Martha Cooper: Tokyo Tattoo 1970

Tokyo Tattoo 1970 by renowned photographer Martha Cooper is a book about the traditional art of tattooing and a rare portrait of a master artist. It provides a unique glimpse into the world of traditional Japanese tattooing in Tokyo in 1970, and it’s a collection of photographs capturing the Japanese art of Irezumi (often associated with the Yakuza, but also widely recognized for its cultural significance and artistry).

Martha Cooper came to Tokyo in 1969. She soon became interested in the local art of tattooing and began documenting the work of traditional Japanese tattooist Horibun I who worked with traditional Japanese methods, tattoos made by hand, with different sized bundles of needles bound to sticks which he dipped into coloured inks. His motifs were derived from traditional Japanese legends.

Tokyo Tattoo 1970 tells the story of a Japanese tattoo master and his work. It shows him at work, with his customers, their tattoos, and it follows Horibun I on a pilgrimage to a holy Shinto shrine. Martha Cooper’s sharp pictures show the process of the tattooist’s work as well as finished motifs and results in a unique and astounding story of the traditional Japanese tattooing technique.

Foreword by Aiko Ishikawa

Title: Tokyo Tattoo 1970
Publisher: Dokument Press, 2025
Photographer: Martha Cooper
Format: Paperback
Size: 17 x 28 cm, 72 Pages
ISBN: 9789189944046