Horiyoshi III by JOHNNIE SHAND KYDD

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Photographer and Director JOHNNIE SHAND KYDD went to visit HORIYOSHI III earlier this year and brought back an exclusive film for the website NOWNESS featuring the legendary tattoo master and his workshop.

Born YOSHIHITO NAKANO in 1946, HORIYOSHI III had his epiphany when confronted with a Yakuza sporting a full body suit tattoo called Irezumi or Horimono at a public bathhouse as a young boy. Inspired, he visited the studio of his later master, HORIYOSHI I (“Hori” means “to carve”), for his own tattoo, and subsequently became his apprentice at the age of 25.

Now based in the suburbs of port-city Yokohama,  he is one of the most respected tattoo artist in Japan specializing in japanese traditional full body suit tattoos.

One of the things that really blew me away is that HORIYOSHI III draws (for the most part) the tattoos freehand on the body, using an electric needle for the outlines and traditional bamboo tools for filling in color. A great artist!

ps. sorry for the auto-start, I will try to fix it soon!

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found via nowness.com