Irezumi

Often known as “Japanese Style”, this variety of artwork is often recognizable for the sheer lack of wasted space. For centuries this was a style of tattooing that went hand-in-hand with the Yakuza (the Japanese Mafia) but started enjoying mainstream notoriety on this side of the Pacific in the mid-’90s. This popularity is largely due to the efforts of renowned tattoo artist Sailor Jerry Collins who back in the ’60s and ’70s began an exchange program with famed Japanese tattoo artist Horihide.

Drawing heavily from Japanese folklore, this is a style of tattooing that requires a mind that is equal parts scholar to tattoo artist, as absolutely EVERYTHING carries a deeper meaning.

Suggested Artists: