How Long Do Japanese Back Tattoos Take?

The traditional Japanese backpiece will take many hours to complete. Dedication, patience, and long suffering are tested as the wearer slowly makes the journey to completion. Depending on the image and the size of the wearer, the full irezumi, or japanese tattoo, backpiece will take between 50 and 100 hours. No small feat to say the least. And you wonder why it looks so tough- because it is! Strength of body, mind, and spirit are all tested as the inside fortitude is manifest on the wearer’s outward appearance, one mark at a time. How long do Japanese tattoos take? Many , many sessions! Therefore, irezumi is not for the faint of heart, those with little follow through, or those who act quickly on impulse, but have cultivated no discipline to speak of. Conversely, many positive character traits may be deduced in admiring the strength of the one who is tattooed in this way.

Cheap imitations of authentic irezumi may be had in a fraction of the time. There are hundreds of corners to cut to make this possible, as irezumi is such a detail oriented, completist approach to tattooing. Also, Americanizing the Japanese tattoo can lead to shortcuts in it’s application as well, as an experienced operator can play on the strengths of the American tattoo to vastly simplify the traditional Japanese tattoo. In this case, the result is also sometimes masterful- although it remains distinct from authentic Japanese approach to traditional irezumi, and so could be said to fall short of the ideal of the traditional Japanese tattoo.

Daihannya traditional japanese backpiece in progress on Mr H, outline stage complete.