彫師The artist
The hand between heaven & earth
One artist, one chair, and a lifetime spent learning to carry the old motifs with a steady hand. Here is a little of how I came to the needle — and how I work.
Horitenchi
I came to irezumi the long way — years of drawing before I was ever allowed near a needle, and longer still before the line felt like my own.
My training followed the classical Japanese path: time spent watching, grinding ink, and earning each piece of the work before it was handed to me. What I learned there I still carry — that the craft is patient, that black is built in layers, and that a tattoo is composed for a whole body, not stamped onto a corner of it.
I believe irezumi should outlive its trends. The motifs I work with — dragons, koi, waves, hannya — are old because they hold meaning, and they read for a lifetime because they’re drawn with bold line and deep, honest black. I’d rather make one piece that ages well than a dozen that don’t. The Japanese tradition is my home — but that same care goes into custom work in whatever style you’re after.
Almost everything I do is custom and drawn for you — your idea, your placement, and the way the design has to move across muscle and bone. We take the time it needs. Larger work unfolds over many sittings, and I’d rather go slowly and get it right than rush something you’ll wear forever.
得意What I focus on
The motifs I carry most
Dragons
Ryū that coil across the back and shoulders — guardians of water and sky.
Koi & water
Koi climbing the current, set against the long pull of carved waves.
Hannya & oni
Masks and demons drawn with weight — the old stories of jealousy and resolve.
Peony & florals
Botan, kiku, and sakura softening the bold work they're woven through.
Wind & waves
Nami and kaze — the background that ties a whole bodysuit into one breath.
Custom & other styles
Not after a Japanese piece? That’s welcome too — bring an idea in any style and we’ll build it together.
“A tattoo isn’t finished when the line is done. It’s finished when it has healed into you — and started to read like it was always there.”
Horitenchi
彫
Ready to begin your piece?
Every project starts with a conversation. Tell me your idea and I'll be in touch to shape it into something made for you.