Horimono: The Japanese Tattoo

I created this website to generate interest in and increase understanding of traditional Japanese tattoos, known as horimono. In Japanese hori or horu means 'to carve,' and mono means literally 'thing.' Horu is the verb used to describe the insertion of ink into the skin when tattooing; in the 18th century this was done with sharp needles tied to a long handle of bamboo dipped in ink, thus 'carving' was a most appropriate way of describing it.

Horimono attribute their great beauty to the ukiyoe art upon which they are based, particularly that of master artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi. Horimono are a uniquely Japanese tradition and I believe it is important to both understand and preserve their rich history and culture. [read more]

thanks to plep