Tattooing in Japan

Most people know about the stigma attached to tattoos in Japan, but I'm not here to talk about that today. If you want to know more, then head over to google! What I will be talking about though, is where to go in Tokyo if you want a tattoo. Some places you can rely on to give you an intimate and amazing service without you having to worry about being fobbed off or refused for being a foreigner. (Not that places would, but the language barrier creates problems, especially when dealing with something like tattooing).

1. Scratch Addiction.

Scratch Addiction is one of Japan most famous tattoo shops. Located in Takeshita Dori in Harajuku. The shop is quite small but their artwork is good!. They have been home to some of Japan’s top tattoo legends. The artists are able to tattoo any style, and are highly skilled.
They are appointment only and with limited english, but depending on who is in shop depends on how good the conversation is! They are welcoming regardless and eager to help in whatever it is you need.

Website: http://scratchaddiction.com/

2. Horizaru.

Horizaru is an appointment only, custom only shop. He is amazingly skilled at Japanese neo-traditional work. The tattoos are beautiful, artistic, and is highly recommended by many people in the tattoo industry. His website runs in both English and Japanese, so take your pick!

Website: http://www.horizaru.com/


3. Studio Muscat.

Small Shibuya based tattoo shop with a female artist. She is renowned for her black and grey work and has a large client base. Her website is easy to navigate and Asao herself is very friendly! Take a look and see what you think, she can do any style but favours stronger line work.

Website: http://www.muscat-tattoo.com


I'll add more to this list at some point when I find out some good information, but for now, it's just these select few. If anyone else has any experiences they would like to share then feel free to comment!

Current inspirations - Sho Asakawa.

Japan 2012 #3

This is just going to be a small spam of places I plan to stop off at while I'm in Tokyo. Either by myself or not, I don't really mind! I realize some of these are really geeky, some just a little bit weird, but I've always wanted to go and this time I'm determined to do so!


Number one!
@Homecafe


We all know about maid cafe! @homecafe is the largest in Akihabara, sporting several locations of varied type, they are also foreigner friendly, some of their locations hosting english speaking maids! Worry not about being refused entry for not being Japanese at any of their cafes.


Number two!
Taito Akihabara


Out of all the arcades I went to on previous visits to Japan, I found the Taito ones to be the most entertaining, namely because I'm easily amused by simple games and they have some good UFO machines!


Number Three!
The Trump Room

How cool is this for nightlife? Trump room is one of Tokyo's more interesting bars/venues, they do a lot of strange nights, but I've been told its an experience just for the decor of the place! I know it definitely looks like somewhere I would LOVE to go!


Number Four!
Ice cream city in Sunshine city (Ikebukuro)


Located in the infamous Namja town, Ice cream city promises some of the most bizarre and disgusting ice cream flavours you could ever imagine. E.g. 'snake' icecream, 'octopus' icecream and 'salad' ice cream. I promise to video my adventure here, feel free to nominate the grossest one you can think of and I'll try it with video evidence.


Number five!
Himuro Mansion


Anyone into ghost stories?
I'm a lover of horror and morbid tales, so the Himuro mansion tale has always been one of my favourite. No one knows it's exact location though, but it's still somewhere I would loooove to visit.
"According to urban legend, lying just beyond the city of Tokyo is one of the most haunted locations in all of Japan. The mansion is said to have been home to one of the most gruesome murders in modern Japanese history. Local lore has it that for generations, the Himuro family had participated in a strange, twisted Shinto ritual known as “The Strangling Ritual” in order to seal off bad karma from within the Earth, every half century or so. Many weird happenings have been reported in and near the old mansion; including apparitions of those who once lived there, bloody handprints and sprays of blood, which mysteriously appear on the walls.Sometimes, a small girl in a kimono is seen in one of the windows. To add to the mansion’s mystery, no one knows the significance of the vast tunnels the run underneath."

That's all for now on the places to visit post, but I'll come up with some more for you guys in another!