Arm Sleeve
Shoulders and Arms (Gaku‑bori vs Nuki‑bori)
In traditional Japanese Irezumi, a framed tattoo (gaku‑bori) requires a clear mikiri, a distinct border demarcating the inked area that exists only where anatomically feasible, such as on arms or the back . Styles that stop at the lower arm or forearm lack appropriate space for a proper mikiri, rendering them unsuitable as framed pieces.
Out of respect for these traditions, our studio does not perform such tattoos in gaku‑bori. However, they can be executed as nuki‑bori, unframed work without any mikiri boundary or using an akebono mikiri fade-out edge. When done as nuki‑bori, it is often referred to in Japanese as a “one point tattoo” (ippon tattoo), a single motif without background frame.
Irezumi works
The living form of my art.
Irezumi Language
Symbols that speak through silence.
Irezumi Flow
Movement shaped by mindful design.
