MURKADO

What was your very first tattoo and what motivated you to get it done? 

• My first tattoo was a huge black and grey pirate ship inside my left forearm. My motivation was two things: I was living in Japan at the time, and away from my parents the first time (I was 20), and I knew from a young age I would be covered in tattoos—so I just had to start somewhere!

How many tattoos do you currently have? Which one was the most recent? 

• I have 52 tattoos. It was session work so many in-between but my most recent tattoo session was my very, very last session for my Japanese traditional irezumi backpiece. It took me around 1.5 years to finish, 11 sessions, around 40+ hours. It was done by Adam (@horitennyo), my go to artist and friend.

What have been some of the inspirations behind the other tattoos that you have? Do you typically have an idea in mind before reaching out to a tattoo artist to get work done? 

• I’m very impulsive with tattoos and I just clearly like pop culture or kawaii images. I usually know exactly what I want and just have the artist be creative in their own way with it. Other times I just go for flash that I like.

What type of tattoo styles have you gotten done and what do you like about those particular styles? 

• I dabble in tons of styles. I have Linework, Neo-traditional, American Traditional, Japanese Traditional, etc. There ARE styles that I won’t dabble in, however (Watercolour or Realism).

• I like bold, bold, bold! Which is why I like any kind of traditional work. I want people to know what it is from far away. I also really like getting American Traditional style with non-typical American Traditional imagery.

Do any of your tattoos hold any personal meaning to you that you’d like to share? 

• Although mostly just fun, silly tattoos, they all mean something to me because they explain exactly what kind of person I am. They are mainly all unserious—like me. I just want to be badass and covered, and I don’t want my tattoos to be serious.

What were some of the most painful spots to get tattooed for you? 

• Lower back/spine. And the BUTTCHEEKS. Uhh—truly the most treacherous feeling I have ever felt in my life.
  

 How do you prefer to pass the time while getting a tattoo done?

• I love all my tattoo artists so much and I like learning about them, and I want them to enjoy their time while they are working. So if the vibe is right, we just chat the whole time.
  But if it’s harrowing session work? Crying and watching Netflix.

Has having tattoos had any impact in your personal life (having to hide tattoos at work, your family disapproving, etc.)?

• Yup to both the examples. I used to work for the Japanese government, so I hid my tattoos (always covered from neck to ankle) for around 4 years at work. And I do know that narrowed a lot of my options if I ever wanted to live/work in Japan again.

• When it comes to my immediate family—my parents do not enjoy my tattoos. But I think they were just worried I’d become too delinquent, or never get a job. So they stopped “worrying” after I graduated university and got a good job.

Do you have any favourite tattoos?

• I basically love all my tattoos, but I do have a very big adoration for my SCUMBOY (artist in Nagoya) grim reaper riding a bike on the back of my calf. It was one of my early tattoos and it’s just so cute and weird. And obviously my backpiece, because it's a result of hard work and determination by me and my artist.

• And my “KAWAII OR DIE” script tattoo, because honestly, it’s true.

Can you describe the meaning behind your Japanese backpiece and provide more context behind your decision to get it?

• I am a Snake in the Zodiac and I really like snakes too. I’ve always wanted a backpiece, so it just seemed like the right imagery for me.

Are there any tattoos that you regret getting or would like to cover up?

• I had one tiny impulse one that I really disliked, but I have already had it covered up with Morgana from Persona 5.