Black & Gray
01Monochrome style with delicate gradations
TOKYO / UENO / WITH INKLINIC
About Tattoo Procedures
Low-pain tattooing with numb cream applied at our partner clinic. Sensation varies by individual.
Before your visit
We'll discuss your design via LINE and prepare in advance.
Numb cream is optional
Medical numb cream is applied to the approximate area at our partner clinic.
Final pricing
After adjusting stencil size and placement, we confirm the final price.
EU REACH-compliant inks available
We stock inks whose makers declare compliance with the EU REACH tattoo-ink restriction and publish safety data sheets (Intenze GEN-Z, Dynamic Union Black). Just ask at your consultation.
PROCESS
Procedure Flow
01
Consult & prepare
Before your visit
01
Preparation
We'll discuss your design via LINE and prepare in advance.
02
Numb cream application at partner clinic (optional)
For those who want numb cream. Applied to the approximate area at our partner clinic, taking effect in about 50 minutes.
03
Consultation
We'll hear your design preferences, size, and placement. Your wishes come first, with professional suggestions.
04
Design Creation
Our artist creates your original custom design. Unlimited revisions OK.
02
Session day
Confirm placement & price
05
Stencil Placement
We adjust size and precise positioning. Final pricing is also confirmed at this stage.
06
Procedure
We begin at the optimal timing in coordination with our partner clinic.
03
Finish & care
After your session
07
Aftercare
We treat the area afterwards and walk you through aftercare in detail. Aftercare supplies are available at our partner clinic, carrying a separate fee from visits on 1 September 2026.
* Steps may differ for large freehand pieces
ANESTHESIA
About Numb Cream
Partner clinic
Consultation & application
At INKLY TATTOO, numb cream consultation and application are handled at our partner clinic, inklinic. Whether numb cream is used is determined by a doctor and administered under the management of qualified medical professionals.
INKLY TATTOO
Procedure & finish
We begin at the optimal timing in coordination with our partner clinic.
Eases pain-related anxiety
Used under medical supervision
Relax during procedure
Improved final quality
If you're worried about pain, our physician-supervised guide explains pain levels by body area and how to ease them. Sensation varies by individual.
SCIENCE
How Tattoos Work
Why do tattoos last? Understanding the mechanism also tells you how to choose a design that ages well. (This covers regular ink — ephemeral tattoos use a different ink designed to fade.)
The epidermis — the outermost layer of skin — renews itself over roughly 4–8 weeks. Ink placed there would simply shed away. Tattoos last because the needle carries ink down into the dermis beneath.
During the session, the needle opens tiny channels and deposits ink; capillary action also draws ink down the channels into the dermis.
Once in the dermis, the ink is treated as a foreign object. Immune cells called macrophages engulf the particles — but they're too large to break down or clear easily. Research in mice suggests that when an ink-laden cell dies, the pigment is released and recaptured in place by new cells — a relay. In human skin, cells such as fibroblasts are also known to retain pigment. Together, these properties are thought to keep the ink in the dermis for the long term.
Ink caught in the epidermis, meanwhile, is gradually shed with skin turnover. That's why colors settle from their fresh look, taking on the quality of ink seen through a thin film of skin.
IN SHORT
- The epidermis renews — so ink goes into the dermis
- Capillary action draws ink into the needle's channels
- Held by immune and other cells, thought to be relayed across generations
- Epidermal ink sheds, so colors settle over time
STYLES
Styles
American Traditional
02Classic American style with bold outlines and vibrant colors
by Manato
Japanese Traditional
03Traditional Japanese tattoo style
Neo-Traditional
04Traditional styles reimagined with a modern twist
by Manato
Lettering
05Lettering styles from decorative script to clean typefaces
Minimal
06Clean, refined minimal designs
by Manato
Tribal
07Geometric patterns and tribal motifs
by Aimi
Realism
08Photo-realistic depictions
Fine Line
09Delicate designs drawn with ultra-thin lines
Color
10Colorful designs with vibrant hues
by Taiga
Floral
11Designs inspired by plants and flowers
by Manato
Anime
12Illustration and anime-style designs
by Manato
DESIGN GUIDE
Choosing a Design
A tattoo ages with you for decades. These are the design principles we want first-timers to know, grounded in how tattoos actually behave over time.
01
Aim for line gaps of about 2× the line width
Ink spreads slightly over the years. Lines packed too tightly can blur together later. Our studio recommends gaps of at least twice the line width as a working guideline.
02
Fine lines will soften — plan for it
Fine-line work is delicate and beautiful, but very thin lines are expected to soften gradually. Discuss weight and density with your artist, thinking a decade ahead.
03
White is a fading-prone color
We do offer white tattoos, but white ink reads faintly under skin and tends to become hard to see with time. Choose it knowing that character.
04
Color depends on contrast with your skin
How a color reads depends on its contrast with your skin tone. Hues close to skin tone tend to sink in; high-contrast palettes tend to stay legible longer.
05
Colors settle behind a film of skin
Ink in the epidermis sheds with skin turnover, so vividness settles from day one, taking on a look as if seen through a thin film of skin. That's not decay — it's natural aging.
06
Classic styles are classic for a reason
American Traditional and Japanese Traditional are built on bold outlines and solid fields because that grammar has survived decades on skin. If longevity matters, learn from the styles time has already tested.
None of these are absolute rules — they're guidelines for a design that stays beautiful. In your consultation we'll weigh them against what you want and find the right shape together.
PRICING
Pricing
Micro (1.5cm×1.5cm)
~¥10,000One Point (3cm×3cm)
~¥17,000Small (5cm×5cm)
~¥25,000Medium (8cm×8cm)
~¥40,000Large (12cm×12cm)
~¥60,000X-Large (15cm+)(Contact us)
¥100,000〜* Includes topical numb cream and custom design. Aftercare supplies carry a separate fee from visits on 1 September 2026 (no additional charge for visits up to 31 August 2026). Prices vary by design complexity.