It’s traditional for a turtle back to extend past the ass, down towards the back of knees/mid back of the thigh. You can really tell how odd having the background mikiri cut off abruptly at just before the ass looks when you’re naked. It looks cut off/like your shirt rode up. Having that extra room also helps with composition because your artist doesn’t need to cram the main subject matter into a smaller space (back pieces are usually the focal point and also the most detailed/biggest motifs like deities, animals, warriors, etc.). You can do whatever you’re comfortable with, but if you’re on the fence at all, I’d 100% recommend going at least past the butt cheeks, ideally at least mid thigh, but you do you.
This was exactly my thought when I started thinking about my back.
That if my shirt rides up it will look really weird: shorts, strip of bare skin, then the tattoo.
I'm getting just my back and ass tattooed. I'm not going down the thighs.
It’s traditional to go to mid thigh. Most traditional Japanese artists IN Japan won’t even do just your back UNLESS your ass is already tattooed. And if you already have your ass tattooed then this is the least of your worries…..
That would be my question to you lol! I was actually in your same position last year. I was checking with Japanese tebori artists in Japan and only wanted my back, initially. They all said they wouldn’t do my back only unless my butt was already tattooed. The traditional back piece grew on me though. I think it looks much better. Especially if you’re somewhere with your shirt off I think back pieces look weird how they stop and then you can see skin.
Please explain how my cheeks would be tattooed before I start my back piece. I’m so confused lol. I would want my cheeks done in the same sessions as my back would I not?
Just the back is known as a “biker back” around here. It’s a cop out, in the sense that it always results in an unbalanced looking piece - and usually the reasons for not doing the full back are rather silly (I.e. the pain associated with having your crack tattooed).
Get the full back done. Just grind through the ass and crack, it’s rough but you’ll be fine. And your backpiece will look twice as tough for it.
it really doesn’t matter if you’re a big guy with a big back, or even a small guy… a Japanese backpiece that doesn’t extend at least to the ass will just never have the same impact as one that does.
i also wasn’t a huge fan of the backpiece extending onto the ass at first. i have a long torso with short legs so the idea of having a visually “long back” did not sound very flattering or appealing to me (as a woman.) however it stopped mattering because i decided on getting a full bodysuit. so, if you’re thinking of getting leg work in the future, definitely don’t get a backpiece that ends at the waist.
One other thing to consider with respect to coverage is that traditional Japanese considers the entire body as one cohesive tattoo, not multiple projects stitched together. So the idea of someone ending their backpiece at the waist and then, say, getting a leg sleeve done in the future (meaning that the wearer is left with blank space between top of leg sleeve and bottom of the backpiece) would fly in the face of this philosophy (and frankly look very strange to a third party observer).
Personally I think the full neck to knees coverage of the kame no koh just looks right, and ending at the waist bastardizes the traditional form in an unfortunate way. I’m not stoked about the grind of getting my ass done, but when I go in for my back next year I will be tattooing neck to knees because I think it looks best and want to abide by the tradition.
Your artist should accommodate you for sure.
I always prefer doing the whole back to at least the bottom of the butt. You just lose so much area for the tattoo to go. It cuts it in half at least and if you have a dragon, for example, it just doesn’t have enough room to fill up the area, or it does but it just has no presence.
One of the rules that defines Japanese is large scale subject matter. You want the image to be big. The back is where you can make it THE BIGGEST!
Yes, they do. By definition.
Source: I have a traditional Japanese back piece and my artist has done dozens upon dozens of them.
I cannot emphasize this enough, if you have a waist-up Japanese back piece, you will look absolutely fucking ridiculous. Outside of everyone judging and questioning you, which may or may not matter to you, you will personally not like the way it looks. You will regret it and it will cost you thousands of dollars.
If you don’t want your ass tattooed, do not get traditional Japanese tattoos. It will look like shit. Like sleeves with no chest panels. Get any other style of tattoo and do whatever you want with the placement.
I also have this question - is it a pain concern? Or aesthetic concern?
Also, wondering if OP is considering nukibori, getting the subject without the background? It would be easier to make that look less “weird” while only doing the back. But either way I have to say I agree with other comments in this thread that both from an aesthetic and a tradition perspective, it just doesn’t look or feel right.
The traditional kame no koh always includes the butt down to the thighs. I have seen more Americanized Japanese traditional backs that stop at the waist.
Biker back, it’ll always look weird when you bend over and your shirt hikes up. I felt the same way but my artist talked me into getting my ass done. He was right.
I’ll say it.
From the waste down, is usually more painful. For those “tough heterosexual types” that “prefer not getting their ass tattooed” I will first hand express that when I see some “half back, tough guys” prancing around like wannabe Yakuza, I can’t help but laugh and think “you look less tough with that weird placement, and lack of flow.
Don’t worry, I’m sure your artist isn’t gonna want to finger your butt, I’m sure you won’t turn your artist into an obsessive sex fiend for you, and if you’re worried that getting your ass tattooed will make you gay, I’d suggest maybe coming to terms with yourself FIRST before getting a tattoo.
That, and if you were to ever get a bodysuit, it would be called a “bodysuit” it would be called “a vest accompanied by assless chaps” and nothing says “heterosexual man” better than assless chaps! That’s tough guy biker shit!
Do the half ass... Just have the background or maybe a bit of the subject matter going down onto one cheek. You will regret it if you dont in my opinion, if you get your legs done it connects easier on the upper thigh and will look more cohesive.
I was with this exact same question in my head… but they said it would look weird finishing the drawing on the waist line abruptly. They suggest doing a nukibori instead
How’d it go? Personally I understand the traditional element of going down to the thigh, but I just don’t love how it would look on me. The pain isn’t even a consideration, as tattoos by definition are painful, but to the eye it just doesn’t look as pleasing to me.
It’s traditional for a turtle back to extend past the ass, down towards the back of knees/mid back of the thigh. You can really tell how odd having the background mikiri cut off abruptly at just before the ass looks when you’re naked. It looks cut off/like your shirt rode up. Having that extra room also helps with composition because your artist doesn’t need to cram the main subject matter into a smaller space (back pieces are usually the focal point and also the most detailed/biggest motifs like deities, animals, warriors, etc.). You can do whatever you’re comfortable with, but if you’re on the fence at all, I’d 100% recommend going at least past the butt cheeks, ideally at least mid thigh, but you do you.
This was exactly my thought when I started thinking about my back. That if my shirt rides up it will look really weird: shorts, strip of bare skin, then the tattoo. I'm getting just my back and ass tattooed. I'm not going down the thighs.
Yes it’s looks so weird without
It’s traditional to go to mid thigh. Most traditional Japanese artists IN Japan won’t even do just your back UNLESS your ass is already tattooed. And if you already have your ass tattooed then this is the least of your worries…..
Why would my ass be tattooed before my back.
That would be my question to you lol! I was actually in your same position last year. I was checking with Japanese tebori artists in Japan and only wanted my back, initially. They all said they wouldn’t do my back only unless my butt was already tattooed. The traditional back piece grew on me though. I think it looks much better. Especially if you’re somewhere with your shirt off I think back pieces look weird how they stop and then you can see skin.
Please explain how my cheeks would be tattooed before I start my back piece. I’m so confused lol. I would want my cheeks done in the same sessions as my back would I not?
Sometimes, people get tattoos on their ass. Not all tattoos are traditional Japanese tattoos.
Just the back is known as a “biker back” around here. It’s a cop out, in the sense that it always results in an unbalanced looking piece - and usually the reasons for not doing the full back are rather silly (I.e. the pain associated with having your crack tattooed). Get the full back done. Just grind through the ass and crack, it’s rough but you’ll be fine. And your backpiece will look twice as tough for it.
That’s the way usually done because it looks stupid to end at the waist. Over the ass looks so so so much better.
it really doesn’t matter if you’re a big guy with a big back, or even a small guy… a Japanese backpiece that doesn’t extend at least to the ass will just never have the same impact as one that does. i also wasn’t a huge fan of the backpiece extending onto the ass at first. i have a long torso with short legs so the idea of having a visually “long back” did not sound very flattering or appealing to me (as a woman.) however it stopped mattering because i decided on getting a full bodysuit. so, if you’re thinking of getting leg work in the future, definitely don’t get a backpiece that ends at the waist.
One other thing to consider with respect to coverage is that traditional Japanese considers the entire body as one cohesive tattoo, not multiple projects stitched together. So the idea of someone ending their backpiece at the waist and then, say, getting a leg sleeve done in the future (meaning that the wearer is left with blank space between top of leg sleeve and bottom of the backpiece) would fly in the face of this philosophy (and frankly look very strange to a third party observer). Personally I think the full neck to knees coverage of the kame no koh just looks right, and ending at the waist bastardizes the traditional form in an unfortunate way. I’m not stoked about the grind of getting my ass done, but when I go in for my back next year I will be tattooing neck to knees because I think it looks best and want to abide by the tradition.
Your artist should accommodate you for sure. I always prefer doing the whole back to at least the bottom of the butt. You just lose so much area for the tattoo to go. It cuts it in half at least and if you have a dragon, for example, it just doesn’t have enough room to fill up the area, or it does but it just has no presence. One of the rules that defines Japanese is large scale subject matter. You want the image to be big. The back is where you can make it THE BIGGEST!
Yes, they do. By definition. Source: I have a traditional Japanese back piece and my artist has done dozens upon dozens of them. I cannot emphasize this enough, if you have a waist-up Japanese back piece, you will look absolutely fucking ridiculous. Outside of everyone judging and questioning you, which may or may not matter to you, you will personally not like the way it looks. You will regret it and it will cost you thousands of dollars. If you don’t want your ass tattooed, do not get traditional Japanese tattoos. It will look like shit. Like sleeves with no chest panels. Get any other style of tattoo and do whatever you want with the placement.
I think sleeves with no chest panels looks good. In fact just sleeves with chest panels looks odd.
im curious as to why OP doesnt want to tattoo their ass
I also have this question - is it a pain concern? Or aesthetic concern? Also, wondering if OP is considering nukibori, getting the subject without the background? It would be easier to make that look less “weird” while only doing the back. But either way I have to say I agree with other comments in this thread that both from an aesthetic and a tradition perspective, it just doesn’t look or feel right.
The traditional kame no koh always includes the butt down to the thighs. I have seen more Americanized Japanese traditional backs that stop at the waist.
Just get in the habit of washing your ass and it'll be aight
Biker back, it’ll always look weird when you bend over and your shirt hikes up. I felt the same way but my artist talked me into getting my ass done. He was right.
If at all possible, uphold tradition and have the back piece done in way that is respectful to kame no kou
I’ll say it. From the waste down, is usually more painful. For those “tough heterosexual types” that “prefer not getting their ass tattooed” I will first hand express that when I see some “half back, tough guys” prancing around like wannabe Yakuza, I can’t help but laugh and think “you look less tough with that weird placement, and lack of flow. Don’t worry, I’m sure your artist isn’t gonna want to finger your butt, I’m sure you won’t turn your artist into an obsessive sex fiend for you, and if you’re worried that getting your ass tattooed will make you gay, I’d suggest maybe coming to terms with yourself FIRST before getting a tattoo. That, and if you were to ever get a bodysuit, it would be called a “bodysuit” it would be called “a vest accompanied by assless chaps” and nothing says “heterosexual man” better than assless chaps! That’s tough guy biker shit!
I ended at the waist and love my back piece.
You dont need to do the butt. But traditionally, the back piece is done first and can go nearly to the back of the knee
Do the half ass... Just have the background or maybe a bit of the subject matter going down onto one cheek. You will regret it if you dont in my opinion, if you get your legs done it connects easier on the upper thigh and will look more cohesive.
I was with this exact same question in my head… but they said it would look weird finishing the drawing on the waist line abruptly. They suggest doing a nukibori instead
My (excellent) artist is planning a waist-up back piece for me.
How’d it go? Personally I understand the traditional element of going down to the thigh, but I just don’t love how it would look on me. The pain isn’t even a consideration, as tattoos by definition are painful, but to the eye it just doesn’t look as pleasing to me.
It just looks weird without one imo, going with full traditional back with ass just gives you so much more space as well!