Horimono Showcase

Fundoshi isn't always worn to display full-body tattoos; sometimes these impressive human canvases stand fully nude, or in briefs. See some gorgeous examples of horimono after the break!

The Beauty of Irezumi

If there's an art form that photography can't quite do justice to, it's the intricate and frequently dazzlingly vibrant art of the Japanese tattoo: irezumi.

But if there's a garment that shows these colorful tattoo body suits off to their full advantage, it's the fundoshi. Many more images after the break!

Irezumi: Art of the Tattoo

The Fine Art Of The Japanese Tattoo, Part 3 of 3

Here's the final (for now) installment of  Japanese bodies clad only in a fundoshi and blazing tattoo-work by master artists!

The Fine Art Of The Japanese Tattoo, Part 2 of 3

Feast your eyes on the amazing linework, color, and artistry of the traditional irezumi tattoos!

The Fine Art Of The Japanese Tattoo, Part 1 of 3

Some of my favorite fundoshi photographs and art feature the elaborate traditional tattoos alternately known as irezumi or horimono. I've gathered lots of them, and once a month for the next couple months I'll be doing a feature on them!

The Art Of Irezumi

Irezumi, the intricate traditional tattooing of Japan famous for it's artistry and suggestion of ties to the underworld, is often displayed by its owners clad only in fundoshi.  Above, a gentleman gets some coloring done on his left thigh.  Below, many more pictures of fundoshi-wrapped men displaying their irezumi tattoos... or is it irezumi-inked men displaying their fundoshis?

Still More Irezumi/Horimono

I think my favorite fundoshi-related images to discover online are the intricate, painstakingly detailed and gloriously colorful images of full-body irezumi tattoo "suits."  Frequently depicting scenes from traditional folklore, dragons, tigers, Buddhas, Shinto deities or imagery from the "floating world," irezumi tattooing (also known as horimono) is often kept secret by the wearer because of longstanding associations with criminality.  Ironically, because of this association many criminals avoid tattoos, calling into question the validity of this stereotype.

A great deal of commitment and money is involved in tattooing at this magnitude, with the coloring and shading sometimes taking years to complete. And nothing displays an irezumi suit with dignity quite like a fundoshi.  In fact, some wearers are tattooed while clad in only fundoshi -- except for when the tattoo artist needs to work on the areas that the fundoshi covers.

More Irezumi/Horimono

 

Tattoos, Fundoshi, Rope.

 

fundoshi & irezumi

THIS JUST IN: There is now a fundoshi page on Facebook.

Irezumi (also known as Horimono, or literally "body engraving") is a Japanese artform involving extensive body tattooing that the fundoshi is uniquely, um, suited for displaying. Long associated with criminality, and especially Japan's organized crime (the Yakuza), spectacular "waterfall" style tattoos can completely cover the arms, legs, shoulders, and buttocks, but often leave hands and feet blank and a wide, bare stripe down the center of the chest. That way, when normally clothed, the wearer's tattoos remain secret. The designs are usually taken from Japanese woodblock prints and traditional drawings, and can be quite detailed and richly colored. Often, it takes years to complete a full body-suit irezumi tattoo. For a long time, there was a ban on displaying tattoos in pubic that has been relaxed quite a bit in recent decades. However, many bath houses, hot springs and other businesses still prohibit tattoos, and participants in some of the winter Naked Festivals ("Hadaka Matsuri") are required to cover tattoos with bandages.

The first black & white photo below comes from reknowned Japanese photographer Tamotsu Yato's beautiful 1968 monograph, Naked Festival, and remains one of our favorite all-time fundoshi photos!