An ongoing series of portraits of beautiful tattooed women, exploring the endless possibilities of Irezumi, the traditional Japanese tattoo.

After first making its appearance during the Edo period, Irezumi, sometimes also referred to as Horimono, has been a predominantly male affair. Where the tradition itself has refrained from setting up any specific barriers due to gender, society has done so instead, creating a large discrepancy when it comes to male versus female wearers of traditional Japanese full-body tattoos. In recent decades, we have thankfully begun to perceive a shift in the gender balance. Designing Irezumi for the female body, no matter what body type, presents challenges not found when tattooing males, and through this ongoing project, Senju is attempting to bring the prestigious tradition of Japanese Tattoos into the future.