From as early as 1830 in Edo, Japan there are written records of formal gatherings of tattoo enthusiasts. Today, tattoo 'conventions' are common both in the West and Japan, but the fact that they were taking place over 160 years ago is indicative of the long and rich history of Horimono (http://horimono.net). Notorious for its link to the dark underbelly of the Japanese Criminal world, Horimono was a word and practice met with fear by many. Today, the practice is emerging in Japan amongst youth reclaiming and aiming to eliminate the stigma cast upon this misunderstood art form. In the West, there has been a flux in interest in this art form with celebrities like Angelina Jolie having tattoos done with the traditional tools of Horimono (although hers were done in Thailand). Horimono is a good case to study in gaining a better understanding of all tattoo art. As this art form is better understood and less associated with deviant subcultures (much like the tattoo art of the West) it becomes more socially 'acceptable'. For more on youth and artists in Japan aiming to de-stigmatize this practice see "The Japanese Tattoo (horimono)" on You Tube.
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