Ximending Tattoo Street

Nestled along a covered portion of Lane 50 of Hanzhong Street, Ximending Tattoo Street (西門町刺青街) is the place to get inked. Tattoos are nothing new in Chinese culture, but for some time have been mostly associated with gangster culture. Since the power and influence of gangs have waned over the years, it appears more likely that those getting tattooed these days do so to assert their individuality than for initiation reasons. This becomes even more evident when considering that the majority of customers are now female. Then again, for many of Taiwan's indigenous tribal groups, tattoos are a form of artistic and cultural expression.

Although Chinese character tattoos gained prominence in the West in recent decades, the meaning behind these words have often not been clearly understood, leading to all sorts of embarrassing choices for tattoos. Should you be thinking of having your body painted with poetic Chinese writing, the artists here provide an undoubtedly better insight on word choice than parlors overseas. And unlike the tattoo shops you may be accustomed to back home, these open parlors do not mind you watching their artists at work. After all, how better to “sell” the quality of your work than to let potential customers watch from the street!

Just as with the rise of graphic art in other industries, tattooing has gained popularity in a new medium as well: one ultra-modern shop offers a new take on tattoo art by inking custom designs on scooters and motorcycles!

Notice:

Most tattoo shops open after 11:00am everyday.