Tiger Tattoo Shirt by Horitomo
Kazuaki Kitamura (a.k.a.”Horitomo”) has been at the forefront of a new breed of pioneering Japanese tattooists for more than a decade. As an elementary school student, his interest was peaked by people with traditional style bodysuits that he recalled seeing in his neighborhood on a daily basis. However, single needle Western style tattoos were the popular choice among his surfing buddies. Then, in 1992, he took the plunge. His first tattoo, by Sabado of Eccentric Tattoo in Nagoya, set the wheels in motion. Their relationship grew and he became his apprentice. Along with a solid foundation of the fundamentals of tattooing, Sabado gave Kazuaki Kitamura the nickname “Washo”. More than three years had passed and Washo needed to scratch an itch: he had to experience the global tattoo community firsthand. The convention trail led him to San Francisco and a guest spot for a few months at Everlasting, where he rubbed elbows with Aaron Cain, Mike Davis, Patrick Conlon and Troy Denning. Then it was back across the pond to Tokyo’s buzzing Harajuku district. The newly opened shop Scratch Addiction, where he worked with Yushi, was a hot spot for the young ones who had to have the latest style of one point tattoos. Two years and escalating rents forced another move, this time to Osaka. Washo, along with Sakamoto-san and Kawajiri-san, began Three Tides Tattoo. Their high quality standards gained them a solid reputation and attracted more than just a local clientele.
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