Bøker i Tattooing in Okinawa-serien

This book is a translation of the following four research papers regarding tattooing in Okinawa. The books are a fascinating look at early research into tattooing in the former Ryukyu Kingdom. Many illustrations of tattoos on different islands as well as descriptions of the tattooing process and how the tradition evolved. Comparing Ryukyu and Ainu Tattooing琉球人ノ入墨ト「アイヌ」ノ入墨By Miyajima Mikinosuke宮島幹之助Published 1893 Women's Tattoos in Ryukyu & Amami Islands琉球及大嶋群婦人の黥By Yoshihara Shigeyasu 吉原重康>Tattooing in the Southern Isles南嶋の黥By Iha Fuyu 伊波普猷>Women's Tattoos in the Southern Isles南島婦人の入墨Miyake Muneyoshi三宅 宗悦Published 1940

All women living in Okinawa, formerly the Ryukyu Kingdom had tattoos on their hands until the Meiji Restoration. Once the practice was banned by the Japanese government the tradition began to fade and by the 1930s the youngest women with tattoos were in their 60s or 70s. Tattooing in Okinawa Volume two is a translation of Obara Kazuo's research in Okinawa. He travelled extensively in Okinawa in the early 1930's recording many examples of tattoos. Due to the Second World War he was unable to publish his findings until 1962. Obara was able to find and catalogue a great number of tattoos from the majority of the Okinawan islands in addition to noting songs, legends and many interesting details about the tattooing ceremony.