Tebori Culture

Mid 20th century, Japan - A group of traditionally tattoed gamblers. Umezu , the chief of gambling, sits among them ©Hulton-Deutsch Collection

Tebori Styles & Design

Tsuki-bori

Tsuki-bori is a methodology of traditional Japanese hand tattooing that, according to the records of the Tokai Tattoo Club of Japan, is a reference to the "thrust" method of tattooing based in Osaka and western prefectures.

Hane-bori

According to the Journal of the Tokai Tattoo Club of Japan, hane-bori is a reference to "sweep-up," a method of Tebori hand tattooing rhythms employed by artists of Tokyo and the Eastern Areas of Japan.

Often, the tsuki-Bori method is looked upon as a simplistic method of Tebori tattooing, less difficult to master than hane-bori.

Irezumi

Irezumi is one Japanese word for tattoo. In Japan the verb ireru (入れる) is used for tattoo insertion (ie: "I am getting a tattoo"), literally meaning 'to insert.' sumi completes this word, meaning 'black ink.'

                                                                   

In Japan when discussing tattoos irezumi refers to traditional style Japanese tattoos. Especially popular in broader Japanese popular culture as well as a abroad, this term gives little distinction to method of insertion. The term horimono is preferred by practicitioners, especially those working with tebori methods of tattoo insertion. Simply speaking, this may be that because irezumi is a descriptive noun referencing a crude terminology for what a tattoo is,horimono directly references tattooing as an art form.

Kaeshibari

In traditional Japanese Tebori tattooing, kaeshibari is the practice of flipping tattoo needles to use the ink on the other side.

To tattoo details, some tattooists use a separate tool consisting of only 3 needles. But the professional Japanese Tebori tattooists can tattoo whatever they want using only one set of needles for outlining. They don't have to use other tattooing tools. They can tattoo any thin or thick lines, small circles and so on. The professional tattooists tattoo the designs on the skin smoothly, from up to down, down to up, right to left, left to right. When more ink is needed after tattooing from left to right, for example, one does kaeshibari, flipping the needles. Kaeshibari is one of many professional techniques, which is flipping the other side of the needles and tattooing by using the rest of the ink on the other side.