Thinking of getting a Japanese-style tattoo? Want to avoid a permanent mistake? Japanese Tattoos is an insider's look at the world of Japanese irezumi (tattoos). Japanese Tattoos explains the imagery featured in Japanese tattoos so that readers can avoid getting ink they don't understand or, worse, that they'll regret. This photo-heavy book will also trace the history of Japanese tattooing, putting the iconography and kanji symbols in their proper context so readers will be better informed as to what they mean and have a deeper understanding of irezumi. Tattoos featured will range from traditional tebori (hand-poked) and kanji tattoos to anime-inspired and modern works--as well as everything in between. For the first time, Japanese tattooing will be put together in a visually attractive, informative, and authoritative way. Along with the 350+ photos of tattoos, Japanese Tattoos will also feature interviews with Japanese tattoo artists on a variety of topics. What's more, there will be interviews with clients, who are typically overlooked in similar books, allowing them to discuss what their Japanese tattoos mean to them. Those who read this informative tattoo guide will be more knowledgeable about Japanese tattoos should they want to get inked or if they are simply interested in Japanese art and culture.

This richly illustrated book reveals the meaning and the secrets behind the most significant motifs from traditional Japanese tattooing--such as mythological and supernatural creatures, animals, Buddhist deities, flowers and historical characters--and turns this art form into a path toward personal knowledge and individual expression.

This text offers a treatment of the history, symbolism, and social function of tattooing in Japan, from its earliest beginnings to the present day.

Reproduces ukiyo-e prints from the incomparable collection of Japanese art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Many tattoo connoisseurs consider the Japanese tradition to be the finest in the world for its detail, complexity, and compositional skill. Its style and subject matter are drawn from the visual treasure trove of Japanese popular culture, in particular the colour woodblock prints of the early nineteenth century known as ukiyo-e. This book tells the fascinating story of how ukiyo-e first inspired tattoo artists as the pictorial tradition of tattooing in Japan was just beginning. It explores the Japanese tattoo's evolving meanings, from symbol of devotion to punishment and even to crime, and reveals the tales behind specific motifs. With lush, colourful images of flowers blooming on the arm of a thief, sea monsters coiling across the back of a hero, and legendary warriors battling on the chests of actors, the tattoos in these Japanese prints can offer the same vivid inspiration today as they did two hundred years ago.

A journey through the elusive world of traditional Japanese tattooing, based largely on Takahiro's experiences as a client and student of the master Hiryoshi III. He and Katie trace bushido, the samurai code of chivalry, through the imagery and interpersonal dynamics of the veiled subculture. They include over 200 color photographs of Horiyoshi's work, and five unpublished prints by him in a format similar to that in his 100 Demons of Horiyoshi III. The page titled Index is blank. c. Book News Inc.

More and more people are getting tattoos these days. Whether these are complex traditional symbols or uniquely significant words, tattoos are an expression of the wearer's feelings and desires. As the tattoo profession grows, tattoo artists are perfecting their art, and attracting the attention of an increasing amount of dedicated enthusiasts. In this rising trend, Asian tattoo art, especially that of China and Japan, has gained admirers around the world. Through interviews with artists and the presentation of their work, Oriental Tattoo Art puts the charm of contemporary oriental tattoo art on full display. In addition, Oriental Tattoo Art contains an appendix with nearly 150 traditional oriental symbols and written characters with clear explanations of their unique cultural meanings for the appreciation and use of the reader. Let us pierce the veil of this ancient and alluring profession and learn about the spiritual and artistic worlds of contemporary tattoo artists in China and Japan.