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Offering World Class Traditional
Japanese Tattooing in Dallas, Texas

Horisho Traditional Japanese Tattoo Premium Merchandise Set

New! 彫菖 Horisho Traditional Japanese Tattoo Premium Merchandise Set

Not everyone has the pain tolerance, patience, or budget for large scale Japanese tattooing, so I have created this special and unique merchandise set for those who would still like to enjoy and support my work. This support is much appreciated! All designs Made in the USA by Carl Hallowell, Horisho.

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Horisho

Carl Hallowell Traditional Japanese Tattoo Artist

Hello, and Welcome! I am Carl, your humble servant and guide to the esoteric art of Japanese traditional tattooing. My study and practice have now hit 25 years of experience, as of 2020. My artistry provides the most authentic Japanese tattooing in Dallas-Fort Worth from my Deep Ellum and Waxahachie private studio locations.

My locations provide authentic japanese tattoos in a way that brings the best client experience forward, intertwining good relationships and good work that will both last a lifetime.

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Traditional Japanese Inspired Tattoos

The art of the Japanese traditional tattoo, also known as irezumi, or horimono, has been practiced since the 1800’s in Japan. It is an exquisite form that is extreme and elaborate.

It covers vast expanses of the body, if not the complete body, creating full bodysuit tattoos, backpiece tattoos, and sleeve tattoos. It is designed to fit the body, and enhances the body as it works and moves with it. The look is nothing short of iconic! The way the Japanese tattoo lays out on the body and terminates at strong borders and the way the colored foreground image leaps off the sumi black background toward the viewer set the scene for a gorgeous piece of body art.

Japanese Tattoo Gallery

Please enjoy a selection of my traditional Japanese tattoo artwork.

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Tebori – Traditional Japanese Tattoos

The Japanese tattoo predates the invention of the tattoo machine, which was invented by Samuel O’Reilly in 1891. The method of application for early Japanese tattoos was “hand carving”, or Tebori. This tradition of hand carving Japanese tattoos continues to this very day, although it is an endangered art.

The Japanese held a similar reverence for the modern as well as the traditional tattoo practices, with the western tattoo machine being introduced to Japan around the 1970s.

The result of this experimentation led to many traditional Japanese Masters, or “horishi”, adopting the tattoo machine for their outlining of tattoos. While still hand carving the beautiful horimono designs.

However, it was decided upon quite unanimously that the western tattoo machine could never match the quality, intensity, character or Tebori, when it came to the shading and the coloring of irezumi.

This led many horishi to use a split tattooing approach. First, they used outlining by machine, then coloring by Tebori. I am proud and honored to continue this split approach tradition today, one of only a small handful of American tattooists to do so.

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Omotenashi

Omotenashi is a Japanese service ideal that is translated as “hospitality.” Its goal is to serve the customer even beyond standard hopes and expectations, anticipate their needs, and create a superlative customer experience.

A trip to Japan will provide you an opportunity to enjoy this high level of service time and time again. My dedication to customer service may be based more on Texas’ own tradition of hospitality! But I think that the root of my love for my customers is respect, which was taught to me by tattooing itself.

When it comes to Japanese tattoos, respect is everything:

  • The respect for the past masters of tattooing and one’s tattooing elders in the present.
  • The respect for the sacred traditional tattoo images passed down through the generations.
  • And the respect for the suffering and dedication it takes to receive a tattoo, which seems a more and more incredible feat, the more you experience it for yourself.

Respecting the customer, you care for them, their experience, the memories you leave them with, the marks you put upon their body. It is an honor and a responsibility to be entrusted with the great task of tattooing a person. The relationship between artist and customer always shows in the skin. The love, the soul, and the respect all shine through.

The tattoo is not just a picture on the skin but a complete experience, from the personal connection to the sharing of a journey, mutual admiration, and finally, to a great tattoo! I believe that my choice to work in an appointment-only private studio facilitates this high level of service and grand experience to the fullest.