Wabori: Traditional Japanese Tattoo

Wabori Traditional Japanese Tattoo by Manami Okazaki is a digital PDF edition of an essential oral history collection. It is available for instant download after purchase, so readers can begin exploring the voices of Japan’s master tattoo artists immediately.

This edition contains 257 pages and arrives as a PDF file of approximately 105.9 MB. The book was compiled in English and draws on interviews conducted over a span of six years with many of Japan’s most respected tattoo artists.

Book Overview

Wabori: Traditional Japanese Tattoo is an anthology of oral history that showcases the work of traditional Japanese tattoo artists while offering a glimpse into the psychology of Japanese craftsmen. The author, Manami Okazaki, gathered interviews and oral histories from tattoo artists across Japan, creating one of the most extensive collections of its kind available in English.

The book covers the cultural and historical context of Japanese tattooing, from ancient practices to the Edo-period culture that flourished in downtown Tokyo. It also includes interviews with people connected to tattoo culture, such as Motoharu Asaka and Shoko Tenda, daughter of a yakuza boss, providing both artisan and client perspectives.

What You’ll Discover Inside

• Interviews with master tattoo artists including Horiyoshi III, Motoharu Asaka, Horihide, Horitoku, To Kai Horihiro, Horiyasu, Horimitsu, and Horinami.
• Oral histories that illuminate the seishin (spirit) and shokunin (artisan) ethos behind traditional Japanese tattooing.
• Perspectives on the cultural connection between tattoos and woodblock prints.
• An introduction tracing Japanese tattooing from the Jomon period through the Edo period and the shitamachi culture of downtown Tokyo.
• A client’s perspective through an interview with Shoko Tenda, daughter of a yakuza boss.
• Insights into how tattoo artists think, speak, and approach their craft with pride, humility, and humor.

Why This Book Matters

These interviews illuminate the fact that traditional Japanese tattoo craft does not exist in a vacuum. Understanding the culture surrounding the work substantially increases appreciation for the work itself.

For artists, potential clients, and tattoo aficionados, this book is an important resource for learning more about Japanese tattooing straight from the masters’ mouths. It preserves the language, philosophy, and personality of artisans who are often proud, opinionated, and deeply humble.

Book Details

Device Compatibility

This is a digital download, so there is no physical shipping. Access is available immediately after purchase.

The PDF works with Kindle apps, tablets, desktop computers, mobile devices, and reading apps that support PDF files.

FAQ

How do I get access after purchase? You can download the PDF instantly after completing your order.

Will a physical copy be shipped? No, this is a digital product only. No physical item will be mailed.

What devices are supported? The PDF is compatible with common reading apps on tablets, desktop computers, and mobile devices.

Add Wabori: Traditional Japanese Tattoo to your collection and hear the voices of Japan’s tattoo masters in their own words.

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