Documentary backdrop image for The Japanese Tattoo Artist Fighting To Save His Profession (2018)

201825 minPG-13documentary

The Japanese Tattoo Artist Fighting To Save His Profession

201825 minPG-13documentary

Taiki Masuda, a tattoo artist in Japan, fights a legal battle against government crackdowns to protect his profession and the cultural significance of tattooing.

Genres

Channel: Journeyman Pictures

The Japanese Tattoo Artist Fighting To Save His Profession

2018• 25 minPG-13

Synopsis

Taiki Masuda, a tattoo artist in Japan, fights a legal battle against government crackdowns to protect his profession and the cultural significance of tattooing.

Synopsis

Taiki Masuda, a tattoo artist in Osaka, faced a significant threat to his profession in 2015 when police raided his studio, confiscating equipment and charging him with operating without a medical license. Rather than accept the charges, Masuda chose to challenge the legal system, advocating for the rights of tattoo artists in Japan. His battle against government opposition and public stigma has transformed into a broader movement aimed at preserving the art of tattooing, highlighting the cultural significance and personal expression it represents.

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

Tattoo Culture, from Gangsters to Global Phenomenon (2023)

Tattoo Culture, from Gangsters to Global Phenomenon

In France, there are 4,000 professional tattoo artists who claim full artist status, reflecting the booming popularity of tattoo culture.

Tattoo Culture, from Gangsters to Global Phenomenon

Even More In Your Face: Confronting Tattoo Prejudice (Face Tattoo Documentary) (2019)

Even More In Your Face: Confronting Tattoo Prejudice (Face Tattoo Documentary)

Facial tattoos significantly impact social interactions, as three enthusiasts explore the differences in treatment when their ink is concealed or simulated.

Even More In Your Face: Confronting Tattoo Prejudice (Face Tattoo Documentary)

In Your Face: Confronting Tattoo Prejudice (2018)

In Your Face: Confronting Tattoo Prejudice

Face and neck tattoos significantly influence public perception, as shown by a social experiment where three tattooed individuals experience contrasting treatment with and without their ink.

In Your Face: Confronting Tattoo Prejudice

Māori Tattoos Beyond Ink: The Roots and Deep Meaning of Moko (2026)

Māori Tattoos Beyond Ink: The Roots and Deep Meaning of Moko

Moko, the sacred Māori tattooing tradition, symbolizes cultural survival and identity, experiencing a revival that challenges appropriation and celebrates ancestral heritage.

Māori Tattoos Beyond Ink: The Roots and Deep Meaning of Moko

The Legal Revolution that's Sweeping Through Japan (2016)

The Legal Revolution that's Sweeping Through Japan

Japan's legal system faces radical reform as calls for a more balanced approach challenge the traditional authority of judges and seek to empower citizens.

The Legal Revolution that's Sweeping Through Japan

The Tattoo Removal Saga (2023)

The Tattoo Removal Saga

Twenty-five racist tattoos are removed from Bryon Widner's face, neck, and hands over a year and a half in a painful quest for redemption.

The Tattoo Removal Saga

Kabuki, the Path of the Flowers (歌舞伎) (2020)

Kabuki, the Path of the Flowers (歌舞伎)

Kazutaro Nakamura, a seventeen-year-old actor, strives to preserve the centuries-old art of Kabuki as he makes his debut at Tokyo's Kabuki-Za Theatre.

Kabuki, the Path of the Flowers (歌舞伎)

The Japanese Artist Who Sends His Work to Space (2020)

The Japanese Artist Who Sends His Work to Space

Azuma Makoto, a Japanese artist, creates plant sculptures that connect humanity and nature.

The Japanese Artist Who Sends His Work to Space

The Homemade Guns of Taiwan (2021)

The Homemade Guns of Taiwan

Indigenous hunters in Taiwan must craft their own guns, facing legal challenges and safety issues.

The Homemade Guns of Taiwan

Breast Tattoos For Cancer Survivors In Lebanon (2023)

Breast Tattoos For Cancer Survivors In Lebanon

Joa Antoun offers free tattoos to breast cancer survivors in Lebanon's economic crisis.

Breast Tattoos For Cancer Survivors In Lebanon

Explore The Japanese Tattoo Artist Fighting To Save His Profession

Browse more like this

Māori Tattoos Beyond Ink: The Roots and Deep Meaning of Moko (2026)

Māori Tattoos Beyond Ink: The Roots and Deep Meaning of Moko

Moko, the sacred Māori tattooing tradition, symbolizes cultural survival and identity, experiencing a revival that challenges appropriation and celebrates ancestral heritage.

Māori Tattoos Beyond Ink: The Roots and Deep Meaning of Moko

No digital watch option in your country

Tattoo Nation (2013)

Tattoo Nation

2013•1h26m•★6.1TMDB

Three influential tattoo artists in Los Angeles during the 1980s changed the perception of tattoos from a marginalized practice to a recognized form of self-expression.

Tattoo Age (2018)

Tattoo Age

2018•30m•★3.2TMDB

Modern tattooing is explored through the experiences and artistry of renowned tattoo artists like Scott Campbell and Dr. Woo, highlighting their unique styles and influences.

Tatau (2019)

Tatau

2019•36m•★10.0TMDB

Six tattoo artists from New Zealand and French Polynesia discuss the cultural significance of their craft in a 36-minute film.

The three musketeers tattoo (2019)

The three musketeers tattoo

2019•26m•★9.5TMDB

Three tattoo artists use makeshift tools, including sewing needles and electric razors, to revive Polynesian tattooing on the streets.

The three musketeers tattoo

The Way of the Ink (2011)

The Way of the Ink

2011•1h10m•★7.0TMDB

Pascal makes multiple trips to Tokyo to complete his irezumi tattoo, guided by master artist Horitoshi Sensei.

The Way of the Ink

Masaaki Hatsumi: Living Ninja Legend (2016)

Masaaki Hatsumi: Living Ninja Legend

2016•49m•★8.0TMDB

Over 100,000 students, including FBI agents and military personnel, have trained under 84-year-old Masaaki Hatsumi, a master of the Togakure school.

Masaaki Hatsumi: Living Ninja Legend

Patu tattoo culture (2016)

Patu tattoo culture

2016•26m•★9.0TMDB

Patu joined a tattoo shop in 2004, later studying at the Tahiti Art Craft Center under sculpture teacher Philippe Aukara to learn about Polynesian culture.

Patu tattoo culture

The Chef & The Daruma (2024)

The Chef & The Daruma

2024•1h30m•★10.0TMDB

A chef confronts the challenges of appealing to a Western audience while drawing inspiration from the mythical monk Daruma in this 90-minute documentary.

The Chef & The Daruma

The Tattooist (2017)

The Tattooist

2017•46m•★6.0TMDB

Forty-six minutes of interviews with master tattoo artists and enthusiasts reveal the deep meanings and artistry behind body ink in the United States.

Japan, a Tea Master's Quest (2023)

Japan, a Tea Master's Quest

2023•51m•★8.0TMDB

A 36-year-old tea master travels across Japan in a tea truck, introducing urban residents to the calming effects of traditional tea-making techniques.

Japan, a Tea Master's Quest

Is this your film?

If you made this film or hold the rights to it, we'd like to talk. We can license it and pay you a share of what it earns.

License it with us →