Horiyoshi iii biography of michael

Horiyoshi III of Yokohama is Japan’s preeminent tattoo master and is revered as a living legend to tattoo enthusiasts around the world for his prolific traditional Japanese bodysuits.

Horiyoshi iii biography of michael

Born Yoshihito Nakano (b. 1946), Horiyoshi III started his apprenticeship under the late Yoshitsugu Muramatsu (Horiyoshi I) and in 1971 received the honorary title of “Hori” (meaning “to engrave” or “to carve”) passed down from master to apprentice.

Horiyoshi III’s artwork is synonymous with Japanese culture and focuses on folktales, calligraphy and religious subjects.

Before tattoo machines were readily available, Horiyoshi completed bodysuits by hand, using a technique known as tebori. This method consists of using a wooden or metal stick with needles fastened to the tip, using pressure to apply the ink into skin.

Not until 1985 during a tattoo convention in Rome, did Horiyoshi begin to integrate machines in his