Veganism isn’t a well-understood concept yet in Japan, so if you’re vegan, it can be hard to find foods you can eat, and even harder to describe what vegan food is. A common response to saying you don’t eat animal products is, “Oh ok, so how about this fish dish?” or “Oh ok, how about this vegetarian cheese dish?” Not being able to read the menus adds even more risk to the ordering process. You’re generally safe with vegetable tempura, but that can get pretty boring after your 5th time. For those visiting Tokyo who are looking for some good vegan options, here are 5 great vegan restaurants in Tokyo. […]
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Why are Tattoos Taboo in Japan?
Japan has had a long and tumultuous history with tattoos. They have been used as tribal identification, cosmetic art, punishment, decoration, gang fealty…the list goes on. For a long time, tattoos were used as a punishment to mark criminals, so bearing the mark had you shunted out of society. This eventually changed with rise of ukiyo-e in the eighteenth century, a type of woodblock printing art that sometimes featured tattooed heroes. These illustrated heroes became popular and influenced style, similarly to manga protagonists of the present-day. In response, the government cracked down on the rising popularity, outlawing the practice. However, some, such as laborers and firemen defied the laws, continuing […]
Things to Do in Tokyo: Omoide Yokocho an...
Something we often get asked is, “What is there to do around here?” For those of you who have just finished getting your brand-spanking-new tattoo at our studio, or perhaps you’re just visiting the area, here are a couple fun places to visit in Shinjuku. Omoide Yokocho Omoide Yokocho translates to “Memory Lane”, a fitting name for a small pocket of the city centre that transports you back to the Showa Era (1926 – 1989). Omoide Yokocho is a historic jewel set amongst the modern city life and towering skyscrapers. Here you can enjoy beer and grilled meats amongst the hustle and bustle of excited tourists and jovial salaryman […]
10 Inspiring Four-Character Japanese Idi...
If you’re thinking about getting a Japanese writing tattoo, why not get a four-character idiom? These tiny sayings are packed with meaning and, often, very wise advice. What is a four-character idiom? Known as yojijukugo in Japanese, four-character idioms are a succinct and poetic way of stating proverbs. They use a mere 4 kanji characters to express complex concepts. It would be similar to English proverbs like “Killing two birds with one stone.” being shortened to “Two birds, one stone.” And Japanese has the added advantage of each kanji having an individual meaning as well as changed meanings when combined with certain other kanji, allowing even more to be expressed […]
5 Tips to Make the Most of Cherry Blosso...
Cherry blossom season is here, and you know what that means…it’s Hanami Time! For those who don’t know, “hanami” is Japanese for “cherry blossom viewing” and is incredibly popular in Japan. People go out in droves to the parks to have picnics and drunken parties under the cherry blossom. So, for those new to the hanami culture, here are some tips on how to make the most of your hanami experience. 1. Buy a ground sheet Picnic blankets just aren’t done here. Instead, people opt for the more practical ground sheet. They’re big, cheap, and waterproof. Most people have the glaringly ugly blue ones, but you can buy nicer […]
Tipping tattoo artists in Japan?
We get this question a lot. Is it okay to tip your tattoo artist in Japan? Will it be offensive?Although tipping is not a usual thing to do in Japan and waters would definitely chase you down and give back the money you left for them, in case of tattooing it is slightly different. Tattoo artists are freelancers — they don’t work for a big chain corporation. If you’re satisfied with their work and feel like you’d like to tip them , it is totally fine! It is not obligatory though. Tip or not to tip…it’s totally up to you! How much to tip? Well, how much would you tip […]
Happy New…flash designs at Japan Tattoo!
We are back after a long break. Winter is a good time to get tattooed — your healed tattoo will be ready to show off in the summer! One of our artists, Horishita, has prepared a flash sheet. All these designs are available to be tattooed. Size, colours, details, all can be customized. Come in if you’re in Tokyo or send an email to book!
Saniderm film
Most customers who visited Japan Tattoo have experience only with cling film or Saran wrap only, so it is a good idea to show you what we use to protect your new tattoo. Here at Japan Tattoo we use Saniderm — a special protective film that stays on your tattoo for a couple of days. It might not look great for the first couple of days since all the plasma your skin produces will stay under the film, however it does help with the healing process. There is a whole science behind it, please red about it here: saniderm.com It is not recommend for people allergic to band-aid adhesive, so […]
Mask tattoos
A while ago we posted a collection of our fox mask tattoos, which are by far the most popular mask motif we do at our studio. There are many other traditional Japanese masks to choose from though! Or other variations of fox mask as well 🙂
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