Welcome

This website will describe the history of Japanese tattooing, with descriptions and illustrations detailing the evolved expressive folk art. The origin of tattooing in Japan dates to the Jōmon period (1000 B.C. – 300 B.C.); in the beginning of this art form tattooing was not an accepted expression of art and have many times been illegal. Within Japan's history, tattooing has been a beacon of cultural tradition and also a form of punishment used by the authorities on prisoners for crime they committed. However, as time passed, this form of art has transitioned to become a pathway for both a religious and social aspect for the people of Japan, as well as around the world. It provides individuals with a connection of self and culture, and although the art and forms of tattooing is dwindling in Japan, it is becoming more popular in Western countries as a fashion statement rather than cultural relation.