Japanese Tattoos

August 1, 2016

Coauthors Ashcraft (Wired magazine, Popular Science, among others) and Benny (tattoo artist and owner of Invasion Club, Osaka, Japan), two expat Americans living in Japan, have written a book that covers Japanese tattooing. They explore its traditions and long history and then delve into conventional themes commonly seen in Japanese ink--everything from kanji (words and phrases) to nature-based designs, animals both mythical and real, as well as gods, demons, and more human-based forms. Each theme exploration includes a wealth of pictures of various artists' takes on, for example, the lotus blossom, as well potential tattoo meanings and connections with nontattoo culture and art. The authors also interview several well-known tattoo artists currently working in Japan, consider the tattooed bodysuit, and even include a few unorthodox works by regional creators. VERDICT The tone is light, the images are beautiful, and the content is informative. This nice introduction to Japanese skin art is for tattoo enthusiasts, Japanophiles, and ink lovers in general.--Amelia Osterud, Carroll Univ. Lib., Waukesha, WI

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