HORIMAKI

彫まき
Japanese Traditional
$250 / hour

Hi, I’m Hori-Maki.

A small sticker on a studio door changed my life. The sticker was faded, barely legible on the studio door—'Fukuoka First Generation Hori Gen'—but it stopped me cold. One moment I was airbrushing waves onto surfboards in Australia; a week later, I stood outside my future master’s door in Fukuoka, Japan.

For five years, I trained through a traditional Japanese apprenticeship: Buddhist symbolism, hand techniques, disciplined composition, and the patience that turns craft into sacred art. That decision began an eighteen-year journey few complete outside of Japan.

After my apprenticeship, I carried a single suitcase—half filled with clothes, half with tools—through fourteen countries over four years. It wasn’t wandering; it was education. From London street markets to studios across continents, I learned that while techniques vary, the spiritual connection between artist, client, and sacred marking is universal.

My expertise lies in traditional Japanese tattoos and Buddhist art. I specialize in creating harmonious designs that blend the client's individuality with tattoo styles, carefully placed to complement the body's natural lines. This is all done within a space that embodies the essence of Zen and Japanese roots.

Within each of us lies an innate connection to Zen philosophy and Japanese aesthetics—a resonance that explains why these traditions evoke such profound beauty and unexpected familiarity. Though each person's response to these elements manifests uniquely, I find a particular loveliness in every individual interpretation.

I hope that someday, our paths may cross. Thank you for taking the time to read this introduction.

⁃ H O R I M A K I