{"id":83441,"date":"2024-02-03T18:30:31","date_gmt":"2024-02-03T09:30:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=83441"},"modified":"2024-11-25T22:07:09","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T13:07:09","slug":"horimono-history-traditional-tattoos-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/horimono-history-traditional-tattoos-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"Horimono: The History of Traditional Japanese Tattoos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong><em>Horimono<\/em><\/strong> (\u5f6b\u7269) is a little-known term to the rest of the tattoo world but is one of the most used amongst Japanese tattooists. The use of this term emphasizes a deep respect for the practice. Other poetic terms are used in Japan to refer to Japanese tattooing: <em>wabori<\/em><strong> <\/strong>(\u548c\u5f6b) &#8220;Japanese carving&#8221;, s<em>hisei <\/em>(\u523a\u9752) &#8220;pierce blue&#8221;, referring to the blue reflections that <em>sumi<\/em> ink usually takes as it ages, <em>bunshin <\/em>(\u6587\u8eab), &#8220;body decoration&#8221; and many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, all these terms have a <strong>different connotation from the word <em>Irezumi<\/em><\/strong>. This word is frequently used outside of Japan and by Japanese people unfamiliar with this culture. While <em>irezumi<\/em> is indeed linked to Japanese tattoos, its image and meaning are much more negative. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we&#8217;ll cover the beginnings of Japanese Tattooing, its history, and its evolution over the centuries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-ht-block-toc  is-style-outline htoc htoc--position-wide toc-list-style-plain\" data-htoc-state=\"expanded\"><span class=\"htoc__title\"><span class=\"ht_toc_title\">Table of Contents<\/span><span class=\"htoc__toggle\"><\/span><\/span><div class=\"htoc__itemswrap\"><ul class=\"ht_toc_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#origins_japanese_tattoo\">The Origins of Traditional Japanese Tattooing<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#tattoo_edo_period\">Tattooing During the Edo Period (1603-1868)<\/a><ul class=\"ht_toc_child_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#ukiyoe_tattoo\">The Influence of Ukiyo-e Art on Japanese Tattoos<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#suikoden_japan_tattoos\">The Popularization of Suikoden in Japan<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#who_getting_tattoos_japan\">Who Was Getting Tattooed in Japan?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#tattoo_meiji_era\">Tattooing During Meiji Era (1868-1912)<\/a><ul class=\"ht_toc_child_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#choyukai-group\">The Edo Choyukai Group<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#evolution_tattoo_showa_era\">The Evolution of Tattooing in Japan During Showa Era (1926-1989)<\/a><ul class=\"ht_toc_child_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#american_influence_tattoo\">The American Influence on Japanese Tattoos <\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#horigoro_horihide\">The Role of Horigoro and Horihide<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#yakuza_tattoo\"> Why is Tattooing Associated with the Yakuza ?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#japan_tattoo_image_world\">The Image of Japanese Tattooing in the Rest of the World<\/a><ul class=\"ht_toc_child_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#understanding-horimono\">Understanding Horimono<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"origins_japanese_tattoo\">The Origins of Traditional Japanese Tattooing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Irezumi <\/strong><\/em>(\u5165\u308c\u58a8), <strong>literally &#8220;insert ink&#8221;<\/strong> started to become a frequently used term by the Japanese population in 1720. It was on this year, during the Edo period (1603-1868), <strong>that tattooing started to be used for punitive purposes<\/strong> on the island.<em> Irezumi<\/em> was used to mark people who had committed crimes, using symbols that would vary depending on the crime or region. These marks would range from a simple line around the forearm to a <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/why-japanese-kanji\/\" class=\"ek-link\"><em>kanji<\/em> (Chinese character) <\/a>on the forehead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus, <em>Irezumi <\/em>does not designate the traditional tattoos that we know today. Nowadays, this word can still have a very negative image in Japan, depending on who you are talking to. According to the <strong><em>horishi<\/em> (\u5f6b\u5e2b), a master tattooist <\/strong>I had the chance to meet, this word still has a pejorative connotation and I quickly understood that it was best for me to not use this term. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A <em>horishi<\/em> is a master tattooist who practices traditional Japanese tattooing.<\/strong> These professionals are craftspeople and it&#8217;s generally inappropriate to think of them as artists. They tend to dislike this word. Just like to designate different styles of Japanese tattooing, there are words to designate people who practice this craft, including <em>bunshinshi <\/em>(\u6587\u8eab\u5e2b).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This article is dedicated to the traditional Japanese tattoos called <em>horimono<\/em>, but there are other forms: Face and forearms tattoos of the<a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/hokkaido-asahikawa-daisetsuzan\/\" class=\"ek-link\"> Ainu women of Hokkaido<\/a>, the hand tattoos of Okinawa women, as well as traces of tattoos dating back to the Jomon era (13000-400 av. J-C.). While we won&#8217;t dive further into these types of tattoos in this article, it feels important to mention them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"83501\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/25170900\/tatouagekyumonryuu-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"man with kyumonryuu tattoo\" class=\"wp-image-83501\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/25170900\/tatouagekyumonryuu-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/25170900\/tatouagekyumonryuu-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/25170900\/tatouagekyumonryuu-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/25170900\/tatouagekyumonryuu-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/25170900\/tatouagekyumonryuu-scaled.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tattoo of Kyumonryu Shishin (\u4e5d\u7d0b\u9f8d\u53f2\u9032) by the <em>horishi<\/em>, Houryu (\u82b3\u67f3)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"473\" height=\"700\" data-id=\"83502\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/25171043\/estampekyumonryuu.jpg\" alt=\"kuniyoshi woodblock print\" class=\"wp-image-83502\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/25171043\/estampekyumonryuu.jpg 473w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/25171043\/estampekyumonryuu-338x500.jpg 338w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 473px) 100vw, 473px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Engraving of Kyumonryu Shishin (\u4e5d\u7d0b\u9f8d\u53f2\u9032) by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (\u6b4c\u5ddd \u56fd\u82b3) | Image from Kuniyoshiproject.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tattoo_edo_period\">Tattooing During the Edo Period (1603-1868)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To understand the evolution of <em>Horimono<\/em>, we need to go back to its creation during the Edo era. <strong>It&#8217;s in 1720 that Japanese tattooing referred to as <em>irezumi<\/em> is put in force by the ruling class.<\/strong> People who committed serious crimes start to become easily recognizable. It&#8217;s during this period that Japanese tattooing begins to be perceived in a negative way by the Japanese population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The practice of tattooing in Japan also developed in other spheres of society. The courtesans of the pleasure districts would sometimes engage in the tattoo culture with some of their appreciated customers. The tattoo was usually a simple black dot on the customers as well as on the courtesans to ink their union. It was a way for these women to have loyal customers and make them come again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ukiyoe_tattoo\">The Influence of Ukiyo-e Art on Japanese Tattoos<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Tattooing kept evolving during the Edo era, either out of appeal or to hide the punitive tattoos imposed by the rulers. Its evolution is notably due to <em>ukiyo-e<\/em> (\u6d6e\u4e16\u7d75) art, the Japanese woodcut print, one of the most famous forms of traditional Japanese graphic arts. The engravings of <em>Ukiyo-e<\/em> are filled with different themes: landscapes,<em> kabuki<\/em> actors (Japanese theaters), <em>shunga<\/em> (erotic scenes), or <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/yurei-japanese-ghosts\/\" class=\"ek-link\"><em>yokai<\/em> (creatures of Japanese folklore)<\/a>. Some of these themes then begin to make their appearance in Japanese tattoos at this time.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"736\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/26175053\/Estampekuniyoshichojun.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-83526\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/26175053\/Estampekuniyoshichojun.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/26175053\/Estampekuniyoshichojun-340x500.jpg 340w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Woodblock print of R\u00f4rihakuch\u00f4 Ch\u00f4jun (\u6d6a\u88e1\u767d\u8df3\u5f35\u9806) by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (\u6b4c\u5ddd \u56fd\u82b3) | Image from <a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kuniyoshiproject.com\/The%20108%20Heroes%20of%20the%20Popular%20Suikoden,%20Part%20II.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Kuniyoshiproject.com<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"suikoden_japan_tattoos\">The Popularization of Suikoden in Japan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1827, tattooing in Japan experienced a turning point in its design and image. It was on this date that the master printmaker Utagawa Kuniyoshi (\u6b4c\u5ddd \u56fd\u82b3) began a series of work based on The Suikoden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a aria-label=\"Suikoden (Water Margin) is a Chinese novel telling the story of 108 outlaws fighting against a corrupt government (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Water_Margin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">Suikoden (Water Margin) is a Chinese novel telling the story of 108 outlaws fighting against a corrupt government<\/a>. The 36 most powerful outlaws are the main heroes of the story, while the remaining 72, less powerful, are their soldiers. This novel can be seen as the Chinese counterpart of Robin Hood. When this novel arrived in Japan, Utagawa Kuniyoshi seized it to stage its protagonists in many heroic woodblock prints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since the Shogunate (the military dictatorship during this period) had access to these prints, Utagawa Kuniyoshi paid attention to the details by adding Chinese influences to his prints, especially in the clothes and swords of the protagonists. Otherwise, the government would have seen these illustrations as defiance of the printmaker against the rulers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To accentuate the legendary and heroic side of these outlaws, Kuniyoshi depicted them with tattoos representing mythological creatures and religious symbols, covering huge parts of their bodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"83543\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/27194038\/Hommetatouagejaponais-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Japanese man with full back tattoo\" class=\"wp-image-83543\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/27194038\/Hommetatouagejaponais-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/27194038\/Hommetatouagejaponais-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/27194038\/Hommetatouagejaponais.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tattoo of Tanmeijiro Genshogo (\u77ed\u51a5\u6b21\u90ce\u962e\u5c0f\u543e) by the <em>horishi<\/em> Houryu (\u82b3\u67f3)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"492\" height=\"700\" data-id=\"83544\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/27194057\/Estampekuniyoshi.jpg\" alt=\"kuniyoshi woodblock print in Japan\" class=\"wp-image-83544\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/27194057\/Estampekuniyoshi.jpg 492w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/27194057\/Estampekuniyoshi-351x500.jpg 351w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 492px) 100vw, 492px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Woodblock print of Tanmeijiro Genshogo (\u77ed\u51a5\u6b21\u90ce\u962e\u5c0f\u543e) by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (\u6b4c\u5ddd \u56fd\u82b3) | Image from Kuniyoshiproject.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s at this period that the premises of the Japanese tattooing that we know now appeared. The Japanese working class found the heroic image conveyed in the Suikoden ukiyo-e prints appealing, and many craftsmen at the time began to reproduce these tattoos on their own bodies. From Kuniyoshi, inspired by existing tattoo styles, and the Japanese craftsmen, inspired by Kuniyoshi&#8217;s prints, emerged a new form of tattoo style and craftsmanship called <em>Horimono<\/em> in Japan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"who_getting_tattoos_japan\">Who Was Getting Tattooed in Japan?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Commonly known as <strong><em>shokunin<\/em> (\u8077\u4eba), meaning craftsperson<\/strong>, were among the most fervent wearers of this new tattoo armor called <em>Horimono<\/em>. Traditional Japanese tattooing was also found <strong>among the civilian firemen<\/strong> <strong>of that period<\/strong>, called <em>Shouboushi<\/em> (\u6d88\u9632\u58eb). For these trades, <strong>tattooing was a form of belonging as well as spiritual protection against flames.<\/strong> Indeed, fires were common in the city of Edo (former name of Tokyo), which was mainly made of wooden constructions. It&#8217;s the reason why representations related to water were common at the time. <strong>Couriers<\/strong> called <em>hikyaku<\/em> (\u98db\u811a) would cross the cities to deliver messages often dressed only in a loincloth. Tattooing thus became another way of dressing. Another group of people at this period adopted <em>Horimono<\/em> as a sign of belonging \u2014 the <strong><em>kyoukaku<\/em><\/strong> (\u4fa0\u5ba2), street knights acting in organized gangs to protect the weak against thugs and the government; <strong>the ancestors of <em>Yakuza<\/em><\/strong>. The latter also descended from <em>bakuto<\/em> (gambling managers) and <em>tekiya<\/em> (street vendors).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The common point between all these social categories is their class difference with the samurai. <strong>Samurai saw tattooing as a barbaric practice and considered themselves too highly ranked to get tattoed.<\/strong> Contrary to these high-ranking warriors, craftsmen were not allowed to commit <em>Seppuku<\/em> (Japanese samurai&#8217;s suicide ritual) and saw <em>Horimono<\/em> tattooing as a way to prove their bravery. We can see here the notion of rebellion against the power in place, which is also present in the <em>Suikoden<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/29150705\/tatouagesakura-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Japanese style tattoo sleeve of sakura\" class=\"wp-image-83602\" width=\"722\" height=\"722\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/29150705\/tatouagesakura-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/29150705\/tatouagesakura-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/29150705\/tatouagesakura-50x50.jpg 50w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/29150705\/tatouagesakura-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/29150705\/tatouagesakura-140x140.jpg 140w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/29150705\/tatouagesakura-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/29150705\/tatouagesakura-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/29150705\/tatouagesakura-800x800.jpg 800w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/29150705\/tatouagesakura.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 722px) 100vw, 722px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> This Sakura motif tattoo created by Houryu (\u82b3\u67f3) is an example of a Hikae (\u3072\u304b\u3048) tattoo, covering the chest and arms, and in this case, until below the elbows. It is also called <em>sichibu<\/em> (\u4e03\u5206)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>Horimono<\/em> during the Edo period was a common practice, not taboo, no did anybody attempt to hide it. During that period, tattoos were done entirely by hand using bamboo rods and needles. This technique is called <em>tebori<\/em> (\u624b\u5f6b\u308a) &#8220;hand carving.&#8221; The only available colors were <em>sumi<\/em> (\u58a8, Japanese black ink) and vermilion pigment. During this time, the craft would continue to evolve in form and precision until the abolition of the Shogunate, and the entry into the Meiji era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tattoo_meiji_era\">Tattooing During Meiji Era (1868-1912)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The beginning of the Meiji era put an end to Japan&#8217;s isolation, following the end of the <em>Sakoku<\/em> (\u9396\u56fd) (from 1633 to 1853), a period during which the Island was closed to the rest of the world. As Japan started to open up, the government was concerned about the image it was sending to other countries around the globe. In order to preserve its image, <strong>the country&#8217;s authorities decided to put an end to the practice of punitive tattooing<\/strong> (<em>Irezumi<\/em>) in 1870 and <strong>forbade the practice of <em>Horimono<\/em><\/strong> in 1872, for fear of sending a barbaric image to Westerners. This ban forced Japanese tattooing to go underground. Even as the culture became marginalized, it did not disappear, and the culture of <em>Horimono<\/em> among the passionate Japanese remained intact. As soon as this law was passed, the <em>horishi<\/em> were forced to hide from the authorities with false business signs to continue to practice their profession in peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During this period, <em>Horimono<\/em> became a rare sight and hidden under the <em>kimono<\/em>. Ironically, on the other side of the world, foreigners started to take interest in this new culture of Japanese tattooing, especially sailors. The popularity of <em>Horimono<\/em> eventually reached the British royalty, when Prince George, who would become King George V, gets a dragon and tiger tattooed by a <em>horishi<\/em> during his stay in Japan in 1881.<\/p>\n\n\n[the_ad id=&#8221;99896&#8243;]\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"choyukai-group\">The Edo Choyukai Group<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It was during this period, more than 140 years ago, that a significant group for Japanese tattoo culture was formed: the Kanda Choyukai (\u795e\u7530\u5f6b\u52c7\u6703). Kanda was the town&#8217;s name of customers who founded this group, but as the number of customers began to increase, the organization took the name of <strong>Edo Choyukai<\/strong> (\u6c5f\u6238\u5f6b\u52c7\u4f1a). <strong>The Edo Choyukai was an assembly of people being tattoed by <em>Horishi<\/em><\/strong> <strong>Horiuno I<\/strong> (\u521d\u4ee3\u5f6b\u5b87\u4e4b). They kept this culture alive to a point that this group of <em>horimono<\/em> enthusiasts still exist today. During all these years of existence, the members of the Edo Choyukai will be the customers of Horiuno I, then Horiuno II, as well as Horiuno III. Every year, its member gather at the <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/difference-temple-shrine-japan\/\" class=\"ek-link\">Shinto shrine<\/a> Oyama Afuri (\u5927\u5c71\u963f\u592b\u5229\u795e\u793e) on <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/mt-oyama-hiking-near-tokyo\/\" class=\"ek-link\">Mount Oyama<\/a>, between Mount Fuji and Tokyo, in Kanagawa prefecture. There, Choyukai members participate in a religious ceremony in which they will, among other things, purify themselves under a waterfall and show their tattoos to the gods, before praying within the shrine grounds. The priests who lead the ceremonies and live in the shrine have been welcoming the Edo Choyukai for generations. They understand the spiritual essence of this craft and its importance in Japanese culture and history.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"497\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/30180811\/EdoChoyukaiillustration-1024x497.jpg\" alt=\"Japanese print of tattooed men under waterfall\" class=\"wp-image-83613\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Depiction of members of the Edo Choyukai (\u6c5f\u6238\u5f6b\u52c7\u4f1a) by Hisashi (\u3072\u3055\u3057), 1957 | \u00a9 The Trustees of the British Museum. <em>Image has been resized and cropped for web.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f0fafe\">This information comes from a <em>horishi<\/em> in Tokyo with whom I had the chance to talk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"evolution_tattoo_showa_era\">The Evolution of Tattooing in Japan During Showa Era (1926-1989)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Horimono<\/em> will undergo great changes starting from the Showa era. Some will be positive, and others will change the very image of the craft.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/30182048\/festivalpicture-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"tattooed men on floats in Japan\" class=\"wp-image-83615\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/30182048\/festivalpicture-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/30182048\/festivalpicture-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/30182048\/festivalpicture-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/30182048\/festivalpicture-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/30182048\/festivalpicture-scaled.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The book <em>World Japanese Tattooing \u2013 Color illustrated<\/em>, (1973), gathers in its first half tattoos and illustrations of the work done by some of the most recognized <em>horishi<\/em> of the time and, in its second half, woodblock prints often used as models for Japanese tattooing. Here is a double-page photo of the Sanja <em>matsuri<\/em> (\u4e09\u793e\u796d) in Tokyo, the only festival where you will have the luck to see full tattoo bodysuits in public.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"american_influence_tattoo\">The American Influence on Japanese Tattoos <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After World War II, the Americans settled in Japan and dictated their rule for several years. Among the laws that would be passed under American pressure, <strong>the Japanese government was forced to lift the prohibition of tattooing in 1948<\/strong>. Still, the negative image of tattoos will persisted in the eyes of the Japanese population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"horigoro_horihide\">The Role of Horigoro and Horihide<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After the war, many American soldiers with tattoos were stationed in Japan. Their presence on the island played a role in the evolution of the tattoo profession. Between the end of the 1950s and the beginning of the 1960s, two <em>horishi<\/em> will participate in a revolution of <em>Horimono.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first one is <strong>Horigoro I<\/strong> (\u521d\u4ee3\u76ee\u5f6b\u4e94\u90ce). He encountered an American soldier who owned an electric tattoo machine, which led him to build his own machines inspired by the soldier. This is how <strong>the first Japanese tattoo machines appeared<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The second<em> horishi<\/em> who played a very important role in Japanese tattooing is <strong>Horihide<\/strong> (\u521d\u4ee3\u5c90\u961c\u5f6b\u79c0). Horihide is <strong>the first Japanese tattooist to establish a connection with an American tattooist<\/strong>. It was during a visit to Senso-ji (\u6d45\u8349\u5bfa) temple in Asakusa (\u6d45\u8349), where he met three American soldiers with tattoos on their arms. These colorful tattoos were created with machines, not by hand. Horihide managed to get the business card of their tattoo artist living in Hawaii, who was none other than <a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sailor_Jerry\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Sailor Jerry, a tattoo legend in the United States<\/a>. Horihide began a letter-writing conversation with Sailor Jerry that lasted for four years before he went to Hawaii. Sailor Jerry was interested in Japanese imagery, while Horihide was interested in getting all the colours he could to bring back to Japan. Sailor Jerry also taught Horihide how to tattoo with a machine. When he left, Sailor Jerry gave him colours and tattoo machines as a gift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before this meeting, Japanese tattooing was only made with <em>sumi<\/em> and vermilion pigment. Back in the day, this pigment was a problem. Even after boiling, treating, and removing the mercury from the mixture, it gave strong fevers for one or two days after being inserted into the skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With these new colours in hand and Horihide came back to Japan, the Japanese tattoo industry transformed. When he explained which American company to buy from, <strong>colours and machines spread rapidly throughout the country. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f0fafe\">This information about Horihide comes from the book Wabori Traditional Japanese Tattoo, which gathers interviews with many <em>horishi<\/em>, including Horihide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"yakuza_tattoo\"> Why is Tattooing Associated with the Yakuza ?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Between 1960 and 1970, the image of tattooing in Japan was stained once again. During this period, <strong>the proliferation of yakuza movies stormed the Japanese cinema industry<\/strong>, in particular those of the Toei production company. In these films, <strong>yakuza are always depicted on-screen wearing Japanese tattoos<\/strong>. This phenomenon has greatly led to the connotation we know today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, in the years 1980-1990, the activity of yakuza organizations became more and more intense. In response, the Japanese government passed an anti-gang law on March 1, 1992, in order to dismantle many syndicates. The number of yakuza has drastically dropped from about 180,000 members at its peak in the 1960s, to 28,000 members at the end of 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"83650\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01171325\/Dostatouagejaponais-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"full back and body tattoo in Japan\" class=\"wp-image-83650\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01171325\/Dostatouagejaponais-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01171325\/Dostatouagejaponais-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01171325\/Dostatouagejaponais.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tattoo of Kaosho Rochishin (\u82b1\u548c\u5c1a\u9b6f\u77e5\u6df1) by the <em>horishi<\/em> Houryu (\u82b3\u67f3)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"83651\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01171340\/Hommetatouagejapon-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"full frontal body tattoo in Japan\" class=\"wp-image-83651\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01171340\/Hommetatouagejapon-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01171340\/Hommetatouagejapon-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01171340\/Hommetatouagejapon-50x50.jpg 50w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01171340\/Hommetatouagejapon-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01171340\/Hommetatouagejapon-140x140.jpg 140w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01171340\/Hommetatouagejapon-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01171340\/Hommetatouagejapon-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01171340\/Hommetatouagejapon-800x800.jpg 800w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01171340\/Hommetatouagejapon.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tattoo of Oni (\u9b3c) and Namakubi (\u751f\u9996) by the <em>horishi<\/em> Houryu (\u82b3\u67f3)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\"><em>The picture on the left and on the right are the same person.<\/em> This form of tattooing is called <em>donburi<\/em>, a full-body tattoo from shoulders to ankles. It&#8217;s a less common and more recent form than the <em>munewari<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s at this period that the population starts to forbid access of their business to yakuza, especially onsen hot spring businesses. For fear of attracting the wrath of the mafia, <strong>the onsen owners simply forbade the entrance to tattooed people.<\/strong> It&#8217;s important to know that <strong>access to <em>sento<\/em> (\u92ad\u6e6f<\/strong>, <strong>public bath) has never and still does not <strong>forbid tattoos<\/strong><\/strong> since not all Japanese homes have a bathroom and the <em>sento<\/em> was considered a public necessity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From then on, challenges continue to grow start for tattooed people in Japan. Tattooed persons were forbidden to enter <em>onsen<\/em> or open bank accounts, and became impossible to find a job. This stigma also affects women, so much so that some tattoo artists refuse to tattoo them for fear of the complications that could arise in their lives, and women with traditional Japanese tattoos on their bodies are all the rarer. From this point on, only the Japanese passionate about this tattoo culture and the members of the syndicate carry on the <em>Horimono<\/em> tradition. However, 30 years later, the tradition persists, and the number of practicing <em>horishi<\/em> doesn&#8217;t seem to be fading, nor the number of customers. At each visit to a sento, it is possible to meet Japanese people proudly wearing their tattoos. The message of the <em>Suikoden<\/em> heroes is still present. <strong>In spite of demonization by the government and a rather negative public opinion towards <em>Horimono,<\/em> the culture persists and seems to go forward.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"japan_tattoo_image_world\">The Image of Japanese Tattooing in the Rest of the World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Contrary to what happened inside Japan in the 1990s, <em>Horimono<\/em> became more and more popular in the tattoo world around the globe. It&#8217;s in the years 2000-2010 that its popularity explodes. In Europe, in the United States, and in South America, many tattooists start to specialize in traditional Japanese tattooing. Nowadays, <em>Horimono<\/em> has never been so popular, both among tattooists and clients. Japanese tattooing may have become popular in the west, but being able to admire these massive tattoos is not an easy thing.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01180606\/tatouagejaponaisenmaoni-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Man with traditional Japanese full back tattoo\" class=\"wp-image-83654\" width=\"757\" height=\"757\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01180606\/tatouagejaponaisenmaoni-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01180606\/tatouagejaponaisenmaoni-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01180606\/tatouagejaponaisenmaoni-50x50.jpg 50w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01180606\/tatouagejaponaisenmaoni-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01180606\/tatouagejaponaisenmaoni-140x140.jpg 140w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01180606\/tatouagejaponaisenmaoni-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01180606\/tatouagejaponaisenmaoni-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01180606\/tatouagejaponaisenmaoni-800x800.jpg 800w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/01180606\/tatouagejaponaisenmaoni.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 757px) 100vw, 757px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tattoo of the great king and judge of hell Enma (\u95bb\u9b54\u5927\u738b) by the<em> horishi<\/em> Houryu (\u82b3\u67f3)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"understanding-horimono\">Understanding Horimono<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding the entirety of <em>Horimono<\/em> is a complex thing. To understand this craft, it is important to be familiar with Japanese culture. Talking as much as possible with the Japanese people, with a <em>horishi<\/em> if you have the chance to meet one, studying <em>Ukiyo-e<\/em>, visiting museums, or going to temples and shrines. All of these are necessary to get a glimpse of the complexity of <em>Horimono<\/em>. Few foreigners, and even Japanese, are able to understand and apply all the rules that govern this craft. Tattooists managed to reach this understanding through hard work and patience. The study of Japanese tattooing is a vast subject, which can last a lifetime.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/02173944\/tatouageenmamin-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"man with full back Japanese tattoo\" class=\"wp-image-83692\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/02173944\/tatouageenmamin-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/02173944\/tatouageenmamin-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/02173944\/tatouageenmamin-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/02173944\/tatouageenmamin-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/02173944\/tatouageenmamin-scaled.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tattoo of the great king and judge of hell Enma (\u95bb\u9b54\u5927\u738b) by Houryu (\u82b3\u67f3). Tattoo of Fuujin (\u98a8\u795e), god of wind and Raijin God of thunder (\u96f7\u795e) on the arms by Ripley.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>Horimono<\/em> is a long and painful process, where patience, passion, and determination are key to complete one&#8217;s armour. <em>Gaman<\/em> (\u6211\u6162 \/ \u304c\u307e\u3093), or &#8220;patience&#8221; is actually another synonym used to describe a <em>Horimono<\/em>. <strong>It takes between 200 and 300 to complete a full-body tattoo<\/strong>, from shoulders to ankles. Even after 120 hours of tattooing, the completion of the work still seems far away. The duration also depends on the tool used, a machine will draw the lines much faster than <em>tebori <\/em>(hand carving) but will insert colours into the skin much faster. Each tattooist works with a different style and speed. It is important to consider all of these details before taking on this challenge. After all the adventures and encounters that a <em>Horimono<\/em> brought me, I can only be thankful to be in Japan and see with my own eyes what very few people have the chance to experience in their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><em>I want to thank Houryu for sharing his knowledge with me and for allowing me to use the photos of his work. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Horimono (\u5f6b\u7269) is a little-known term to the rest of the tattoo world but is one of the most used&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":171,"featured_media":83656,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"pgc_meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[26,2050],"tags":[1309,1713,2071,1362],"class_list":{"0":"post-83441","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-culture","8":"category-things-to-know","9":"tag-art","10":"tag-local-crafts","11":"tag-japanese-society","12":"tag-tradition"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Tattoos in Japan: Origins &amp; History of Traditional Japanese Tattoos<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Traditional Japanese tattooing goes far beyond the yazuka, with influences from art, culture, and abroad to define this unique tattoo style.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, 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