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International Journal of Cultural Studies
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Westernization and cultural resistance in tattooing practices in contemporary Japan

Mieko Yamada

Indiana University - Purdue University Fort Wayne, USA, yamadam{at}ipfw.edu

This article examines the popular culture of tattooing in Japan and sheds light on attempts by traditional tattooists to retain a vital presence in the modern-to-postmodern transitional periods. Explaining the values, beliefs and practices associated with tattooing during the pre-modern period, it discusses how these are shaped and modified by modern cultural practices, and how they are being impacted by globalization. While drawing on historical and cross-cultural research on tattooing in Japan, this article incorporates three tattooists' experiences as examples of contemporary practices. By resisting the impact of globalization, traditional tattooists preserve their own practices and pass them on to the next generation.

Key Words: authenticity • cultural resistance • Japan • marginality • popular culture • subculture • tattoo • tattooing • westernization

International Journal of Cultural Studies, Vol. 12, No. 4, 319-338 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1367877909104241
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