Irezumi in Ohio
Irezumi, the Japanese style of tattooing, has been around for years and years. The ancient art style has traveled long and far from the Ryukyuan Kingdom to the state of Ohio. Irezumi tattoos are heavily inspired by Japanese Yokai (folklore and mythology) featuring the ever-so-popular Hannya Mask, Kitsune, Tanuki, and more.
In this article, we’ll be paying homage to some Ohio artists who have mastered the Irezumi style!
1. Moses.dood - Cincinnati, OH
Kaelin “Moses” Moser-Viteri is the co-owner of Higher Love Tattoo in Cincinnati, Ohio. From full bodywork to sleeves, to small anime tattoos, Kaelin’s got you covered. He’s an artist who knows how to skillfully blend traditional and modern techniques of the Irezumi tattoo style on his clients. His page is full of the most beautiful subjects and themes from Japanese art.
2. C_Bonifay_Tattoo - Stow, OH
Tattooing out of Broken Arrow Tattoo Co. is the award-winning artist, Mitch Bonifay. His work, a mix of ink and paintings of peonies, koi fish, tigers, snakes, and more elements of nature is bursting with color and intricate detail.
3. _Noblewarrior - Cleveland, OH
West Anchor’s very own, Dustin Nowlin, provides “wearable art for the warrior class.” Whether you’re looking to get some Blackwork or Japanese tattoos done, you can count on Dustin to get the job done. You can also purchase some apparel from his website “Elite Laurel.” If you’re a fan of his work but don’t want to commit to a tattoo, the website also features extremely detailed prints and paintings to purchase from!
4. Tattoo_Chubbs - Mentor, OH
Along with Japanese, Matt “Chubbs” Morris, is exceptional at Black & Grey Realism and Biomechanical tattoos. The Monumental Tattoo artist showcases this diverse art style within his own Japanese designs. Some feature traditional colors and others with strong black and gray-only compositions.
5. Kurt_Tattoos - Willoughby, OH
Kurt Colantonio has been leaving his mark on the world of tattooing. Black Dahlia is home to many different artists with different styles and art backgrounds. Kurt specializes in poppy colors, bold clean lines, and of course, beautiful Japanese elements.
6. Josephpereztattoo - Macedonia, OH
Owner and operator of Studio Hoju, Joseph Perez says stepping out of a shop (and opening his own) has “allowed me to recharge my spirit and refocus my goals.” This is extremely fitting, seeing as the shop has been named after the wish-fulfilling jewel, Hoju, from Japanese mythology. Joseph showcases his further knowledge of Japanese art and mythology as he is amazing at tattooing said theme on his clients.
