tatto

Tattoo artist Horisho from Mindscape tattoo in Aichi Prefecture confirms a change in tattooing trends. "My clients are going from being the blue-collar workers and laborers who were my usual clientele to a sudden surge in interest from fashion people, designers, hair-dressers and many more female clients," he says.

The female-targeted magazine Tattoo Girls is a testimony to the new popularity, using photographers, stylists and models from prominent Tokyo fashion agencies. The aesthetic is decidedly hip, although the models are actually sporting fake tattoos. An ominous disclaimer at the end of each issue even states: "Although we introduce various styles in this magazine, we are not recommending that anyone get one. . . . It is important to make a judgment whether you can be responsible for yourself after you get tattoos."

F or certain fans, such considerations are unimportant. Tattoos are often just another way of conforming to their chosen subculture, whether it be surfing, rock 'n' roll or a hippie lifestyle. These cultures comes with their own style, with tattoo books in Japan often categorized by such genres. The booming low-rider scene in Japan has seen kids getting tattooed in the Chicano style sported by East Los Angeles denizens of Mexican origin.

Artist Makoto from Hocus Pocus in Shizuoka says he has groups coming in all seeking works from the same genre.

"They will all want something slightly different to differentiate themselves from their friends," he says, "but it will all be from the same genre for the group. I will tattoo a group of friends who want Tibetan motifs, and then another group who want Japanese."

The growing popularity of tattoos has led to a mountain of information and a highly knowledgeable clientele who are willing to travel for their ink. Shops such as Adorned and Invisible in New York City often find that a bevy of Japanese have flown in specifically to get tattooed.

Shops such as Osaka's Three Tides and Inkrat in Tokyo's Koenji constantly host top-tier foreign artists with whom fans will book time. In a sense, such clients are collectors, who approach tattoos with almost the same fervor as brand- obsessed Shibuya gyaru (gals).