Tattoo is...

Tattoo is a work of art and the body is the canvas. Tattoo is something special you never want to forget. Tattoo is expressing your believe in picture form that will last as long as you do. Tattoo is deeper than the skin. Tattoo is something personal that should not be used to label, define or discriminate any more than hair color or gender... These were some of the responses from the KGU (international and Japanese) students I received in questionnaires following the projection of my short film “Tattoo is…” – project for the Visual Anthropology of Japan class. And I think they contain a most of the important ideas regarding tattooing. 

This film project started with my visit to the King of Tattoo 2011 tattoo convention in Tokyo in October. It was a dream-come-true experience for me. Finally I got to see the people I know from books and even the living legend – Horiyoshi III in action! He was tattooing his own son Souryou on stage by both hand-tebori style and a machine. He was sitting in a lotus position on a tatami concentrated so deeply that he looked like in a state of meditation. But there was not just the traditional Japanese tattooing that is notoriously and stereotypically connected with the yakuza. There were also a lot of nice examples of modern Japanese tattoos that were more or less a fusion of traditional Japanese and western one-point tattoos like amazing self-taught Shige and modern tattoo shops like Catclaw in Kyoto and Three Tides Tattoo in Osaka. The celebration of Japanese tattooing peak with guys in traditional all-body tattoos making rice mochi and performing ritual group sake drinking. It was not a typical formal Japanese celebration at all though. You can find shots from the event in the “Tattoo is…” film below or on this link in better resolution.

Japanese tattoo has such a big name in tattoo community in the West and even outside of this subculture (check out Horiyoshi III clothing line in fashion magazines and on Hollywood celebrities here). However tattoos still remain kind of a stigma in Japanese society even among the average young. On the other hand it is sad for me that even here in Japan there is a growing number of people not concerned or interested in the meaning of their tattoos and have them more like permanent fashion accessories. Maybe it is because majority of young Japanese are not interested in their religion and some don't even see the difference between Shinto and Buddhist shrines. Therefore some people choose Kannon riding a dragon because it looks cool not for the fact that she is the Goddes of Mercy. However I hope that even in this quickened life there will always be some people willing to stop and think or maybe better- not think at all... More zen less yen! 

For higher resolution video click here!

Maneki Neko - the Lucky Cat

Horiyoshi III tattooing his son

Shige (at the bottom on the right) and his customers

Shige's Fudo Myo-o

Shige's Eleven Headed Kannon

traditional Japanese tattoos displayed the traditional way

modern Japanese tattoo strongly influenced by the west and mixed with one-point western tattoos

I couldn't resist the fun sake ritual

Further reading:

Irezumi: the pattern of dermatography in Japan – history of Japanese tattoo in great detail

Japanese Tattoo classic by Ian Buruma

The books of Horiyoshi III – highly artistic books in every aspect but really expensive, check out the publishers blog.

Tattoos of the Floating World: Ukiyo-E Motifs in Japanese Tattoo – excellent book that explains the connection between Japanese tattooing and woodblock prints.

Japanese Buddhism x Horiyoshi III – religious aspects of Japanese tattooing with very nice pictures.

Bushido: Legacies of the Japanese Tattoo - The Samurai spirit of Japanese tattooing (nice and cheap)

Tattoo in Japan – Traditional and modern tattoos in amazing and fun pictures!

1000 Tattoos by Taschen – cheap and fun book with really cool vintage tattoos (the Japanese tattoo part is not the best though)

Tattoo Burst Magazine – the most respected magazine about tattooing in Japan

Interview with Horiyoshi III in japantimes.co.jp

Tattoo Artist Magazine blog

Tattoo Museum in Yokohama – probably the messiest museum ever with incredible mixture of stuff with/about tattoos.