Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611

  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
The Japanese Tattoo: Fights and Fires Are the Flowers of EDO

The Japanese Tattoo: Fights and Fires Are the Flowers of EDO

Okazaki, Manami

Hardcover

Body Art & TattooingGeneral PhotographyJapanese Art

Currently unavailable to order

ISBN10: 3791393782
ISBN13: 9783791393780
Publisher: Prestel Publishing
Published: Apr 14 2026
Pages: 240
Weight: 3.65
Height: 1.00 Width: 9.50 Depth: 11.90
Language: English
This illuminating study of Japan's complex and storied tattoo tradition explores a visual language where meaning, mastery, and myth all converge.

Japanese tattoos are among the world's most powerful forms of body art -- visually bold, spiritually resonant, and deeply rooted in cultural tradition.

In this richly illustrated and deeply informed study, author and journalist Manami Okazaki offers rare access to the country's tattoo masters, exploring their philosophies, apprenticeships, and creative processes.

Through interviews, new photography, and archival images, Okazaki traces the evolution of Japanese tattooing -- from Edo-period society to contemporary underworld communities -- while capturing its enduring connection to working class pride, specific festivals and even downtown Tokyo's fire brigades.

  • An essential book that is a superb visual reference and also provides cultural insight.
  • Features high-quality images ideal for tattoo artists and collectors to study and emulate.
  • Tattoo designs often center on mythological, religious, or folkloric figures.
  • Dramatic backgrounds like waves that reflect balance, symbolism, and emotional depth.
  • Many artists find the psychological and spiritual dimensions as vital as technique itself.

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