Horiyoshi III: The Skin Carver

Serpents twist over the shoulder amidst a cacophony of peonies and cherry blossoms; dragons breathe fire across a pectoral muscle; a tiger creeps over an elbow. The designs of Horiyoshi III, Japan’s undisputed tattoo master, come to life with every twitch and shudder of the skin. Born Yoshihito Nakano in 1946, Horiyoshi III had his epiphany when confronted with a Yakuza (Japanese gangster) sporting a full body tattoo—or “suit”—at a public bathhouse as a young boy. Inspired, he visited the studio of his later master, Horiyoshi I, for his own tattoo, and subsequently became his apprentice at the age of 25. Now based in the suburbs of port-city Yokohama, Horiyoshi works from a secluded, quiet atelier, crammed with skulls, Japanese Noh theater masks and even a dragon-print umbrella from Vivienne Westwood. His status as the most respected tattoo artist in Japan is confirmed by his adoption of his master’s honorific title, which he aims to pass down to his son, Kazuyoshi Nakano. (source: www.nowness.com)