Japanese Buddhism x Horiyoshi III - new book from Gomineko Press.

This is the first book of it's kind on an esoteric and difficult to approach subject matter. It includes Over 300 pages of beautiful photography illuminating Japanese Buddhist iconography from the top four Buddhist expanses in Japan, with clear explanations in English and supported with tattoo reference provided by Horiyoshi III. Out this summer....

Divertimento For a Martyr by Takato Yamamoto - Beautifully Grim Imagery

This book is creepy. Really unsettling. Takato Yamamoto has made quite a name for himself here with his perverse and graphic imagery. His pieces often feature young rather androgynous Japanese and are riddled with blood and sinew, flowers and beautiful moons and delicate costumes. He often juxtaposes delicate beauty with grim gristly environments. His pieces are busy and the eye is forced to seek out what exactly is unsettling about each illustration...knowing full well it might not want to really know. Haunting.

Size: 7.5" x 10"- Pages: 80 - Published: 2006 - Price: $60 - Hardcover in slipcase

Click here to order: Divertimento For a Martyr by Takato Yamamoto

New Gomineko Call for Art Submissions for Tokyo Show - Tsuchigumo

Sorry for the delay guys...here you go! Have fun with this one!


Tsuchigumo, the earth spider, appears in several Japanese legends and she is fantastic. She was one of the main adversaries of Minamoto no Yorimitsu, or Raiko as he is often called. Minamoto no Yorimitsu and his four chief retainers were commissioned to rid the captal of an ever growing population of robbers and bandits. Through a series of exploites he was eventually credited with ridding Kyoto of its yokai (monster) denizens as well. There are two famous stories involving Raiko and the Tsuchigumo. In the first story, which is also a well known Noh play, he is a retainer at the palace in Kyoto and is in bed in his chambers, very ill. Delirious he was plagued night after night by dreams of being attacked by demons. His retainers stood by his bedside to keep watch but they eventually fell asleep and Raiko envisioned himself being bound with silken robes. Crazed he struck out with his short sword and the vision evaporated and a creature fled the room leaving a trail of blood. Raiko and his retainers followed the blood to a large mound of earth where they were met by Tsuchigumo, a giant earth spider. Raiko attacks and kills Tsuchigumo and his sword was given the name Kumokirimaru - spider killer.

In another story Raiko and his men are found following a fiery skull, floating in the air above them. Bound by the emperor to rid Kyoto of evil spirits, they raced after the skull chasing it outside the city to a hill where they were met by an army of gruesome yokai. Apparently the yokai did not take kindly to Raiko's quest. The army was led by an enchantingly beautiful woman and while his retainers began to position themselves against the monsters, Raiko sat motionless, staring at her, dumbstruck. He became aware of soft cobwebs enveloping him and with effort, struck out with his sword. With that thrust the phantom woman dissolved into Tsuchigumo, the giant earth spider, and her legions of yokai immediately vanished. Raiko attacks Tsuchigumo, slicing open her belly in the battle. As she died thousands of skulls poured from her belly, a lifetime of human victims, as well as thousands of vicious baby spiders, all the size of small dogs, which Raiko and his retainers in turn set upon and defeated. Grim.


Submissions may be any size/medium and must be received by September 10th. Please send them to:

Crystal Morey
Gomineko Books
IS Heights #1101
3-32-42 Higashi - Shinagawa
Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
140-0002
Japan

Please include your name, address, email and permission for Gomineko Press to print the illustration in future publications. Please let me know as well if you would like your artwork returned. I will return submissions after the book goes to print.

Here are some Tsuchigumo images for reference....


Kuniyoshi


Yoshitoshi


Kuniyoshi

Bakemono Ukiyo-e Catalog - Excellent Monster Survey Book

This is a rad collection of bakemono ukiyo-e. It is actually a catalog from a famous store downtown that specializes in monster, ghost and bloody woodblock prints. It's unique in that in includes the vivid full color prints as well as a lot of the monochrome prints that work really well for tattoo imagery. Full of an assortment of monsters, goblins, oni, samurai, ghosts and ghouls. It's got everything!

Size: 18cm x 25cm - Pages: 112 - Published: 2010 - Price: $38 - Softcover


Click here to order: Bakemono Ukiyo-e Catalog

Kappas....(a little of the text from the upcoming book)

Kappas are definitely one of the oddest Japanese mythological creatures. They are depicted simultaneously as both sinister and unerringly cute. They are typically the size of a large child and appear to be a cross between a chimpanzee and a turtle. Their bodies usually resemble a monkey or upright frog with a turtle like head (often with a beak). They have turtle shells and webbed hands and feet and usually appear green, yellow or blueish in color. (Some say they can change color like a chameleon.) They all have a bowl-like depression on the top of their heads filled with water and surrounded by scraggy hair. The water provides the Kappa life-source on land and if it is spilled the Kappa must return to the river or he will die. Kappas love to eat cucumbers (cucumber sushi rolls - Kappa-maki are named after them) and small children. They are honorable creatures and if bowed to they will always return a bow. Japanese parents tell their children to bow low to a kappa if they see one, because the kappa will always return the bow, causing the water to spill from it's head rendering it powerless. Kappas are considered great practical jokers, the often pass loud gas and peer up women's robes. Their mischief however tends to be a lot less innocent. They are voracious eaters and while cucumbers and children are their favorite delicacy, they will also attack full grown humans, cows, cows, horses and other livestock which they consume by sucking their life force "shirikodoma" (essentially the heart, liver and internal organs) out through the victim's anus. They are not considered completely dangerous, just creatures to be treated with caution. They love playing games and wrestling and it is possible to best a Kappa in sport and trick him into helping you with farm work or allowing your family to bathe in the river unmolested. They also are quickly won over with cucumbers so mothers often enscribe their children's names onto cucumbers and throw them into the river as a gift to the Kappas in hopes that they will let their children pass safely. Kappas are prevalent in present day Japanese culture, you see them in signed and advertisements everywhere. There are rivers still with signs warning bathers to beware of Kappas and a whole area in Tokyo called Kappabashi with tons of statues and signs. Kooky.

New Fantabulous Book on Insects!!

I love love love insects and this book has some incredible dragonflies, praying mantis, grasshoppers, bees and butterflies!! If you do insects and are ready to put an asian twist on them, pick this up. It includes a variety of nice flowers as well - lotus, peopies, lillies, iris. This is a great tattoo reference book. Stock on this book is limited, I only get them in occasionally so please understand if there is a delay on your order. If this book is out of stock I will refund your payment and let you know as soon as more come in. xx Gomineko

Size: 21cm x 30cm - Pages: 118 - Published: 2002 - Price: $55 - Softcover


Click here to order: Painting Butterflies and Insects













For this and tons more books on Japanese Tattoo Art and Design click the cat...

Drawing japanese Beauties - Geisha Tattoo reference Book

This is an excellent geisha reference book. It includes both outlines /sketches of figures as well as full page full color illustrations. Various kimono and body positions, and a couple pages devoted to hairstyles. Ideal tattoo reference book. The book is well bound, appx. 9" x 11.5" and 120 pages. Text is in Japanese, reads right to left. $75


Click here: Drawing Japanese Geisha

Hirata's Awesome Samurai Book - Mononofu - $20 off this week....

This is the coolest book I've found in a while! It is by Hiroshi Hirata and includes over 100 pages of awesome Japanese warriors - samurai, ronin etc. This book has both black and while and color imagery, most of it is full page and includes depictions of battle scenes, lone warriors, seppuku and men astride horses - TONS of different poses and costumes perfect for tattoo reference. This book rocks. It is softcover, well bound, appx. 8" x 11.5" and 112 pages. Includes a forward in both English and Japanese and text is offered in both languages - what little of it there is. Great for artists, collectors of Japanese art or Suikoden enthusiasts. 1000's of great ideas for tradition Japanese-esque tattoos. $58....now $38 until I remember to change the weekly special!

Click here to purchase: Hiroshi Hirata's Mononofu - $20 off!!

Crabs!!

These crabs are wicked cool. They are Japanese Spider Crabs and their shells often resemble the face of a samurai. While not the heike crabs of legend they are still one of the raddest underwater creature I have ever seen....








Heike Crabs are also quite rad and on my list of "I want" tattoos. Japanese legend has it that after the battle of Dannoura the spirits of the defeated Heiki army were reincarnated into these heikegana (heike crabs). Their shells resembled scowling samura and fisherman, out of respect, would throw back the crabs with the angry man face anomaly. They look like this (for reference, I have yet to see one in person...)





Yoshitoshi was a fan of Heikegana as well....



Crabs rule.

Kuniyoshi's Humorous Illustrations - such a rad book!

This is the second in a series of four beautiful books devoted to humorous ukiyo-e from the edo period. This one is a collection of Kuniyoshi's illustrations and includes shadowplay and anthropomorphic animals in a variety of entertaining and often lewd activities. Kuniyoshi and his contemporaries were some of the first artists to introduce humor in their creations, during a time period where the arts were dominated by Buddist imagery. This is a beautiful book and a must have for serious collectors of Japanese imagery. I get my hands on this book very rarely so if it is out of stock I will refund your payment and add you to the waiting list.

Size: 10 " x 12" - Pages: 205 - Published: 1991 - Price: $400 - Hardcover


Click here: Kuniyoshi's Humorous Illustrations