Hiroyoshi III , horishi ( Tattoo Artist )
UIKYO - E
Craftsman uses a technique called ‘ Tebori ’ which they craved images onto wooden blocks . The subject varies from women to folklores , but specifically , scenarios of the newly accustomed urban lifestyle . It was a new type of art form . The Merchant class collected them for their profound interest in aesthetics and the appreciation of life . It inspired another significant art form but on a different canvas : crafting designs onto the skin .
In their line of work , merchants were constantly exposed to foreign materials coming into Japan . A Chinese novel called “ The Suikoden ” found themselves into their culture and it resulted in an irreversible impact of what becomes of uikyo-e . It talks of tales of corrupted officials and heroes who rebelled against them . Books back then were depicted with pictures and it was discovered that FOUR of the main heroes in the story , have illustration on their skin . They were tattoos .
The novel became extremely popular and an uikyo-e artist called Utagawa Kuniyoshi , was asked to make wooden block prints of the heroes in the novel . He compiled and it officially set the popularity of the tattooed heroes amongst the bottom social class . Inspired by the Tebori techniques , they figured , why not tattoo it on the skin ?
GOING AGAINST WHATS
“ RIGHT ”
The depiction of those characters in the form of art propelled a personal and political statement . Its symbolized the lower class ’ s dissatisfaction with the diversion of class system bestowed upon them . It was the embrace of the roughish nature they hidden deep inside them and couldn ’ t bring out due to the national thoughts set by the government . There was a reason for the massive popularity of anti — heroes , because they can connect with them .
This was the launch of Japanese tattoos and its impact still resonates through the patterns , colors and motifs inspired by the original art form , ukiyo-e and the popularized novel , Suikoden . Now , more and more artist started to render , to create , to installed visions of Japan within the art form . It has also become an opportunity for anyone to express themselves freely of their feelings and circumstances in society , as well as a reminiscence and experiencing a unique corelation with the spirits of those in the past with a modern era .
However , the Japanese government has also been using a peculiar method of using traditional Japanese Kanji characters and symbols for marking criminals . They would spell out insulting words which they deemed befitting of the crimes and this mark is carried by the individual throughout the rest of their lives in noticeable places such as the forehead and arm . It was a mark of shame for having these markings exposed in public is a loss of dignity for the individual . It creates a narrow minded description of the individual and these markings reflects their isolation from that society that they inhibited for they are considered less than a normal being , resulting in the loss of respect from their own people .
That doesn ’ t mean that tattoos were solely for that usage as they are primarily depiction of symbolic motifs that carries out a part of the individual according to how they personally view themselves and it is to be noted that this proclamation or association of criminal with tattoos came after the Suikoden craze . Only when the design is a sincere commitment from the individual can it be considered as a ‘ tattoo ’. Not markings forced upon an individual , but portrayal of objects that resonates within our hearts and minds .
During the Edo era , they say you only get a tattoo when you did something wrong but only the wealthy would actually be able to get a tattoo due to the cost and time it takes to finish a piece . It takes multiple sessions to tattoo the design on the skin as the tattooist , or “ Horishi ” taps the ink into the skin repetitively until the design takes shape . In particular , restrictions were placed on clothing and personal accessories to differentiate different station and ranks so back then , people started getting decorative tattoos .
Another reason that people had tattoos were for religious purposes and it was believed to act as a symbol of protection . Firefighters would sport on tattoos related to the theme of dragon and water . It was near the late Edo period that the emperor put a ban on tattoos as they believed it would corrupt their image in the eyes of foreigners . For this one-sided reason , the image of Japanese tattoo ,
“ If you don ’ t know the meanings of the symbols and the stories , tattooing becomes superficial , meaningless .”
Hiroyoshi III , horishi ( Tattoo Artist )
Irezumi , was tainted and their artistic values were forgotten . Universally , tattoos are essentially any type of markings on your body , but Irezumi is like a language , with its own grammar and rules . Being tattooed under such forceful circumstances and likely , against the wishes of the individual , is a misfit of the tattooing culture . It was a coincidence that Irezumi , Japanese tattoos only started its expansion in the same era that the government has decided to label their methods of branding criminals as ‘ tattoos ’.
From birth , we would have imbedded certain ideas in how various groups are perceived and should be treated . This often led to the misusage of the art form . But it shows you even though everyone acknowledges its existence as a manner to express who the individual is , it could take on such assumptions that lasts until the modern era .
THE PAST = THE
PRESENT ?
People had been banned from all kinds of facilities due to misconceptions about it . You can ’ t enter a bathhouse or gym for having a design that is strongly connected to you as a human . Although it is true that tattoos have been first used to mark criminals in the Edo Period , they were only for minor crimes . There is also no denying that the Yakuza , or the Japanese Mafia , has got tattoos but that doesn ’ t mean that tattoos should be stereotyped or labeled as the markings of ‘ evil ’ or receive condemn for something that they have no control over . We are all humans no matter what deeds we have done and those ‘ barbaric ’ deeds can be seen as both act of justice and injustice when you stand on two opposing sides of the spectrum . By letting one side determine the reason for someone getting a tattoo , an imbalance is created . Why is it that we let criminal association be the justification of their meanings when in reality , there was no connection of such in the first place ?
Tattoos are a physical manifestation of who you are . People choose to show their passion and dedication towards what they valued by permanently inking them onto their skin . It is your personal and cultural identity as it adhere to your social environment and experiences .
5 Birth of Irezumi