03/02/2026
One of my favourite books
The Iconography of Japan
In this book, the beauty and design of Japanese tattoos are explored through ukiyo-e prints and explained in detailed bilingual Japanese and English text.
In recent years, the number of ukiyo-e tattoo designs, or tattoo designs using ukiyo-e motifs, has increased, and ukiyo-e are becoming more popular among tattoo lovers.
First, Chapter 1 presents the artworks by artist, beginning with Kuniyoshi Utagawa, to introduce the beauty and design of tattoos by artists such as Toyokuni Utagawa, Yosh*toshi Tsukioka, Yoshiiku Ochiai, Kunichika Toyohara, and Yosh*tora Utagawa.
In Chapter 2, tattoo designs based on ukiyo-e are presented and grouped by motif, specifically including examples such as Shinto and Buddhist deities (Fujin, Raijin…); animals (dogs, cats, wolves, lions, monkeys…); plants (peonies, cherry blossoms, chrysanthemums…); yokai monsters (Hannya, skulls, bakenekos...); caricatures (Otsu-e, Okame, Hyottoko…) and more.
This book appeals not only to lovers of traditional Japanese culture, but also to tattoo-lovers and tattoo artists, who can use it as a reference for designs.
Size：10.1 × 7.2” / 257 × 182 mm
Pages：208 pp. (191 pp. in Color)
Binding：Softbound
Publisher：PIE International
Language：J/E Bilingual
ISBN：978-4-7562-5860-1
Author：Nobuyoshi Hamada
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