My 101st appointment with Horizakura was an hour-ish of outline on my right ribs. For those that don’t know, the style of my bodysuit would be called donburi soushinbori. The “donburi” (unprofessional translation: rice bowl) portion relates to the full front piece on my stomach and stands in contrast to the also very popular “munewari” or split-chest design. The soushinbori portion denotes the tattoo extending to my wrists and ankles. I think this information is important context for how these last two appointments have made me feel. I was very, very excited to finally start my stomach early in 2020, but because of the way it sits, it very much felt like a stand-alone piece. Now that Horizakura has begun to fill in my ribs, it feels like my rice bowl is filling up. I have a tangible sense that everything is getting tied together in a most exciting way. These last bits of outline are giving me the sensation that this whole tattoo is really coming together. Which is not to suggest that I had any doubt that it would, but when you move through a process so slowly, these portions of the tattoo feel like big sweeping changes. It feels like we’re moving at lightspeed lately!

You’ll see from the pictures that Horizakura added some wind/clouds and sakura to my ribs. A keen observer will notice a floating flower petal that looks a bit different than the rest. Almost like it was tattooed by somebody else. Because indeed it was tattooed by somebody else. During this appointment, Horizakura asked me if it would be alright if his apprentice Haru tattooed a single flower petal on me. If it wasn’t already obvious to you, my approach to this tattoo is not about having a “perfect” tattoo. This has always been about having MY tattoo. It is a tattoo that has always existed in spirit and is only being brought to the surface by those that tattoo me. Even the imperfections (though they are few and far between) exist as a reflection of who I am as an imperfect person. More than that, I went on at length in my previous post about how tattoo means so much to me but how my paths to engage it are limited (since I have no intention of ever being a tattooer). Horizakura’s question presented me with another path by which I might engage and support this craft, and that was by offering myself as practice to a young, aspiring horishi. How could I possible say no?! I am delighted to say that Haru tattooed a single flower petal on my ribs and I get to be counted among their earliest “clients.” It feels really great that even after 6 years and 101 appointments, there are still parts of this process that can come as a surprise to me. Two more weeks until the next adventure!