How to Get a Tebori Tattoo

Co-authored by Grant Lubbock

Last Updated: October 21, 2021

Tebori is one of several traditional Japanese tattoo styles. In the tebori process, the tattoo artist uses a wooden bamboo stick tipped with needles to deliver the tattoo ink directly under the recipient's skin.^{[1]
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Research source} Tebori tattoo artists reside and work almost exclusively in Japan, so you'll need to get in touch with a Japanese artist for your tattoo. If you don't already reside in Japan, you'll need to travel there to sit for the tattoo. Most tebori tattoo artists can be contacted online.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Finding a Tattoo Artist

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Check Japanese tattoo magazines for tebori recommendations. If you live in Japan and are looking for a tebori artist, try stopping by a modern tattoo shop and reading through a copy of various tattoo magazines. Issues may mention popular tebori parlors. Popular Japanese options include Tattoo Tribal and Tattoo Burst.^{[2]
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- Generally, even if you live or work in Japan, you'll likely need to rely on the internet to locate a tebori tattoo artist. Tattoo magazines may not provide much useful information, and print periodicals are becoming more difficult to find in Japan (as in many other countries).
2
Look for tebori artists on social media. Despite the traditional nature of tebori tattoos, many tebori artists maintain active Facebook pages to display their work. Start your search by looking for search terms including “tebori” or “Japanese tattoo.”^{[3]
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- If you have an Instagram account, you can also look for tebori artists there. Type “tebori” into the search bar at the top of the screen, or check out these tattoo accounts: hortomo_stateofgrace, horiyoshi_3, and horikashi.^{[4]
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- If you find a tebori artist whose work you like on social media, reach out on that venue. Send a private message on Facebook, or leave a comment on an Instagram photo.
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3
Find a visiting tebori artist outside of Japan. Although tebori tattooing takes place almost exclusively in Japan, some Japanese tebori tattoo artists will take brief international trips. These artists periodically visit cities and provide tebori tattoos to people outside of Japan. For example, tebori artist Horishige regularly visits US locations including Hawaii, New York, and San Francisco.
- If you're interested, reach out to other tebori artists online to see if they—or other tattoo masters that they know—are planning any trips to near where you live.
- You could also talk to conventional tattoo artists in your city or region, and see if they know about any tebori artists who occasionally visit.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Preparing for the Tattoo

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Contact the tebori artist. Once you've found one—or several—tebori artists you'd like to work with, get in touch with the artist as soon as possible. Reach out through email, a contact form on the parlor website, or a phone call.^{[5]
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Research source} Tebori artists are often fully booked months in advance, so it's to your benefit to reach out early.
- Walk-ins are generally discouraged, as the artist may be tattooing someone else. If you're traveling from abroad for your tattoo, it would be unwise to rely on a walk-in appointment.
2
Describe what you want in specific terms. Clarify what your timeframe is for receiving the tattoo (e.g., do you have a month or 2 days?). Also explain if you're looking for a full sleeve or torso tattoo or for something smaller, and if you'd like a traditional Japanese design or if you already have a design of your own chosen.^{[6]
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- Tebori artists commonly tattoo full sleeves (entire arm), half sleeves (shoulder to elbow), or tattoos covering a shoulder and upper arm, or an entire back. Artists may also be willing to provide a smaller tattoo. Talk to your tattoo artist to determine a time frame for the size of tattoo you want.
- While all tattoos are a collaboration between artist and recipient, it will help the tebori artist anticipate your tattoo if you can describe what you want in advance.
3
Plan for multiple meetings. Tebori is a slow, painstaking process, and tebori tattoos take much longer to apply than tattoos made using a modern needle gun. Depending on the size of your tattoo, you'll likely need to make repeated visits to the tattoo parlor. Talk with the tattoo artist to determine how many tattoo sessions you'll need to return for, and how long each will take.^{[7]
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- Depending on the size of your tattoo, you may need to spend a couple of weeks in Japan. Tebori tattoos are invasive, and your skin will need to heal for between 10 and 14 days between sittings.
- If you're getting a very large tattoo, you may need to plan multiple separate trips to Japan to visit the tebori artist.
4
Determine the cost of the tattoo. Tebori tattoos are not cheap, both due to the number of sessions required to complete a tattoo and the small number of artists who provide tebori tattoos. In and around Tokyo, a large tattoo will cost between 10,000 and 15,000 yen (roughly $90–130 USD). Tebori tattoos, due to their traditional nature and relative scarcity, will cost more.
- Tebori rates will vary between artists. Once you've found a tebori artist to work with, ask about fees up front.
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Ask the tattoo artist about their ink. In traditional tattoo culture, each tebori artist would mix their own inks from a soot inkstick and water. If you're uncomfortable with the idea of hand-mixed ink being tattooed into you, explain your concern to the tattoo artist. Many tebori artists are also proficient at using a modern style of tattoo ink.^{[8]
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- For many tebori tattoo enthusiasts, however, the fact that tebori tattoo masters mix their own ink is part of the process's appeal.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Sitting for the Tattoo

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Meet with the tattoo artist to determine the tattoo specifics. Tebori tattoos are less customizable than Western tattoos. Unlike modern Western tattoos, you don't simply choose a design and immediately start receiving the tattoo. The tattoo artist will likely want to talk with you about the design of the tattoo, or may have a specific idea regarding what they'd like to tattoo on you.
- Elements are typically drawn from traditional Japanese culture: for example a samurai, a cherry tree, or an intricate pattern.
- That said, it's acceptable to bring an image of the tattoo that you'd like to the artist. They'll be happy to take a look at what you're thinking of, and can discuss ways in which the design or image can be adapted to a traditional tebori style.
2
Sit as still as possible during the tattoo process. Each sitting for a tebori tattoo can take between 2 and 6 hours. The duration will be determined beforehand. It's important that you sit as still as possible during this process. Tebori is a delicate art, and movements on your part could result in a permanent mistake to the tattoo.
- While bathroom breaks are certainly allowed, it's considered rude to interrupt a tebori master while they're applying a tattoo.
3
Anticipate sharp pain while being tattooed. Modern machine tattooing provides a moderately painful grinding sensation. In contrast, recipients of a tebori tattoo can feel every tap and stab of the needles as ink is inserted beneath their skin. The pain of a tebori tattoo is not necessarily worse, but it is a slower process, and each poke and stab can be felt acutely.
- As when receiving any kind of tattoo, it's recommended that you not take any painkillers (ibuprofen, acetaminophen, etc.) or consume alcohol before your tattoo.
- If the pain bothers you, make sure to drink plenty of water before the procedure. Hydration will diminish the amount of pain you feel. Take deep, steady breaths during the procedure, and try to think about something other than the pain.^{[9]
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4
Wrap the tattoo for a few hours after finishing a session. As with any tattoo, a tebori tattoo is essentially a large open wound on your skin. The parlor will give you a bandage or plastic wrap to put over the fresh tattoo. Keep this on the area for 2 to 4 hours, then remove the covering and wash the tattoo with soap and water. Then, allow the tattoo to dry.
- Continue to wash your tattoo twice a day for 7 to 10 days. At this point, you'll be ready to return to the artist for your next sitting.

Expert Q&A

Question

How bad does a Tebori tattoo hurt?

Grant Lubbock
Tattoo Artist
Grant Lubbock is a Tattoo Artist and Co-Owner of Red Baron Ink, a tattoo salon based in New York City. Grant has over 10 years of tattooing experience and he specializes in neo-traditional, black/grey, and color tattoos. Red Baron Ink's main goal is for each tattoo coming out of their studio to be one of a kind custom pieces that will look good throughout a lifetime.

Grant Lubbock

Tattoo Artist

Expert Answer

It's very important to stay still while getting tattooed. If you need to move, like for answering a phone call or eating a snack, ask the artist to take a quick break. They'll be more than happy to let you do so and then get back to work.