Archive Note
Decorative irezumi emerged in 18th-century Edo as ukiyo-e artists illustrated the heroes of the Suikoden covered in tattoos, and townspeople followed. The visual language draws on dragons, phoenixes, folklore heroes, Buddhist motifs, and seasonal flowers, composed into backpieces, sleeves, and full suits. The Meiji government outlawed tattooing in 1872, driving the practice underground, where it became linked with the yakuza, and it was practiced privately through the 20th century into the present. The tradition passes through strict master-apprentice lineages, with artists taking names prefixed "Hori," and tebori hand-poked work by horishi masters remains its gold standard. Its scale and compositional logic have shaped tattooing worldwide.