Horiyama - Japanese Tattoos - New Zealand

Horiyama is a Japanese tattoo studio in Auckland, New Zealand, specialising in large-scale traditional irezumi. The artist, known professionally as Horiyama (彫山), was born and raised in Hiroshima, Fukuyama, and grew up surrounded by Japanese art, with grandparents who were passionate Kutani pottery collectors before the family later moved to New Zealand. His work is rooted in the traditions of irezumi, combining strong composition, meaningful subject matter, and background elements (mikiri) designed to flow naturally with the body, producing pieces that are bright, bold, and built to last while carrying forward the long traditions of tattooing from his country of birth.

With over 8 years of tattooing experience, Horiyama brings together his Japanese heritage and the clients he works with in New Zealand, offering knowledge and guidance to anyone considering a Japanese tattoo project. The studio operates daily from 9am to 5pm and welcomes enquiries directly through its contact form for those planning custom, large-scale work. The name itself reflects Japanese tattooing tradition: “Hori,” meaning “to carve,” is combined with syllables from an artist’s surname, a title historically bestowed by a master upon completion of an apprenticeship, a practice used for centuries by Ukiyo-e artists of the Edo period.