Silent
Moon.

Japanese tattoos, known as irezumi, combine bold black outlines, solid colour and flowing backgrounds of wind, water and clouds with traditional imagery: koi, dragons, tigers, snakes, peonies, cherry blossom and hannya masks. Designed to move with the body, it’s one of the most enduring styles in tattooing, and at Silent Moon it’s worked by artists trained in its composition and symbolism, in our private Bermondsey studio, South East London.

Every Japanese tattoo is custom. We never work from flash. Your artist builds the design around your body’s shape, so the main subject, background and flow fit your arm, back or leg as one piece rather than a sticker placed on top.

Traditional and neo-Japanese. Traditional Japanese follows the classic rules of imagery, colour and background. Neo-Japanese keeps the same subjects and flow but adds more detail, shading and a modern colour palette. Your artist will talk you through which suits your idea.

Japanese sleeves and large pieces are where the style shines: half sleeves, full sleeves, back pieces and body suits. Each motif carries its own meaning, so it’s worth talking through what you’d like your piece to say before the design is drawn.

Japanese cover-ups are a real strength of ours. Bold outlines, dense colour and dark wind-bar backgrounds can absorb an old tattoo completely into a new design. Bring a clear, well-lit photo of your existing tattoo and we’ll tell you honestly what’s achievable.

What to expect. Smaller pieces can be finished in one session; sleeves and back pieces are built over several, usually outline first, then shading and colour. Your artist maps out sizing, placement and a guide price at your free consultation.