He is one of the most gifted japanese tattooer from his generation. From the region of Niigata in the North-East of Japan, hes spreading the beauty of the Japanese tattoo culture. All tattoo lovers praise his complex and very detailed compositions which the bodies of some very lucky collectors. But after 20 years, Tomo is ready to move on.
Silkneedle is the name o your studio, where does it comes from ?
In the past, we used silk needle for making a tattoo with the tebori (hand) technique. Once used, they were sharpened again and reused. Somehow, it is for me a way to get back to the sources, where it started. I want to keep the motivation that comes from that period.
Can we go back to your journey ?
After high-school, I went to the design school in Niigata. I wanted to be a drawer, a mangaka (manga drawer) or an illustrator. After finished my studies, I had a tough time to find a job. But, I was 20 years old at the time, I had the opportunity for the first to see a tattoo, that had been done on a friend of mine. IT was a japanese style tattoo. I was so impressed, that was a real cultural shock. As my friends new I was a good drawer, they told me I should try.
What happened ?
I looked out for the material, but I couldn’t find anything in any shop. At the time there was this japanese magazine, very underground publication : Burst. Inside, there were some pages dedicated to tatooing and I started to think about it even more seriously. In one of them, there was an article about tattoo machines done in jail by prisoners. I understood I could built it myself. I was 21.
Tattoo was still taboo. How did you appreciated this paramter in your thoughts ?
I didn’t have any hesitation, even though it was VERY MUCH taboo. I talked about it with my parents. They tried to reason with me and told me it was not something possible. Moreover, tattooing was for yakuza. But, I was so impressed by the tattoo seen on my friend’s body that I had some sort of revelation. It was like opening my eyes.
Did you grow up in an art environment ?
My father was a craftsman, he used was a metal worker. I did also a little bit with him. So, after my studies finished, as it was difficult for me to find a job, I worked with my father.
Where does your taste for drawing comes from ?
It is something that I do naturally since I was a kid.In my life, I think that I spent more time drawing than anything else. I wanted to draw posters, advertisings… I had a lot o interest in many different things. I used to do oil painting too, I learnt the technique before going to school ; something I’m still doing today.
You started tattooing yourself?
Yes. My mother was crying so much, she was so sad I had left the « normal » way. I felt a litle bit sory for her, but that was my thing. Little by little, I kept tattooing myself and progressively she gave up telling me anything. Today, it’s been 20 years I’m doing this profession and my mother, finally, considers it to be something normal.
In which way the perception of the work has changed over this time period ?
There are a lot of informations available online and a lot of tattooers have a very good technique (for realism, portraits, etc.). Even after only 2-3 years they can do something that needs skills. But in a way, it is some sort of copied/paste work, a technique which doesn’t have that much depth. For a tattooer it is important, not only to have technique, but also to know the ukiyo-e (japanese print) culture and its signification, the history. People who can draw doesn’t know the movements of the muscles and the articulations. But real tattooers have to take that kind of parameters into consideration.
Do you have young tattooers coming to you for an apprenticeship ?
No, there aren’t. Anyway, I’m in the countryside. Foreigners send emails sometimes.
Do you work in a private appartment?
Yes, at the 4th floor. No advertising, it’s private and quite small.
What were your sources of inspiration when you started ?
I like the books about painting. I read a lot of artbooks, about japanese tattooing, but I love Alfons Mucha too ! His drawing line is very sophisticated, I find inspiration for waves in the organic movements of the hair of the maid he draws. I find inspiration in the japanese but also in the foreign art culture. The scope of my curiosity is very wide, I don’t limit myself.
Does that mean you’d be open to do other styles than japanese tattooing ?
Absolutely, but I don’t have any demand for that. My customers know my style, very detailed, and they mainly come for that kind of work. To be honest, I’d like to change it and make something simplier. Utagawa Kuniyoshi (famous ukiyo-e artist) teached us that a good tattoo is something that should be very readable at a distance. By concentrating on that, I would like to make the people feel some kind of power to my drawing. It is a little bit a comeback to the wabori (tattoo made in Japan) spirit that I would like to do.
Japanese tattooing represents the japanese culture, how much of your time do you spend learning it?
A lot. Researching is what takes most of my time. To do a backpiece, I need much more time to learn and study than to do the backpiece itself. The knowledge is not officially necessary but obviously, if you’re interested in any drawing, you should know the story behind.
Do you feel more like a craftsman or an artist ?
Craftsman, we say shokunin (high-skilled craftsman) in Japan. An artist expresses something that comes from him. But the craftsman answers to the demand of a customer.
What proportion do you have between your Japanese and foreign customers ?
70% are form a foreign country, they come to Japan. Half of the mis Asians, the other half is Western. MORE : https://silkneedletattoo.com Instagram :@tomo_silkneedletattoo FB : silkneedletattoo
