As with most Japanese tattoo artists, Horiyoshi's designs are variations of iridescent "koi" carp, dragons, tigers, snakes, peony flowers and maple leaves. Others are inspired by Buddhist deities ...

Japanese society has traditionally taken a dim view of tattoos, due to their long historical association with the yakuza, Japan’s organized crime syndicates. However, Liberal Democratic Party member ...

Japan is inching closer to breaking a long-standing taboo to allow men and women with tattoos to serve in the Self-Defence Forces (SDF), underlining once again the crisis in personnel levels that ...