SEZUKI: Japan's Sassy Skin Artist

SEZUKI: The True Tokyo Rose

BY: ERIKA STANLEY

Sezuki has been tattooing for three years and has a private studio located in Tokyo, Japan. She's blossoming with the new acceptance of tattooing in a culture rich with tattoo history. She tattoos many of the alternative youth who have found themselves heavily influenced by American "hard core" culture. In a country where conformity is a virtue and individuality may as well be punished by law, modern tattooing is giving the Japanese youth a way to rebel against the oppression of closed-mindedness. Sezuki is a true artist, able to help her canvases fully express their inner natures. "Whatever the customer likes, I’ll do it. It doesn't matter to me what style of tattoo they want. I don't mind doing it their way, because I feel if the customer's not happy with their tattoo, I'm not happy."

As somewhat of a prodigy, she was sent to a private art school at the age of five. She continued her education in classical art until tattooing grabbed her by the hand five years ago. Her bold line work and solid colors will tell the story themselves. Her tattooing is colorful and elegant, with a dynamic and powerful sense of personal freedom. "I draw from my imagination, without trying to make the tattoos look like a certain style. Whatever is in my head, just comes out. I guess if I had to describe my favorite tattoos, I would call them 'new school' style, with lots of colors like anime or manga animation, that's what I like to do most." Not only is her work colorful and animated, her personality is as well. Hanging out in Tokyo with her, takes on a new perspective. Her fun loving attitude and energetic sense of humor made me feel like I was in an urban Japanimation video! She insisted on spending a couple of nights a week partying at the local karaoke club. We’d fill up on cheap food and drinks and howl our guts out to the Sex Pistol’s Anarchy in the U.K. and The Knack’s My Sharona. She surprised me with vocal talents matching Madonna’s and Cindi Lauper’s. It’s hard to believe, that a woman who sends me faxes with drawings of me with a Godzilla body, devouring downtown Tokyo, who collects Pez dispensers and anything with a happy face on it, can be so serious when it comes to her art.

She is attentive to her customers, dedicating a lot of time to them. "I like to meet my clients first, to talk about tattooing and the design they want. It seems like many young Japanese people only think about getting a tattoo, not about the design that they want. Maybe because they are being influenced by western alternative culture and music, through traveling and the media. I don't want them to feel regrets later on, so only after I know that they are sure of their design ideas, I'll tattoo them."

"Tattooing is becoming more accepted in Japan now, but it's not as open as in the States. Although older Japanese people tend to look down on the inked, they don't realize that Japan has a long history of tattoos. It was very popular during the Edo period. Quite a lot of people were tattooed then. When the Meiji period began (over 150 years ago), Japan opened its doors to foreigners and the government banned tattooing. That's when it grew in popularity with outlaws. Most people don't know that it was once a popular and accepted art form, but because I like tattoos, I studied and understand Japan's history of tattooing. I think it's good, when people have a strong spirit and are willing to go against what's expected of them in order to express themselves and be happy"

She should know! She has a different hairstyle every time I meet her and she loves to show off the bright, beautiful tattoos she wears. When I approached her to do a photo shoot with a “cyber” outfit made out of vent insulation and Japanese shoes made out of axe heads, she jumped at the opportunity. On her last trip to the States, she took the train from L.A. to El Paso and tattooed at Renegade Tattoo, where they dragged her south of the border and showed her a wild time in Mexico. Then she went to New Orleans to spend a couple of nights in the Big Easy with Whirlwind Walt and the crew of Electric Expressions. Surviving that is like getting a dent in your armor. Then she went on to the Big Apple to work with Sean Vasquez at Triple X Tattoo. She always has a free spirit, even when she’s in the conservative world of Japan.

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