Vanishing Tattoo -- Trip Updates
A Tribal Diary -- Japan

Vince Hemingson and Thomas Lockhart report back on their travel progress, in this series of email postings from the field. Follow along with the adventure (and near misadventure!) as they begin their search for the roots of tribal tattooing. Heading from the jungles of Borneo, to the temples of Thailand and then... what will they find next?

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Update 1

YOKOHAMA Date: Tue, 07 Nov 2000 20:30:46 -- Vince Hemingson 

His old study is lined floor to ceiling with books, art, artifacts (lots of skulls and demons) and presents given to him by the hundreds of tattoo artists and enthusiasts who have traveled from around the world to pay homage.

He just finished collaborating on a book entitled BUSHIDO which is very close to a biography. The book is published by Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA, USA, 19310-9717. The book is amazing.

Horiyoshi III's wife runs his museum!!! His son is now sixteen and Hory is teaching him the techniques of hand-tattooing, or hand poking on a 'rubber' arm. You have to see this contraption he's dreamed up. His son, who is one day expected to be Horiyoshi IV will start tattooing when he is 18. But it's clear his apprenticeship has already started.

Horiyoshi will start giving his son his own body suit when the boy turns 18. I think this is very powerful stuff. Interestingly, Horiyoshi will NOT tattoo anyone who is not at least 20 and he prefers older more mature clients. His tattoos and the process is very serious stuff... but he has a great sense of humor, quick to laugh.

Thomas asked Horiyoshi very respectfully if he would like to be involved in The Vanishing Tattoo and he was very enthusiastic. He sees ALL tattoo artists all around the world as being part of a cultural tradition, almost like a brotherhood of sorts. He thought that there had never been a film made like what we were proposing to do with The Vanishing Tattoo and he felt it was important. He feels that the West ignores the roots of the history and traditions of tattooing at the peril of the art form. At the same time he feels it is important for tattooing to always evolve. Very interesting dichotomy and of course a natural source of tension. WE are going to the Museum later today. The pictures he showed us were amazing. Horiyoshi's artwork - I was amazed at the quality of his brushwork and calligraphy - an amazing opportunity to portray an acclaimed tattooist an exceptional artist. Horiyoshi III could easily do a Gallery show. You look at his images and think you've stepped back in time in Japan. You could easily do a film just on Horiyoshi III.

Have to run Folks. So far, so great. Love and hugs to all, Vince

This is the address:
IMAI BIL 1F 1-11-7 HIRANUMA, NISHI-KU YOKOHAMA JAPAN, TEL - FAX 045 - 323 - 1073. Horiyoshi's wife Mayumi is the Museum Manager but you might very well meet his son, Kazuyoshi as well.

The Museum is only 90 minutes from Tokyo and is worth every minute of the trek. There is an astonishing collection of machines and tattooing paraphernalia from around the world. Thomas was amazed at what was represented from the United States, perhaps due in no small part to the many artifacts donated by some of the most well-known names in tattooing circles. They really must be applauded for their contributions to what must be one of the most important Tattoo Museum Collections in the world.

Equally impressive as the displays, was the vast collection of research materials and the large number of volumes dealing with tattooing from around the world.

Kazuyoshi was very helpful and guided Thomas and I around. It was an intriguing thought to think we were spending time with the future Horiyoshi IV.

The Museum was the definite high-light of the day. It was all down hill from there. We had anticipated getting a great deal on a new state of the art Sony VXS 2000 digital camera from a friend in Tokyo. Unfortunately, that fell through due to circumstances beyond our control. At 3:00pm we decided we had to act. As we were leaving for Borneo in the morning we had to find a camera.

We found a great young Japanese guy at Tourist Information who had gone to school in the States. He gave us the addresses of a few camera shops and we were off. Have you ever tried comparison shopping in a foreign language? An experience not to be missed.

Finally, at BIC Camera we met Taigo. Another savior, and beautiful to boot. An engineering student who enjoys skiing at Whistler, a ski resort only two hours north of Vancouver.

Four hours later we had a camera... Not exactly what we wanted, ie half the camera at twice the price we had budgeted for... Yikes. Oh, and I saved the best part for last. All the directions and the manual are in Japanese. Thomas should be kicking my butt all the way to Borneo...

And, alas, we never made our scheduled trip into Tokyo. But everyone we encountered went out of their way to be helpful. We can hardly wait to come back.