Tattooing

             Until the late 20th century, with the last fully tattooed Ainu woman passing in 1998, Ainu women maintained a tradition of facial tattooing. For the Ainu, only females received tattoos, and the role of a tattooist was also reserved for women. Mythology recounts that tattooing was introduced by Okikurumi Turesh Machi, the "ancestral mother" of the Ainu and younger sister of the creator god Okikurumi. This tradition, rooted in a shared female ancestor, persisted through generations in matrilineal succession. Typically, the responsibility of tattooing fell on grandmothers or maternal aunts, often referred to as "Tattoo Aunts" or "Tattoo Women".             

             Throughout history, the Japanese government tried to disconnect the Ainu from their tattooing traditions, viewing it as a barrier to their assimilation into Japanese culture. As early as 1799, the Ezo Shogunate banned tattoos, stating, "Regarding the rumored tattoos, those already done cannot be helped, but future generations are prohibited from tattooing.” Another mandate in 1871 declared tattooing as “cruel.” Despite these prohibitions, the Ainu clung to their tattooing traditions, valuing it as a rite of passage for marriage and the afterlife. An 1880s account noted the Ainu's deep emotional connection to tattooing, stating it was central to their religious identity. A woman in the 1970s shared her experience, expressing her wish that they could have preserved at least this custom. In modern Ainu language, "nuye" means both "to tattoo" and "to write," while the traditional term was "anchi-piri."

             Ainu women's lip tattoos were multi-dimensional symbols. They were believed to ward off evil spirits from entering the mouth and bringing about illness or misfortune. They signified a woman's transition into adulthood and readiness for marriage. More profoundly, these tattoos ensured a woman's journey to the afterlife with her ancestors. Beyond the lips, Ainu women also had intricate tattoos on their arms and hands, meant to protect young girls from malevolent spirits. Some designs, started as early as five or six years of age, bore protective and symbolic meanings related to life, death, and well-being.

​