Artatorture Tattoo

Artatorture Tattoo Artatorture began as a modest shop over 25 years ago. Now conveniently located at Queen Street & She Satisfaction is guaranteed.

Artatorture is Toronto’s oldest Tattoo Shop which began as a modest shop over 25 years ago. The Studio has grown significantly since its inception and is now conveniently located at Queen Street and Sherbourne Street in the City of Toronto. The Studio also offers piercing, and a fantastic selection of piercing jewelry. Artatorture has a long and illustrious client list, including such celebrities

as “Three Days Grace”, Jully Black, ODB (of Wu Tang Clan fame), Mike Matsudian (former Toronto Blue Jay), Curtis “Cujo” Joseph (former Toronto Maple Leaf). At Artatorture, the emphasis is on quality artwork in a safe and comfortable setting.

04/25/2026

One session. One sleeve piece . Several emotional breakdowns.
He made it. 👏🔥

Sorry Jeff… we didn’t edit it all out. 😂

Could you sit through this?


04/17/2026

rocked this one 🐊🔥

04/16/2026

Got a tattoo you’ve outgrown? You are definitely not the only one. If it’s time for a change, James O'Donnell has you covered-DM to start your cover-up journey! ✨

A tribute to family, love, and the unbreakable ties that hold them together.♥️
04/14/2026

A tribute to family, love, and the unbreakable ties that hold them together.♥️

03/31/2026

Black & Grey lower leg piece in progress for 🖤

03/23/2026

Thinking about covering an old tattoo?
This neck piece is a full transformation by James — a completely new design that fully replaces what was there before, not just hides it. 🔵🌹

If you’ve got something you’re ready to move on from, James is the one you want doing it. 😎





03/19/2026

Lisa got our name tattooed — and we absolutely love that ❤️

Having someone choose to ink Artatorture on their skin means everything to us.

Her kids and her partner come here.
Her mom came here with her grandmother — three generations strong.

We are so grateful to be a part of that. 🖤

03/13/2026

Inside a tattoo apprentice practice session with — working on lines, shading, and colour blending on fake skin.

She’s been putting in a lot of hard work and it’s great watching her progression🖤

03/11/2026

Cover-up transformation by .

Artatorture Tattoos — Toronto’s oldest tattoo shop.
Est. 1990





02/03/2026

Enjoyed chatting with Jordan and Nicole while did this cool hand tattoo for Jordan😎🖤


🀄 Japanese Irezumi — A Brief History⏳ Edo Period (1603–1868)• Decorative irezumi grew alongside woodblock prints and ill...
01/31/2026

🀄 Japanese Irezumi — A Brief History

⏳ Edo Period (1603–1868)
• Decorative irezumi grew alongside woodblock prints and illustrated stories
• Tattoos were designed as full-body compositions, not isolated images
• Common among firefighters, laborers, craftsmen, and entertainers

🖋️ Design & Technique
• Motifs came from folklore and print culture
• Tebori hand-poking allowed soft shading and gradual color transitions
• Wind and wave backgrounds unified entire designs

🀄 Common Motifs & Meanings
• Dragon — strength, wisdom, protection
• Koi — perseverance, transformation
• Tiger — courage, warding off misfortune
• Hannya mask — intense emotion, protection
• Peony — prosperity, bold beauty
• Phoenix — rebirth and renewal

⚖️ Punishment Tattoos
• In some regions, tattoos were used to mark criminals
• These marks were separate from decorative irezumi, but contributed to stigma

Decorative irezumi and punishment tattoos were historically separate practices, though later stigma caused them to be conflated.

🚫 Why Samurai Didn’t Tattoo
• Samurai ideals valued public honor, restraint, and discipline
• Permanent markings conflicted with elite class expectations
• Tattooing was discouraged, not embraced

🚫 Restriction & Ban
• During the Meiji era, tattooing was banned to present Japan as “modern” to the West
• Irezumi continued underground despite the ban

🔓 Legal Status
• Tattooing was legalized in 1948 after World War II
• Artists worked in a legal gray area for decades
• A 2020 court ruling confirmed tattooing as an art form, not a medical practice

🔁 Today
• Modern Japanese-style tattoos often use individual motifs
• Their roots remain in movement, balance, and full-body storytelling

—

🖋️ If you made it this far, Japanese tattoo history clearly speaks to you.
Mention this post and get $50 off any Japanese-style tattoo $200+.

⸻

Address

220 Queen Street East
Toronto, ON
M5A1S3

Opening Hours

Tuesday 2pm - 11pm
Wednesday 2pm - 11pm
Thursday 2pm - 11pm
Friday 2pm - 11pm
Saturday 2pm - 11pm
Sunday 2pm - 11pm

Telephone

+14163631167

Website

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