September 4, 2021
Tebori tattoo 手彫り – Hand Carved Tattoo
It is impossible to fully understand Japanese tattoo if one doesn’t understand…
February 2, 2021
Tengu – 天狗
Tengus are cunning mountain dwellers. Their origins can be traced back to…
December 14, 2020
Japanese Dragon – 龍 (Ryū) or 竜 (Tatsu)
The dragon is by far the most famous mythological animal. Its appearance varies…
September 29, 2020
The end of the Tattoo Ban
I’m very happy to deliver some good news in this crazy year that is 2020: On…
August 5, 2020
Third trip to Japan – February 2017
This being my third trip to Japan, I’m less stressed because I know my way…
June 14, 2020
Hannya – 般若
The hannya is probably Japanese tattoo’s most iconic design. But only a few…
May 29, 2020
Japanese carp – Koi 鯉
The carp (called koi in Japanese) is one of the most iconic animals represented…
May 12, 2020
Snake – Hebi 蛇
In western mythology, the snake has a rather negative connotation. Simply think…
April 29, 2020
Tattoo ban in Japan
As of today, Japan still holds a prohibition on tattooing. After discussing…
February 25, 2020
The purpose of my trips to Japan
Today, thanks to the Internet, we don't need to go somewhere to really study on…
January 31, 2020
Why do a blog on Japanese tattoos?
When I started looking into tattoos, back in 2007, I started by liking tribal…