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INKEDblog takes you beneath the skin of today's tattoo culture. Our mission is to celebrate tattooing as a modern art form which incorporates art, fashion, style, and pop culture. While paying homage and respect to the past, we look to present a contemporary take on the present and future of skin art.
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Thursday Aug 18, 2005
Yakuza Tattoos - A Quick Introduction
Japan's Yakuza have been known for their full body tattoos. During initiation, men receive intricate tattoos that can often take more than two years to complete from start to finish.
"Irezumi" is the art of tattooing in Japan. The word means "insertion of ink." Irezumi can be used either as an adjective or a noun, and can be used to refer to a tattoo artist, the person who gets the tattoo, or the actual design.
Irezumi designs often use images from Kabuki theatre. One of the most popular irezumi designs is Benten Kôzô. Benten Kôzô was a criminal who would disguise himself as a woman. When he was caught, he pulled off his clothing and people discovered that he was a heavily tattooed man.
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