People from all over the world flew in to be worked on by the international artists at the King of Tattoo three-day inkfest in Daikanyama yesterday. I don’t have any tattoos myself, but I’ve always been interested in art that has to adapt to its environment (like, say, being applied to an arm rather than a nice flat sheet of paper) and in the decisions people make when they change their bodies in such a permanent way.
King of Tattoo did not disappoint. I talked to one of the disciples of an artist known for his traditional-style full-body work, and discovered that there’s a 3-4 year wait to get an appointment. He charges $250 an hour, and a full body tattoo runs “about the same as a new BMW.” The apprentice told me that studying under this particular artist wasn’t like school; it was more like entering a monastery. When I asked him about his own tattoos (done by his sensei, of course) he told me he didn’t have any idea what the design was going to be until it was on his skin. After seeing his sensei’s work, though, I could see why someone would trust him to choose. Easily some of the most beautiful drawing I’ve ever seen. (The photo below is the work of this artist.)
As amazing as the artists were, I thought the attendees were even more interesting. I was surprised to see traditional-style full sleeves on men (and women!) who looked a lot more like skaters than gangsters. But my favorite was a young guy with platinum bleached hair from Chiba who had an unusually beautiful crow on his stomach. When I asked him about it he said (get ready for this) HE’D DONE IT HIMSELF. Buh?! Yeah, he said, I’d have a drink, work on it a little, have another drink, work on it some more, rinse, repeat. He said he used a mirror for parts of it, but that’s hard because everything is backwards. Then he showed me his back, which had a fresh outline of Our Lady on it. I asked if he planned to get it shaded in another session, but he said no, look closer. Feel the lines. It’s not a tattoo, it’s a BRAND. As in: done with a hot wire. (Photos below.)
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The Last Tea Bowl Thief was chosen as an Editor’s Pick for
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“A fascinating mix of history and mystery.” —Booklist
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
Only In Japan 