The tebori technique (‘hand carving’) originated in the 17th century Japan, driving its inspiration from woodblock printing. During the Edo period, body art gained popularity among the lower classes, and many wood block carvers started tattooing in their spare time. Like ukyo-e, tebori is completely handmade: designs are created by poking the skin with a nomi (wooden rod with metal needles), dipped in sumi ink; the pigment is inserted into and under the skin in one motion, which makes for a more efficient and less painful experience than using a tattoo machine.

Traditional tattooing in Japan was banished from 1868 to 1948, but local artists were still allowed to serve foreigners (from sailors to visiting royals like King George V and Tsar Nicholas II). And so, by the 19^th century, irezumi has gained an international following. Nowadays, traditional Japanese tattoos are popular around the world, but still widely stigmatized in Japan. Though people from all walks of life get tattoos, most Japanese tend to hide theirs in public. To this day, many bathhouses and gyms prohibit entry with tattoos, and the majority of traditional tattoo shops operate underground.

Finding a tebori master – known as ‘horishi’ (彫師, ‘carver’) – can be a challenge, but one such artist is a Mexican-born Javier Rodríguez, aka Horibi (彫毘). Javier has been tattooing for 18 years and learning tebori for over a decade under Horikashi (彫樫). Following his teacher’s advice, Javier studied woodblock prints and the great masters, as well as Japanese history and folklore, to be able to combine the different motifs correctly. He runs Hermanos de Sangre studio in Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico, and travels the world to promote tebori. Javier seeks to inspire more interest in Japanese culture at the same time as he works to adapt the traditional designs into something unique by incorporating Mexican elements.