Japanese Tattoos(A.K.A: Irezumi)

Japanese TattoosA.K.A: Irezumi/Horimono

Where Irezumi is done? History of Irezumi/Horimono?Tools, and its version of Flash art.What Japanese society thinks of

them?Pictures!!!

JapanEastern AsiaChain of islandsBetween the North

Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan

Population: 127,333,002 (July 2004 est.)

Yokohama

HistoryAround 400 to 500

bce.Was used as a way

to mark criminals.Firefighters had

them. 1773 the Shi Hu

Chuan novel

(Suikoden).

Tools of the trade Long rod with one

to 42 or even more needles on the end.

Flash art: illustrations of the 108 heroes from the Water-Margin.

the Shi Hu Chuan novel (Suikoden).

Tale of 108 heros, 4 are tattooed

1773 ce.Illustrations by:

Kuniyoshi Outlaws helping

the poor from the rich.

Horimonoshi

Horiyoshi III is Japan’s most renowned irezumi artist (Horimonoshi).

He does most of the work the old way.

The artist takes the name of his teacher

Quote from Horiyoshi III

“Time is the most important aspect of Irezumi, Irezumi is a symbol of what a person had to endure in order to get it”.

Can I See your Tatts

In Japan the beauty of having tattoos is to hide them, but show them off during a festival.

Societies view on Irezumi

People associate tattoos with the Yakuza.

Tattooed people are discriminated.

cited

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ja.html http://www.bodyadorned.com/content/165/0/