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May 20 2013 11 Comments

Tokyo, tattoos and total individuality

Tokyo is often a mesmerising mishmash of contrasts, and in many respects the man below is the complete embodiment of that. Plus he totally and utterly blows away the popular notion of Japanese conformity.

Tokyo tattoo fashion

Categorized: Fashion, Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. MrSatyre says

    5/20/2013 at 11:38 am

    “So, now that we’ve traded identities and clothes, old man, what’s the next step to your plan?”

    Reply
    • Lee says

      5/20/2013 at 5:30 pm

      Haha! But pretty sure the young fella wouldn’t have been seen dead in beige slacks and a denims shirt!

      Reply
      • MrSatyre says

        5/23/2013 at 11:29 am

        That’s what makes the old man’s plan so nefarious! Be afraid! Be very afraid!

        Reply
  2. Hans ter Horst says

    5/20/2013 at 2:45 pm

    Must be quite a shock for most Japanese to see the tats and the funky clothes; of course the really scary one is the bloke in the back of the shot 🙂

    Reply
    • Lee says

      5/20/2013 at 6:08 pm

      Yeah, he made for quite a striking sight. That said, tattoos, are a lot more common these days. There again, they are still very much frowned upon.

      Judging by the looks though, not as frowned upon as gaijin with cameras!

      Reply
  3. June says

    5/20/2013 at 6:27 pm

    Very very cool. What a unique look. Love it! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lee says

      5/20/2013 at 10:09 pm

      Yes, he’s a real character. Very much his own man.

      Reply
  4. ex-expat says

    5/20/2013 at 8:56 pm

    Wonder how the Yakuza feel about ‘their thing’ going mainstream? Wonder too about those onsen which have in the past specifically banned those would-be patrons, who sport tattoos?

    Reply
    • Lee says

      5/20/2013 at 10:13 pm

      Personally I see the traditional yakuza tattoos (and the area of the body they do and do not cover) as very different from most modern tattoos. A clear distinction that sadly the likes of spas and some onsens fail to see. Particularly the former, as the vast majority still maintain a ban on anyone with any kind of tattoo.

      Reply
  5. Lizzy says

    5/20/2013 at 9:29 pm

    What an interesting looking character! He reminds me of an old sideshow barker.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      5/20/2013 at 10:14 pm

      He is, isn’t he? A wonderful character. And yeah, I hadn’t thought of that, but you are absolutely right.

      Reply

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