PROFILE
Born in 1979 in Saitama, Japan, he left a certain domestic brand in 2020. After that, he launched a cult club "NISHIMOTO IS THE MOUTH" and mainly produces and sells goods.
Instagram: @k_nisimoto_
PROFILE
A carver based in Sendai, Japan. He and his friends established "FATE STUDIO" in Sendai, and his career spans more than 25 years. He rents a room in a hotel in Tokyo as a studio, and has regularly performed treatments in Tokyo, but plans to move to a studio in Shimoma, Setagaya, in addition to Sendai.
Instagram: @yapetas
srs-studio.com/
If Mr. YAS can no longer do it, it can remain unfinished.
I would like to hear about how the two of you met.
Nishimoto:I found out about YAS right after I joined "VISVIM". I contacted him, but he did not return my e-mails for about two years (laughs).
YAS:Was that right (chuckles)?
Nishimoto:That's right. I was about to give up when I got a response. At that time, they wanted to put it on my arm and asked me to send them a picture. I got back about three tribal tattoo designs. At that time, YAS was not yet doing the procedure in Tokyo, so I was planning to take the night bus to Sendai.
You wanted him to carve it that much.
Nishimoto:That's right. I wanted him to do it for sure, and it had to be YAS.
You mentioned that you got your first tattoo when you were 14 years old.
Nishimoto:Yes, that's right. But I did it out of curiosity, and I didn't have much of an attachment to it. I was about 25 years old at the time, and I was very interested in tribal tattoos, so I was looking for a tattoo artist to do them. A magazine had just published a feature on YAS's work, which I thought was very cool, and I contacted him immediately.
So you got a call two years later.
Nishimoto:Yes, it was. I was lucky that I was coming to Tokyo on a business trip, which reduced my own workload. During my business trip, I went to the clinic three or four times during my two-week stay. First, I had my right arm filled in.
YAS:It was very hard work, sometimes we carved for 7 hours, sometimes more. It's not easy for someone to come back so many times in such a short period of time.
Nishimoto:I am physically unable to do so now.
Pain, concentration, etc., sounds amazing.
Nishimoto:At the time, I also wanted to complete the project as soon as possible. When the needle was inserted for the first time, the first touch, the needle touching my skin, I decided to dedicate my life to Mr. YAS. I fell in love with Mr. YAS from a human standpoint, and I was confident that I could trust him with my work.
I think about the theme I want to have tattooed, search Google for images that match the theme, and show Mr. YAS pictures and graphics that are far removed from what I would expect to see in a tattoo. But YAS was able to take what I had in my mind and make it a reality. The finished product was really cool, and I was impressed. His skills are top-notch.
So it took you more than 10 years to get the tattoos all over your body.
Nishimoto:First I put in my right arm, then my left arm, chest, left leg, right leg, buttocks, back of my head, back, neck, and face. There are only a few things left: the soles of my feet, my penis, my frontal area, and my back, but I intend to give them all to Mr. YAS. If Mr. YAS says he can't do it, I will leave it unfinished.
There is no other underground carver like him.
YAS: When did you start your career as an engraver?
YAS:It started before I was 20 years old. It all started when I saw a book about bikers. I wanted to put needles in my own body, so I put them in myself. That was when I was about 15 years old.
Did you decide on a path at that point?
YAS:Yes, I did. I intentionally put a lightning bolt mark on my arm where you can see it. I wanted to show my parents that I was going to follow this path. I had already decided then.
You are still working as an engraver, which means that you have never wavered in your determination, right?
YAS:I am now 44 years old, but I have never wavered. From the very beginning, I wanted to be good at what I did, and I wanted to master this path.
What do you mean by "mastering"?
YAS:For example, there is a tattoo artist named Gakkin, and I think he is already in the realm of the extreme. I think he is in the realm of the extreme. There is no blurring. On the other hand, with me, I listen to what the client has to say, and then I try to make it all work out accordingly. So I am always looking for something new.
Do you feel like you are expressing the ideas you receive in a more sophisticated way?
YAS:That's right. I want to be able to go out into the world and have someone say, "Wow, that's great. Generally speaking, people tend to look at me in a tribal sense, but I myself emphasize technique and precision in my work.
Did you start out as an apprentice with someone?
YAS:I used to go to an engraver's studio, but I stopped going after about a year. After that, I taught myself. I drew pictures and asked people to let me carve. I have continued to do so up to the present.
However, in my case, it is still in its infancy, and I have many things I would like to experiment with. I have many things I want to experiment with, including thematic and compositional aspects.
Nishimoto:It is amazing that YAS-san's career is still in its infancy. I had to push hard to get the OK for this interview. YAS usually doesn't appear in the media. That's also cool, the fact that he has skills but doesn't show them to the public. It is also amazing that he is carving in a hotel like this, in a blackjack kind of way. There is no other underground carver like him.
Why did you take the job this time?
YAS:It was Mr. Nishimoto, wasn't it? I would not have answered the question even if someone else had asked me to. Nishimoto san has a special place in my heart, and I think my style and awareness have changed a little before and after meeting him.
One of the things Nishimoto-san demands is "fineness. He really demands the finest of details, right up to the very limit. When the customers saw this, they wanted him to do it for them, and the demand spread.
Nishimoto:The calf of his left leg is amazing. I showed Mr. YAS the pyramid mural and asked him to carve it, and there is absolutely no one who can imitate it. I wanted YAS to try something that he had never done before, so I would intentionally give him unreasonable orders. It's like a letter of challenge. But he always succeeds. That makes me happy, and I've become addicted to it.
YAS:It's already a challenge every time (laughs). I always get orders that I have never seen or done before.
You don't say "I can't"?
YAS:I almost never say it. I don't want to say it, and I say, "I can do it.
Nishimoto:This right arm is also badly done. I have drawn white lines on top of black, but it's all one line, like a single stroke.
YAS:The start and finish line were the same, and you darted the needle in with one.
Nishimoto:This is really amazing. When I go abroad, many people tell me, "Your tattoos are in bad shape, so teach your tattoo artist. I still feel like I am a minority in Japan and it is hard to live there, but I really feel the difference in tolerance between Japan and other countries. I really think of it as a form of art.
Getting in your face in Japan is quite a hurdle.
Did you decide from the beginning to put it in the face?
Nishimoto:I had made up my mind.
YAS:But I kept trying to convince him for a couple of years that he shouldn't do it. It would change my life. But Mr. Nishimoto kept saying, "I want to put it in," and he promised me that he would put in just the nose first and that it would be the last time. But then I couldn't stop at all...
Nishimoto:I wanted to see the finished product. So I had the side of my face put in after the nose, but I was concerned about the halfway look.
You were still at VISVIM at that time, weren't you?
Nishimoto:I was there. The company had stopped me from doing so, and I had told YAS not to let them in. I had told YAS about this, but in the end I wanted to include them, and in the end I had to resign from the company as well.
But I'm glad I put my face in it. I have zero guilt or regret. It has increased my visibility and made me a prophet (laughs).
You mentioned "art" earlier, but in the case of tattoos, you yourself are the work of art, aren't you? What is that like for you? In a way, I think there is a feeling that only those who have more than 90% of their body covered with tattoos can understand.
Nishimoto:When I got a tattoo on my face, I felt like I had done it. Before that, I had gotten tattoos as if I was going to a convenience store, but with my face, I felt a deep emotion, a different feeling. I would go home, look in the mirror, and say, "Wow, that's really cool. Sometimes when I look at my own face, I think, "Wow, I look great. I think, "I've made it this far.
I felt that it changed my life. Thanks to this project, "NISHIMOTO IS THE MOUTH" was started, and I think many people became aware of it.
YAS:I am aware that "getting a tattoo = changing someone's life," no matter how small the tattoo may be. In the case of Mr. Nishimoto, however, we were also very careful because he was going to put it on his face.
In a sense, did YAS take on a heavier role than Nishimoto-san?
YAS:That may be so. Because I feel as if I am going to live my life together with Mr. Nishimoto. Otherwise, I would not be able to do it. That is why, when Mr. Nishimoto tells me that he has found a girlfriend, I tell him that he should get married. I always told him that if he met someone even slightly good, he should definitely do it.
The two of you are somewhat of a unit.
YAS:That's right. It would have been bad if Mr. Nishimoto had lost his way. I didn't want him to quit his job if possible. I kept telling him that as if I was brainwashing him.
You said that you had to be persuaded for a couple of years, but you also had your own doubts and fears, didn't you?
YAS:When it came to faces, it was strong. Especially in Japan, the hurdles are much higher. The probability of getting lost on the street would increase greatly. I had to prevent that at all costs. I felt that way even after the project was completed. Of course, I had to be very determined when I made the decision.
Nishimoto:I myself was more lighthearted about it.
Have you ever put it in your face before?
YAS:There is one point, and then there are things like moles and eyebrows. However, I don't think I will ever be able to put this much in all over my work. Even if I were asked to do the same detail as Nishimoto-san, I would not be able to do it.
Nishimoto:I am happy to have become one-of-a-kind in this way, because I have been coming here for more than 15 years and have been inserted hundreds of times.
I have a lot of memories other than my face, and it reminds me of those days. The way I went home after getting the tattoo, the music I was listening to at the time, the girl I was dating, and so on. It was very emo. The one on my palm hurt so much that I was thinking in my heart, "I'm going to kill Mr. YAS" (laughs).
YAS:(Laughter). The palms of the hands are the most painful part of the body by far.
I think the relationship between the two is amazing. It is a relationship of trust between Mr. Nishimoto, who wants to insert the tattoo even if it hurts so much that he wants to kill himself, and Mr. YAS, who engraves the tattoo. It is a clash of determination between the engraver and the engraved.
Nishimoto:It's martial arts, no longer.
YAS:It is like putting a soul into the work. Especially, Mr. Nishimoto's orders go beyond my limits, so I feel like I am doing it while cutting down my lifespan.
Nishimoto:YAS-san never makes a mistake, and his concentration and my patience to endure the pain collide, causing strange vibes.
As time goes by, you become more and more emotionally involved in each other's lives.
YAS:Yes, I do. I don't keep in touch with him often, but I am always concerned about Nishimoto-san. I don't think it will disappear until I die. I have a strange feeling.
Do you feel a sense of responsibility for changing lives, an attachment to your work, and a feeling of family even though you are not blood related?
YAS:Yes, it does. It includes a lot of feelings.
Nishimoto:In terms of time, we spend a very long time together, so we really have all the feelings of a family, like friends.
Pain and determination are still necessary.
Nishimoto-san once told us that he went through a difficult time mentally after putting in his face, right?
Nishimoto:That's right. When I am on the train, or in the city, many people look at me. When I make eye contact with them, they remove their eyes. Overseas, the reaction is, "You look cool," but in Japan, the reaction is totally different. There was a time when I was frustrated by this gap, but one day Mr. Skateting said to me, "You are doing something cutting-edge, so don't worry about it," and that made me feel much better. I felt much more at ease when Mr. SKATETHING said to me, "You are doing cutting-edge work, so you don't need to worry about it. I had negative feelings when I was at [VISVIM], but after I left, I became more and more positive. I think the fact that I started my own brand was also a big factor. I feel freer now.
Now that I am allowed to play the role of a prophet, I am able to become that prophet. I have a sense that I have created another me, or in a sense, I am acting in a certain way.
You said that you become the character.
Nishimoto:Once I was able to do that, it became a lot easier. So now I just say, "Look at me," and I'm proud of it.
YAS:It was great that we were able to get through it. I thought I would have been eaten really heavy in Japan.
I think there are people who can overcome that and people who can't.
Nishimoto:There was an overseas model named ZOMBIE BOY, who also had tattoos all over his body, including his face, but he passed away about 5 years ago. He passed away about 5 years ago. I think he was mentally ill.
I guess that by putting something in your body that cannot be erased, you have a sense of "how people see me" or some kind of invisible filter on other people.
Nishimoto:That's right. Now that I am in the public eye, I want to convey the message that tattoos are a positive thing. I want tattoos to become more popular.
YAS:Olympic athletes have full sleeves of tattoos. A long time ago, there were few good tattoos, but now everyone has good tattoos. I think the evolution of tattoos has stopped in Japan.
They try to hide it.
YAS:It is very frustrating. I wonder why this is the case only in Japan, even though it is clear that this is not the case in the rest of the world. There is also discrimination.
Nishimoto:It is completely discriminatory to not allow them to enter hot springs or even swimming pools. I feel a contradiction in Japanese society, which tries to hide the traditional art of Japanese tattooing. If someone commits a crime and has a tattoo, it will be taken as a bad thing. Tattoos and crime should have nothing to do with each other in the first place.
YAS:It's a shame, isn't it? As a tattoo artist, I am somewhat conscious of Japan, but I also try to tattoo with an international perspective in mind. I do it so that when the person goes abroad, he or she will appear to be a little more distinguished.
Once upon a time, when the magazine "TATOO BURST" was published, Japan was the center of attention. Japanese carving was featured, and carvers from all over the world came to Japan. But the magazine stopped publication, and the culture declined rapidly until now. It is a pity that people can no longer enjoy tattoos.
There are various genres of tattooing, and within each genre there are many phases. But now I feel that they have all been lumped together.
YAS:Yes, it is. What kind of tattoo is important, but it is only recognized as a "tattoo.
Nishimoto:I would like to change that. First of all, I want to get rid of the negative image of tattoos. I am in my 40s now, and I think that by the time the young people of today have children and become parents, the perception of tattoos will have changed drastically.
Nishimoto:I saw my father recently for the first time in a long time, and it was the first time since I put it in his face. The first thing he said was, "What's wrong with you?" He said. But I told him that this is my life and I will wipe my own ass, and he agreed. If the result is negative, then it's better not to include it, and if you can manage it yourself, then it's okay to include it.
This is just my personal opinion, but the people who get tattoos and get carried away are the worst looking. That's why I'm consciously trying to be humble. If I was arrogant, people would think I'm just like that.
Nishimoto-san, you always have a low profile and are quick to reply to e-mails, aren't you?
Nishimoto:I'm a low-key character (laughs). But you should be kind to people regardless of whether you have tattoos or not. That kindness will definitely come back to you. Since I started my own brand, I have been reminded of the importance of such feelings.
YAS:I am also very humble myself. Of course, there are arrogant carvers.
You said earlier that you are still in the process of development.
YAS:That may be so.
Nishimoto:Recently, more and more people are getting carved after being given anesthesia. But personally, I think it should be painful. Among American Indians, there is a ritual of piercing the chest and tearing it out to pray for the revival of nature and peace. Tattoos are not that big of a deal, but I think it is necessary to be prepared for the pain.
The use of anesthesia is very modern.
Nishimoto:It seems that some young girls have put it in themselves.
YAS:I've been getting so many lately. There have been so many requests for that rework that I'm a little worried about the one-pointedness trend.
Nishimoto:I know you can put in a lot of energy, but you have to put in a lot of thought. Then the news picked up on it, and only the negative aspects were picked up. So you definitely need to be prepared. It costs a lot of money and time, so if you are going to put it in, do it properly.
When I make a reservation, I want it done right (laughs).
I think it is really important to meet the carver, just as Mr. Nishimoto and Mr. YAS met.
Nishimoto:I think it was inevitable that YAS and I met.
YAS:Since Mr. Nishimoto started to appear in the public eye, I feel that I must do my best as well.
That's a great relationship.
YAS:That's been going on for a long time.
Nishimoto:I am happy to see the synergy between the two. I would like to visit the studio in Sendai soon. There are many interesting people there.
YAS:Please come by all means. This will be the last time we will be doing this event at this hotel. I met again with Megumi (Kamata), with whom I launched "FATE STUDIO," and she has invited me to do it at her studio in Shimoma, Setagaya.
Nishimoto:I see. I am a little sad that I will no longer be able to work here. I have passed by here many times, and the scenery around here reminds me of YAS.
YAS:Other customers tell me that they miss it. I don't think there are any other carvers in the world who work in this style.
Nishimoto:I am very glad to have had the opportunity to speak with you here.
YAS:I think it was really very good timing.
Nishimoto:I'm sure they will be even busier in the future, but I hope they will do it right when I make an appointment (laughs).
YAS:That's okay (laughs), leave it to me!
