like concert photos. The reported examples are from a Hokkaido concert day in September 2022 and from the Kyocera Dome Osaka shows of his solo dome tour in June 2026.
We found no record of him saying whether he wears them at every show, or why.
Does Ryosuke Yamada have the same tattoo as Jaejoong?
We found no report or statement that he got the same tattoo. But there is a photo of him with "Always keep the faith" on his neck, the same words that Korean singer Kim Jaejoong has tattooed on his chest.
Jaejoong's chest tattoo reads "Always Keep the Faith," and he has said it stands for his wish to protect his beliefs. (Sources: Soompi, October 16, 2012; Kstyle via livedoor News, August 11, 2012, in Japanese)
We found no record of Yamada saying he chose the phrase because of Jaejoong, so that link is unconfirmed.
The two are friends. On September 5, 2023, Yamada posted a photo of the two of them to his Instagram Stories, and Jaejoong reshared it, adding "료스케" (Ryosuke in Korean). (Source: Modelpress, September 5, 2023, in Japanese)
Do Johnny's or STARTO idols have tattoos?
We found no published rule on tattoos from STARTO ENTERTAINMENT or from Johnny & Associates, the agency that came before it.
Among entertainers who have left the agency, Yuya Tegoshi, whose departure from Johnny & Associates was announced in June 2020, was reported to have shown an ankle tattoo on his own YouTube channel in July 2020. (Sources: Shukan Josei PRIME, October 22, 2024; Daily Sports, June 23, 2020, both in Japanese)
For background on why tattoos are a sensitive topic in Japan, see our article on the history of tattoo bans at Japanese facilities.
Summary: Ryosuke Yamada's Tattoos at a Glance
Japanese media describe the tattoos on Ryosuke Yamada's neck as tattoo stickers, and we found no record of him announcing a real tattoo. The designs differ from photo to photo, from "DEAR princess" lettering with a star to a peace sign and "Always keep the faith," and they have shown up in photos from concert days.
He hasn't explained what they mean, but script lettering and stars are popular tattoo designs. If you want a similar piece as a real tattoo, compare designs first, then talk it through with a studio.
*Based on publicly available information as of October 2026.
