getting a tattoo in japan

....I am thinking about getting a tattoo in Japan. I live in Tokyo and want advice on where the best place to go would be. This will be my first tattoo, and i just want two small kanji characters near my hipbone. Any advice would be great!!!

You won`t find the name of someone good here. If all that you want is kanji, any tattoo shop will do. Make sure they use new needle or have a good sterilizer.
If you want to find a good artist, you have to ask around. It`s easy. Next time you are out and you see someone covered in tats; ask 'em. They`d love to talk about it. They put a lot of money into. That`s why most people get tattoos. They want compliments. No offense I have a tat, but then again, I wanted to be though of as 'cool' when I got it.

Many health clubs refuse members if they have tattoos....still a lot of bias against them....much more so than in other countries due to the yakuza connotation. You may want to locate it to ensure you can cover it up when you want/need to.

I too am considering getting a tattoo in Japan while visiting at the end of the year. Can someone recommend me somewhere decent to check out, preferably in Tokyo or another major city, and english speaking. I am also interested in getting one done in the traditional method. Any advice would be appreciated :)

try chopstix, i've heard good things


http://www.chopsticktattoo.org/splashy.html

When I was living near Nagoya three years ago I was able to get two nice tattoos from a guy named Naoki. I returned to Japan and have not been able to find his card. My question is does anyone know the name of his shop which is the only shop near Higashiyama Koen? He has a great small shop. Everything is cleaned medically through autoclave and he himself speaks fluent English. I would like to find him because from talking to the other shops in Nagoya by phone it is clear they do not have the experience I am looking for. Please email me personally if you know his info. oblufire@docomo.ne.jp

does anyone know of the closest tattoo place to shirakawa (Fukushima-ken)? And what 'Alex' is in Kanji???

Alex,

And what 'Alex' is in Kanji???

Non-Japanese names are normally written in katakana, so Alex would be written as "アレックス".
If you insist on kanji, then I suppose you could pick something like "荒れ屑". :-o