Travelling to Japan: Looking for Tattoo Shop
 

I will be travelling to Japan in the next couple months and would like to get some work done. Any advice on a good tattoo shop from people who have already been? Anyone know someone on this board?

If you can go get one done from Horiyoshi the master of all Japanese Tats! IT will be quite the experience. My friend did a coupe from him and apparently you need to mail a letter to him in advance asking for an appointment. Yea oldschool.

Where in Japan will you be? What style of tattoo are you looking to get? I got a tattoo at Harizanmai in Kyoto, and I highly recommend them. In fact I am going back there in a couple months :)

It also depends on what style you are looking for. If you are looking for traditional Japanese, that's not really what they specialize in. There is a guy in Tokyo who does amazing portraits as well, if that's what you're looking for.

Another shop I have been eyeing is Genko, in Nagoya. They do some amazing colour work, but again, not traditional. I love Japanese art and tattoos, but I am not into traditional stuff that everyone else is getting lately.

If you're going to Osaka, Chopstick Tattoo has a wide variety of artists in the two shops they have there. That way, you have all your bases covered, depending on what style you're going for.

If you like traditional US style tattoos, Inkrat is pretty famous for that style in Tokyo.

I have some magazines here, if you want a traditional style tattoo let me know and I'll see which artist is good in there, so we can check them out :)

I just came across Hori-Ai, who looks like he does really good traditional Japanese, if that's what you're looking for.

Thanks for your help skinnypupp I will check out the shops you have recommended. I will most likely be in Japan for Chinese New Year, more specifically Tokyo so I will probably keep my search to that area.

Still trying to finalize what I want but I want to take advantage of getting out of Vietnam and getting some work done.

Are you still located in HK?

Yup still in HK, heading to Japan with airmiles to get another from Gotch at Harizanmai. I wanted to go during "seishun 18 kippu" which is a 5-day rail pass for like $100. But he's not sure if he'll be in town during that time so I may not be able to go at that time. :(

I was hoping to do a total ghetto Japan trip, keeping all costs down :(

I might hitchike instead, if I can't go during seishun 18.

Again if you tell me the style you're looking for, I can go through my magazines and pick some more out for you to check out.

I just checked out the Harizanmai website and some of thier work is pretty amazing. I would even consider a detour just to go for a full day of work..

I already have some custom work done that is more western style. One is a scottish thistle and another one is my clan emblem/shield.

I guess my idea behind the next tattoo is to make it a bit more chinese style. I was born in the year of the Rat and would like to get some sort of a picture of a rat with pictures/symbols that can describe "The Rat." This would be something that is discussed with the artist as I am open to suggestions. Rather than have the chinese character possibly use some sort of picture to demonsrate. But I would definatly like to get an actual picture of a Rat in this(not the easiest to make look good like a Tiger or Dragon)

I would like to have it go from my right chest over the right shoulder and down to lower/middle back.

Not expecting to get this done all at one time but atleast a good chunk of say 8 hours in which the portion of the tattoo looks finished.

A rat tattoo would be pretty fucking awesome, and I can't think of anyone better than Gotch or Gakkin (the other guy at Harizanmai) to do something like that. That's a really big one to fit into 8 hours though. If you stick to B&G and maybe one that is not so detailed, you might be able to get it done. My demon took I thnk about 6 hours, and that was on my shoulder, reaching just about my elbow.

However, a rat tattoo done in a traditional Japanese style would be just as cool, IMO. Have it 'prowling' similar to the tiger post you often see.

I love animal tattoos, and I have a feeling that just about every one I get is going to be an animal or creature of some sort :)

BTW where in Nam are you? I'll be in a village near Hanoi in November.

I was thinking of doing an 8 hour session and just basically trying to get as much done as possible but still make it look finished. Then look to complete in the future. I Just dont want to walk around for the next year with an outline or something like that. So if that means just sticking to one section of the tattoo then I would be down for that.

Most likely sticking to B&G but would consider light colour depending on what the artist can come up with or just color shading to help accent it.

I am located in Da Nang, about an hour flight from Hanoi. Are you headed up to Sapa?

double post

interesting. i walked past this shop while i was in nagoya in osu kannon. i remember seeing a lot guys/girls with colored sleeves walking around the area which was strange as i rarely saw visible tattoos in public in japan. the website is pretty cool too!

The Japanese are still a bit afraid of tattoos but younger people in the country don't really care anymore. Cover it up if you're plannng on finding work or if you're a foreigner.