Kiyohime body suit
Done by Horiyama, Auckland New Zealand
This full back piece features Kiyohime (清姫), one of the most powerful and tragic female figures in Japanese folklore. A story of devotion, jealousy, transformation, and rage, Kiyohime has long been a compelling subject in Japanese tattooing (irezumi), offering both dramatic visual impact and deep symbolic meaning.
The Legend of Kiyohime
Kiyohime’s story originates from the famous Dojo-ji legend. She was a young woman who fell deeply in love with a travelling monk named Anchin. When he rejected her advances and fled, Kiyohime’s heartbreak turned into obsession and fury. Consumed by emotion, she chased him relentlessly, her human form eventually transforming into that of a serpent or dragon. Anchin sought refuge inside the great temple bell at Dojo-ji, but Kiyohime followed him there. In her transformed state, she wrapped herself around the bell and breathed fire, killing him inside. The story ends as a cautionary tale about uncontrolled desire, betrayal, and the destructive power of passion.
In irezumi, Kiyohime represents:
Intense emotion and transformation
Love turned to obsession
The thin line between devotion and destruction
Design & Composition
This back piece places Kiyohime centrally, commanding the entire composition. She is depicted mid-transformation, retaining her human beauty while revealing subtle demon and serpent elements — a classic and timeless approach in traditional Japanese tattooing.
Her flowing kimono creates strong movement throughout the body, guiding the eye naturally from the shoulders down through the back and into the hips and thighs. The pose and direction of her gaze add tension and narrative, suggesting both longing and fury.
The snake motifs woven throughout the design reinforce Kiyohime’s transformation, wrapping around her form and integrating seamlessly into the background. These elements create a sense of inevitability — her fate already unfolding.
Colour Palette & Motifs
The bold blue kimono anchors the design visually, offering contrast against the dark, stormy background. lowing throughout the composition are maple leaves (momiji), a traditional Japanese motif symbolising impermanence, change, and a quiet sense of peace. Their presence reflects the fleeting nature of emotion and life itself — an elegant counterbalance to Kiyohime’s emotional volatility.
Red accents appear sparingly but intentionally, echoing themes of passion, danger, and fire. The balance of colour follows traditional irezumi principles: bold, limited palettes that age well and read clearly from a distance.
Irezumi Background
The background is built with classic Japanese tattoo elements: heavy black shading, stylised clouds, and flowing forms that frame the main figure without overpowering it. The background plays a crucial role in irezumi, creating depth, contrast, and cohesion across the entire body.
Here, the background enhances Kiyohime’s presence, pushing her forward while unifying the back, hips, and thighs into one continuous composition. The result is a powerful full-body flow that feels intentional and balanced from every angle.
A Timeless Irezumi Subject
Kiyohime remains a popular subject in Japanese tattooing not only for her dramatic story, but for how beautifully her narrative translates into large-scale work. As a full back piece, she allows for storytelling, movement, and emotional depth — everything that makes irezumi so compelling. This tattoo is a strong example of traditional Japanese tattoo design applied thoughtfully to the body, respecting both the mythology and the principles of the craft.
For those seeking large-scale irezumi tattoos in New Zealand, pieces like this reflect the timeless appeal of Japanese tattooing and the importance of storytelling within the art form.