Tebori 手彫

Tebori History

Tebori simply means, to carve by hand and is a Japanese tradition rich in history that has been around for over 400 years.

The Japanese tradition of hand poke tattooing is associated with the Japanese craft of woodblock carving and woodblock printing; both craftsmen are called ‘Horishi’, or carvers.

It is thought that many woodblock printmakers and carvers from the Edo era in Japan were also tattoo artists in their spare time, as their skill sets overlap with many similarities. Kuniyoshi (one of the last great masters of the Japanese ukiyo-e style of woodblock prints and painting) is a prime example of a renowned and highly talented Edo era artist thought to have been a Horishi.

What is Tebori?

It is the original and traditional method of hand tattooing. The tattooer (Horishi) uses a slender tool (sashibo) with needles attached to its tip. With a rhythmic motion the ink is then worked into the skin. The sashibo, the needles and ink (sumi) are usually a well kept tattoo family secret and can vary in length and material. It is a true craft and takes more than 10 years to master.

Tebori or machine? or both?

When it comes to color or black and grey shading, most traditional Japanese artists today still carve all tattoos by hand, while utilizing modern machines for solid, clean lines. While it may be true that tattoo artists can achieve more precise fine detail with machines, the Tebori style offers highly saturated, rich, vibrant colors and smooth greys, which are very unique to traditional Japanese tattooing by hand. Tebori offers distinct and unique results; the artwork you showcase on your body will certainly standout as different.

Lars | Horiyou 彫陽 has been trained in Japan by Japanese Tebori master shodai Horikoi aka Kisaragi first, and has brought back the secrets of Tebori needle making, hand poke horimono and traditional mindset, composition and skills. Lars | Horiyou 彫陽 shades and colors most of his work by Tebori and creates outlines by machine which he finds to be the ideal compromise between tradition and efficiency.

In summary, machine work certainly has a place in modern day Japanese tattooing, however standardized machine work cannot compete with Tebori tradition, authenticity and overall results. Tebori and machines can however work in unison to create beautiful, unique pieces which is why Lars | Horiyou 彫陽 regularly optimizes both.

Is Tebori more painful?

However the opposite is true. Tebori needles are thicker than standard tattoo needles, and allow more ink to saturate the skin with less effort resulting in a more comfortable experience. The Tebori technique for inserting ink into the skin simply creates far less trauma than machines, causing limited inflammation. Since there is less trauma, the bleeding, scabbing and overall recovery time is less.

What are the Benefits of Tebori?

The majority, if not all, find Tebori less painful than modern-day machines. and less pain means less mental and physical tension and anxiety. The majority of people feel more comfortable after a Tebori tattoo session in comparison to a machine session; even extended sessions that would typically leave them feeling drained and exhausted.

The method of working by hand creates less skin trauma, less bleeding and less inflammation, causing the tattoo to heal faster. In addition to a more enjoyable tattooing session, Tebori delivers the experience of receiving a truly unique and authentic artistic tradition which results in a more vibrant and exclusive piece of art.

Does Tebori take longer than a machine?

This is a very simple question that has no simple answer! For the best part, yes, Tebori tattoos typically take longer, however, depending on what is being tattooed Terbori can in fact take less time.

As an example, a large simple tattoo like peony flower can be tattooed by Tebori or a machine in almost the same time. However, if the tattoo design contains smaller details and tighter areas Tebori is often the slower method. So, machines are faster when creating details, both Tebori and machines take similar times to create large scaled pieces, so what about quality? Uniqueness? Skill? Design? Tattooing time really depends on the design, the skin, and the artist.

Tebori backgrounds and background shading are certainly slower to create when compared to machine work. Perfecting beautiful gradients from solid black to soft light greys with hand ground sumi ink takes time and years of skill, alas the finished product, a shimmering cascade of dark and light silver greys is something to behold. The level of skill to create a piece like this certainly takes longer, and cannot be reproduced by a machine. Somethings are worth the investment, and time…

Final thoughts.

Tebori offers you the opportunity to experience and display something made entirely by hand, and in its rawest form. In a time of digitalization, the chance to wear the result of a true craft is a one of a kind experience of an ancient tradition. If you would like a tattoo of meaning, of skill and of culture, I would be honored to work with you in creating your piece, small or large..