A Combination Of Two Books On Japanese Tattooed Women, Irezumi, Yakuzas.

A collection of two photo books on the theme of tattooed Japanese women, comprising: *Skin of Dreams*, 1962, published by Ippei Takahashi in Tokyo, photographs by Shinobu Isshiki and Kai Oizumi, purple cloth cover and slipcase, out of print, very good condition; and *Collection of Photographs of Beautiful Tattooed Women*, 1988, first edition, published by Keibunsha in Tokyo, out of print, tear under the spine. Notes: Tattooing in Japan takes on a very particular dimension with the IREZUMI, long associated with the yakuza. Women connected to this milieu—partners or full members—often wear extensive tattoos, rich in highly codified traditional symbols. For them, tattooing, beyond being an ornament, becomes a sign of loyalty and belonging, forever inscribed on the flesh, somewhere between silent pride and social marginalization.