In celebration of the conclusion of our long Tattoo History series on Irezumi, the art of Japanese tattoo, we thought we'd take a closer look at the practice, designs and meanings that make up this gorgeous, intricate art.. There is so much to cover, we will have to do this article in installments also!
Nara ink, also known as Nara black is largely responsible for giving Irezumi it's unique look. The ink turns blue-green in color when deposited under the skin.
It takes specialized tattoo artists to perform traditional Irezumi, and the process can be painful, expensive, and time consuming. After up to five years of weekly visits, the bearer of a completed Irezumi design is highly respected by those who admire the art. It shows him or her as a person of commitment, who finishes what he or she starts.
There a a number of common Irezumi designs that read like a clothing catalog, due to their full-body style. You can get long or short sleeve, long or short pants, a vest or a jacket. Irezumi designs traditionally often leave an untattooed area down the center of the chest.
Next week, we'll look into the specific designs of Irezumi and their meanings.
What is the Japanese word for the "untattooed space down the center of the chest" and its purpose? Is it spiritual or simply for ease in covering a heavily tattooed body?
Thanks for the question! Doing some research, it’s hard to find authoritative information on why the chest area is left open or if there is a specific name for it.
It seems that it is due to ancient beliefs, that if you tattooed the entire body, it would be damaging to your health. Tattooing could block sweat glands, which would interfere with the body’s ability to detoxify, harming the liver; so, go ahread and tattoo most of your body, but leave some place for the sweat to get out!
Although modern science has found this belief to be unfounded, the design survives due to tradition.