Japanese tattooing is only a little bit crazy, though it does seem to fit pretty well with the culture. To the Japanese, these tattoos were once more of an accomplishment or rite of passage. This is sort of refreshing compared to the average eighteen year old in America, who gets a tattoo sometimes out of rebellion or because they can. I have never been a fan of tattoos, but I still have some respect for the cultural significance of the art.
The reading described situations when a tattoo was used as a form of punishment as well. I can’t think of a better reminder of what you aren’t supposed to do than having something engraved in my skin. I have seen the tools used for this type of tattooing, and I would rather not take part in the process.
This reading is not the first time that I have heard about irezumi. A few years ago I saw a show on the topic. Not only is it a visually graphic act, but the sounds related to it are also not so pleasant. I cannot even describe the sound of it. It is almost enough to make you shiver. I don’t really like pain, so I don’t see the up side to volunteering for it.
I think that the coolest thing about irezumi is that the meaning of the art is very specific. The Japanese have certain animals that refer to character traits and values. This is another almost alien concept to American tattoos. Here tattoos can literally mean anything. It is almost like a set of guidelines for an entire form of artistic expression.
Though this art form is no longer illegal, it is still related to illegal activity. This fact causes many irezumi-bearers to hide their tattoos. It is also very expensive to get one’s entire body tattooed. Thanks to the ever-helpful Wikipedia, I was able to find the figure of at least $30,000 U.S. for a full body suit. That is a lot of money, especially for something that is for the most part hidden away from the world. I think that this fact speaks to the incredible meaning that irezumi carries with it.
Personally, I could never justify spending that amount of money on a tattoo. Luckily there are other people in the world that don’t feel the same way. Reading this paper about the history of the ancient art of irezumi is an eye-opener to me about the practices of another culture. It was a refreshing jaunt away from normalcy.
Moral of the story: if you were wondering where you could go to pay thousands of dollars to have a stranger stab you repeatedly in the arm, chest, legs, or back with basically a metal* shiv, the answer is Japan.
*likely-wrong assumption
