Few day ago there was a chance to visit the “King of Tattoo Convention” one of the greatest tattoo convention in Japan.
With 9 years tradition of this Tokyo located convention, it would be really pity if it is terminated. However the most probably it was last year when it happened. Police are getting more and more strict about what ever exposure of tattoo to public and trying to minimize impact on “other” people, property owners are advised not to accept such events etc.(the same is happening in South Korea, I was told)

Mayors of some cities (Osaka) are firing employees who wear what ever tattoos from public offices, private facilities are refusing tattooed visitors, general opinium about tattoo has not changed much in Japan. Tattoo = Yakuza (organize crime syndicate)

It is less and less true here as well and there are many tattoo enthusiastics, but Japan has not change yet.
We saw this year quite many foreign visitors who came to Japan from other Asian countries just to visit this event.

Horiyoshi III was one of main guest who performed his drawing skill to naked models, oldest tattoo master was for sure Horihide (president of Association of tattoo artists) quite a lot of tattooers came to join the convention from allover the world. Horikazu II has decided in last moment to visit the convention as well to meet old masters and enjoy draft beer.