Sumi Irezumi: A Japanese Tattoo

Well, well… Four hours in the tattoo artist’s chair can tend to pass by like a dream, with the correct mind settled beforehand. Some have no fear, some have no weakness. Some struggle to regain their breath, and then are able to “climb the hill” of continuing their tattoo again. Zahm conquers this tattoo session of heavy shading with ease, if a little daffiness towards the end. The endorphins are a gift from god, and in this case the tattoo gods and the Gods of Sumi, and from the venerable Kobo Daishi himself. Or have i said too much??? Reading further will roll away the stone, but it is hard to read through hazy eyes and we all suffer from this in varying degrees.

It is my pleasure to take up the tattoo machine in a new way. It is my pleasure to begin again, after twenty years of tattooing. I wish to pursue more work like this. The more the better, but the legends are arcane. How will you know what tattoo to get? How will you be led into this esoteric world?? If you find yourself on the path, please let me know. If you have arrived, then all the better. Perhaps you can point out the way…