Japanese Tattoos in San Diego by Chris Cockrill
Sleeves, back pieces, and irezumi-influenced work at Remington Tattoo in North Park
I've been tattooing since 1998 and have been at Remington Tattoo in North Park since 2015. If you're looking for Japanese tattoos in San Diego, this is where you can find me.
Japanese tattooing is a structured discipline. The placement, the flow, the way a design wraps a body, those things take time to understand. I have an extensive reference library and every piece is drawn from scratch for the person wearing it.
Japanese Tattoos San Diego
My Japanese work runs from full back pieces and bodysuits down to sleeves, half sleeves, and standalone panels. Dragons, koi, hannya masks, tigers, peonies, waves, and phoenixes. The motifs carry meaning and I take that seriously.
Larger pieces start with a consultation. No charge for that. It is just a conversation about placement, scale, and how the design will read as it heals and ages over time. Walk-ins are welcome for smaller standalone work.
I also do traditional American tattoos and black and gray work at Remington Tattoo.
Japanese Tattoo FAQ
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A full Japanese sleeve is typically 30 to 50 hours of work spread across multiple sessions. The timeline depends on design complexity and how well the skin heals between sessions. Most sleeves take a year or more to complete properly.
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In Japanese tattooing, koi represent perseverance and transformation. The direction the fish swims traditionally carries different meaning, and color carries significance in classical irezumi. Most clients choose imagery that connects to something in their own life.
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A full back piece typically runs 25 to 60 hours of work depending on the design, detail, and coverage. Without seeing the design and talking through the scope, a number does not mean much beyond that. Some clients come in every week, others once a month, the pace is yours. The consultation is free and that is the right place to start.
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Smaller standalone pieces, a hannya, a koi panel, a chrysanthemum, can often be done as walk-ins or a short email exchange. Anything involving placement planning starts with a sit-down first.
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Remington Tattoo is at 3009 Myrtle Ave in North Park, San Diego 92104. Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 7pm.
Come In
Remington Tattoo is at 3009 Myrtle Ave in North Park, San Diego. Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 7. Walk-ins welcome for smaller work. Larger pieces start with a consultation, which are always complementary.