Tattoos can be an expression of individuality, a tribute to a special person or life event, or simply a fashion statement.

While body art is widely accepted in many countries, tattoos are considered taboo in Japan, especially in public places like ...

The Japanese government banned tattoos in 1872, as while the practice had risen as an art form, tattooed marks were still used as a punishment. The ban wasn't lifted until 1948, but the practice ...

Although tattoos have increasingly been used as fashion statements, especially in overseas countries, they are still associated with yakuza gangsters and other “anti-social elements” in Japan.

These astonishing photographs give an unprecedented glimpse inside the world of the Yakuza, the Japanese organised crime syndicates, known for their brutality, tattoos and strict code of honour ...

It's long been an unspoken rule among Japanese spa operators that customers with tattoos were not allowed into hot springs -- onsens. In Japan, tattoos are associated with the Japanese mafia ...

If you're in the market for a new traditional Japanese tattoo, look no further than Dallas' own Carl Hallowell. For decades, Hallowell, who works under the honorific title "Horisho," has perfected ...

SAPPORO -- Could browsing through tattoo coloring books while serving ... We will continue to ensure appropriate treatment of inmates." (Japanese original by Karen Goto, Hokkaido News Department) ...

As an art student in her 20s, Ms Lea (not her real name) was fascinated by Japanese paintings. Read more at ...