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.

Tokyo Tattoo 1970 provides a rare glimpse into the world of traditional Japanese tattooing in 1970s Tokyo. Now in paperback for the first time, this unique collection of photographs and reflections from photographer Martha Cooper captures the art of Irezumi, its cultural significance and artistry, and the master of the practice at work. When Martha Cooper first visited Tokyo in 1969, she soon became fascinated by the local art of tattooing and began documenting the work of traditional Japanese tattooist Horibun I. In the early 1970s, Japanese tattoo was an underground art form. The masters of the traditional techniques worked in small studios, tattoo artists were rare, and the act of receiving a tattoo was taboo, reserved only for the infamous Yakuza. No one could foresee the incredible internationally popularity of tattoo art in the years to come. Horibun I worked with ancient Japanese methods; different sized bundles of needles bound to sticks which he dipped into colored inks and his motifs were derived from traditional Japanese legends. He allowed Cooper to photograph him at his workshop, meet his customers, show his tattoos and craft in detail, and follow him on a pilgrimage to a holy Shinto shrine. Tokyo Tattoo 1970 is Martha Cooper's first study of the underground art subculture, which launched her into an ongoing immersion into the graffiti and street art of New York City and beyond. The hardcover edition of Tokyo Tattoo 1970 (9789185639274) was released in 2012. It has been sold out for years and is considered a collector's item. Now the paperback edition is here, making this unique collection available for a new generation of tattoo fans.

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

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.