Irezumi vs Tattoo: Meaning, Tebori, Pain and Cost Explained

In Japanese, irezumi (入れ墨) is the everyday word for a tattoo, so the two words mean the same thing. The differences people notice are about style, method and how Japan treats tattoos. This guide covers the related words horimono, wabori and tebori, hand-carving vs machine work, pain and cost, and onsen rules, with sources.

Irezumi vs Tattoo at a Glance

The two words mean the same thing. The table shows what each word tends to suggest in Japan.

Point	Tattoo	Irezumi / horimono
Origin of the word	English, from Tahitian tatau	Japanese: "put in ink"
Meaning	Ink placed in the skin	The same
Typical method	Electric machine	Tebori, machine or both
Typical motifs	Western, small one-points	Dragons, koi, peonies
Typical size	Small pieces	Back, sleeves, bodysuit
Time	Short for small work	Tebori takes longer
Cost	Lower for small work	Hourly rates add up
Pain	Depends on placement	Hand-poked isn't always worse
Onsen rules	Often refused	Same rules

These are tendencies, not definitions. Western designs can be hand-poked too (see stick and poke), and many Japanese-style pieces are done by machine. The sections below explain each row with sources.

What Does Irezumi Mean?

入れ墨: "putting in ink"

Irezumi is written 入れ墨: 入れ (ire, "to put in") and 墨 (sumi, "ink", which becomes zumi in the compound). The Daijisen dictionary defines it as cutting the skin with a needle, bone or small blade and putting in ink to draw letters or pictures. (Source: Kotobank, "入れ墨" (Japanese))

Japanese dictionaries list several words for the same thing: 刺青 (read irezumi or shisei), 文身 (bunshin) and 彫物 (horimono). (Source: Kotobank, "いれずみ" (Japanese)) The best-known use of the reading shisei is the title of Tanizaki Jun'ichirō's 1910 short story 刺青. (Source: Kotobank, "刺青" (Japanese))

Horimono, wabori and tebori

• Horimono (彫物): "carved thing". In the Edo period (1603–1868), decorative tattoos were called horimono, while irezumi meant a tattoo given as a criminal punishment. The "hori" in horimono and horishi (tattoo artist) means "to carve". (Source: VICE, Nov 2020)
• Wabori (和彫り): "Japanese carving". The word was coined to tell traditional Japanese tattoos apart from Western-style ones. (Source: VICE, Nov 2020)
• Tebori (手彫り): literally "hand-carved". It names the method, not the style. (Source: CNN, Jan 2019)

Many people, in Japan and abroad, use "irezumi" to mean Japanese-style tattoos specifically. (Source: VICE, Nov 2020) In everyday Japanese, though, it is the plain word for any tattoo.

Where the word "tattoo" comes from

The English word tattoo comes from tatau, the name of the practice in Tahiti. Captain Cook introduced it to Western society in the late 18th century. (Source: Kotobank, Heibonsha World Encyclopedia "入墨" (Japanese)) Pacific island patterns are still popular today as Samoan and Polynesian designs.

Irezumi vs Horimono: A Short History

In the Edo period, the two words meant different things. Irezumi was a punishment: from 1720, criminals could be tattooed on the arm or forehead. Decorative tattoos were horimono. (Source: nippon.com, “Irezumi”: The Japanese Tattoo Unveiled (Jan 2017); Kotobank (Japanese))

Horimono boomed in the early 19th century, after ukiyo-e artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi printed the heroes of the Chinese novel Suikoden (Water Margin) covered in full-body tattoos. Firefighters often chose dragons, which were believed to bring rain. (Source: nippon.com, 日本の入れ墨、その歴史 (Japanese edition))

Year	What happened
1720	Penal tattooing begins
Early 1800s	Kuniyoshi's prints spark a craze
1872	Meiji government bans tattooing
1948	Ban fully lifted
2020	Supreme Court: not medical practice

The Meiji government banned both giving and receiving decorative tattoos in 1872, worried about how the practice looked to Western visitors. The ban was completely lifted in 1948, under the US occupation. (Source: nippon.com, “Irezumi”: The Japanese Tattoo Unveiled (Jan 2017))

In 2001, a health ministry notice listed "putting pigment such as ink into the surface of the skin with a needle tip" among acts that break the Medical Practitioners' Act when done as a business without a medical license. (Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare notice, Nov 2001 (Japanese)) That left tattoo artists in a legal gray area. (Source: CNN, Jan 2019) In 2020, Japan's Supreme Court ruled that tattooing by an artist without a medical license is not medical practice under the Medical Practitioners' Act. (Source: Courts in Japan, case 2018 (A) No. 1790 (Japanese))

Tebori vs Machine: How Irezumi Is Done

Tebori and irezumi are not alternatives. Tebori is a way of tattooing, and irezumi is the tattoo itself, so a Japanese-style piece can be made by hand, by machine or both.

Tebori (hand-carved)

Tebori artists use a rod tipped with needles to push ink under the top layers of skin by hand. A machine has a depth setting, while a tebori master relies on feel alone. Some artists use disposable needle tips for hygiene. (Source: CNN, Jan 2019)

Artists make their own tools, fixing needles to a bamboo handle in arrangements they keep secret. One tebori artist told VICE that machine needles go in at about 90 degrees, while tebori needles enter at a steep slant, which changes how the color looks. (Source: VICE, Nov 2020)

Machine tattooing

The electric tattoo machine was invented in the United States in the late 19th century. (Source: Kotobank, Heibonsha World Encyclopedia (Japanese)) Its needles move straight up and down at a set depth.

Many artists use both

Ryugen, a tebori artist in Tokyo interviewed by CNN, usually draws the outlines with a machine. He also said most Japanese clients care more about the design and the artist's skill than about whether it is done by hand or by machine. (Source: CNN, Jan 2019)

If you want tebori, ask the artist directly whether they offer it. You can search tattoo studios across Japan by area.

Japanese Motifs vs Western-Style Designs

Typical irezumi motifs

Traditional Japanese work commonly uses motifs such as dragons, koi, tigers, phoenixes, peonies, cherry blossoms and hannya masks. Ryugen, the tebori artist CNN interviewed, specializes in traditional imagery inspired by nature, religious iconography and ukiyo-e prints. (Source: CNN, Jan 2019) Kuniyoshi's Suikoden heroes are still popular horimono motifs today. (Source: VICE, Nov 2020)

Another key difference is composition. A Western tattoo often starts as a small piece without a background. A horimono is one unified design that can cover the back and shoulders and continue to the chest, arms, buttocks and legs. (Source: VICE, Nov 2020)

Typical Western-style tattoos

Small one-points, lettering, flowers and fine-line work are the norm. Mieko Yamada, a sociologist who studies Japanese body art, told CNN that students and office workers in Japan tend to prefer contemporary Western styles at a smaller scale. (Source: CNN, Jan 2019)

For more styles, see our guide to tattoo types. For what each motif stands for, see tattoo meanings.

Pain, Time and Cost

Does a Japanese hand-poked tattoo hurt more?

Not necessarily. Ryugen told CNN that tebori is "way less painful" than a machine, and one of his clients agreed. (Source: CNN, Jan 2019)

Pain still varies from person to person and depends heavily on placement. See our tattoo pain chart by body part.

How long does irezumi take?

Tebori takes longer than machine work. (Source: CNN, Jan 2019) A full horimono needs dozens of sessions over many months. (Source: VICE, Nov 2020)

How much does irezumi cost?

For artists who charge by the hour, slower tebori work usually costs more. (Source: CNN, Jan 2019) Always ask for a quote first. For typical price ranges by size and placement, see tattoo prices in Japan.

Tattoos in Japan Today: Stigma and Onsen Rules

The Japan Tourism Agency explains that "in the minds of many Japanese, tattoos are associated with organized crime groups", which is why people with tattoos have been banned from most public bathing facilities. Whether you call it a tattoo or irezumi makes no difference to these rules. (Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Ryokan Q&A)

In a 2015 agency survey, about 56% of the 581 hotels and ryokan that replied did not let guests with tattoos use their baths. About 31% allowed them, and 13% allowed them on conditions such as covering up. (Source: Travel Voice, Oct 2015 (Japanese))

The agency adds that understanding of tattoo cultures outside Japan has grown, and some ryokan now have no restrictions or decide case by case (one or two small tattoos may be fine). Many also offer private baths that tattooed guests can use. (Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Ryokan Q&A)

In 2016, the agency published examples for foreign visitors with tattoos, such as asking them to cover tattoos with stickers, and not asking anything when a tattoo is about palm-sized and not intimidating. (Source: House of Representatives, Question No. 298, May 2016 (Japanese)) These examples are only for foreign visitors: the government said it does not ask for the same handling for Japanese people with tattoos, and that even for foreign visitors the final decision rests with each facility. (Source: Cabinet answer to Question No. 298, Jun 2016 (Japanese))

Tattoos are still uncommon in Japan. In a 2014 survey of 1,000 people in their 20s to 60s, 16 had tattoos. (Source: nippon.com, “Irezumi”: The Japanese Tattoo Unveiled (Jan 2017))

A small tattoo can often be covered with a sticker, but a back piece cannot. If yours is large, the simplest option is a tattoo-friendly facility.

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FAQ

Is irezumi the same as a tattoo?

Yes. Irezumi is simply the Japanese word for a tattoo. In English, people often use it to mean the traditional Japanese style.

What is the difference between tebori and irezumi?

Tebori is the hand-carving technique, and irezumi is the tattoo. An irezumi can be done with tebori, with a machine or with both.

What is the difference between horimono and irezumi?

In the Edo period, horimono meant a decorative tattoo, and irezumi meant a tattoo given as punishment. Today, horimono usually refers to large traditional Japanese work, while irezumi is the general word.

Is it illegal to get a tattoo in Japan?

Getting a tattoo is not illegal. Tattooing was banned from 1872 to 1948, and in 2020 the Supreme Court ruled that tattooing by an artist without a medical license is not medical practice.

Can I go to an onsen in Japan with a tattoo?

It depends on the facility. Many still refuse tattooed guests, while some allow small or covered tattoos or offer private baths. Check each facility's rules before you go.

The Bottom Line

Irezumi and tattoo mean the same thing. The real differences are in style and method: Japanese motifs and full-body composition, the option of hand-carving, longer sessions and higher total cost.

If traditional Japanese work appeals to you, start by browsing designs, then talk to an artist who specializes in the style.

This article is based on publicly available information as of October 2026.