Selected Books — 50% Off
These are books made to be used, studied, and returned to. For a limited time, selected Kintaro titles are available at 50% off. No code needed, and free shipping applies from €99 in the EU and €149 worldwide.
Premium tattoo books for working artists.
Curated studio reference to sharpen flow, composition, and motif vocabulary.
Fast, tracked delivery worldwide—with secure packaging.
Need help choosing a book or tracking an order? We’re here to help.
Safe checkout with trusted payment providers and secure processing.
Scrolls II by Horiyoshi III
Scrolls II is Horiyoshi III’s long-awaited return to kakejiku (hanging scroll) painting—made as a Japanese tattoo reference book you can actually study. We created this volume for tattooers and collectors who want master-level irezumi flow, storytelling, and line discipline—captured in scroll paintings presented in a vertical gatefold format.
What you’ll use it for
- Composition & flow: how the full piece reads, moves, and “locks in”
- Storytelling rhythm: weight, pauses, and transitions through the frame
- Line discipline: confident stroke choices and controlled detail density
- Large-scale translation: layouts you can adapt for backs, sleeves, and bodysuits
38 new kakejiku works in a gatefold format
In Horiyoshi III’s philosophy, every stroke counts—needle or brush. Inside Scrolls II you’ll find 38 entirely new scroll paintings, each presented as a vertical gatefold that opens to 35 cm × 90 cm (13.8″ × 35.4″). Every piece is accompanied by notes from the artist in Japanese and English, giving you deeper insight into choices, inspiration, and intent.
Want to see how tattooers use books like this as reference (without copying)? Read: How Tattoo Artists Use Reference Books (Without Losing Their Own Style).
Related Horiyoshi III titles
If you’re collecting Horiyoshi III, explore the original landmark project: The Magnum Opus by Horiyoshi III (rare & used) and the behind-the-scenes story here: Behind the Scenes: The Magnum Opus Tattoo Book.
See all Horiyoshi III releases here: Horiyoshi III collection.
Collector’s Edition
We also released 108 hand-numbered Collector’s Editions of Scrolls II, presented in a custom-made bookcase. You will receive six exclusive Horiyoshi III prints with your order.
Specs
Title: Scrolls II by Horiyoshi III
Binding: Hardcover
Language: English and Japanese
Paper type: 170 gr. Munken Lynx Smooth
Page total: 38 gatefolds (displaying at 35 cm × 90 cm / 13.8″ × 35.4″)
Size: 350 × 500 × 40 mm (13.8″ × 19.7″ × 1.5″)
Edition: 500
Collector’s Edition includes:
- Book
- Bookcase
- Six frameable prints housed in the bookcase
- Edition of 108 (hand-numbered)
Printed and hand bound in the Netherlands. Curated by Yushi “Horikichi” Takei.
Whether you’re building your first reference shelf or upgrading your studio library, start here.
Explore collections
Independent since 2011
A little about Kintaro
Kintaro Publishing started with a love for tattooing, art, and books worth keeping. Founded and run by André van Zomeren, we're a small independent publisher working closely with artists from around the world.
Read Our Story
For artists, designers, tattooers, and collectors studying Tibetan Buddhist art, The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs is a serious reference for understanding symbols—not just as decoration, but as visual language with structure, meaning, and tradition behind it.
This exhaustive volume brings together hundreds of detailed line drawings by the author, covering the major symbols and motifs found across Tibetan art, painting, ritual objects, and sacred imagery.
Inside you’ll find a wide visual vocabulary: landscapes, deities, animals, plants, gurus, mudras (ritual hand gestures), dragons, mythic creatures, ornaments, and complex mythological scenes. The strength of the book is in its clarity: forms are stripped back into clean line, making it easier to study shape, proportion, rhythm, and symbolic detail.
This title is especially useful if you want to:
- Study Tibetan Buddhist iconography with more context and intention
- Build a stronger visual vocabulary for symbols, motifs, and sacred imagery
- Use line drawings as reference for composition, ornament, and design structure
For anyone working with symbolic imagery, this is the kind of reference that rewards slow study: not a book to skim once, but one to return to when you need clarity, depth, and better visual judgment.
Book details
- Title: The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs
- Binding: Hardcover
- Language: English
- Pages: 392
- Size: 219 × 305 × 35 mm (8.6 × 11.8 × 1.4 in)
Let customers speak for us
Love this book! Packaging and shipping was perfect as always
Stocked that I got a chance to my hands on this before it was too late again !
Je cherchais ce book depuis des mois… Kintaro l’as trouvé !
L’envoie à été rapide et la qualité du livre parfaite.
Je recommande kintaro publishing amis tatoueurs et tatoués.
Great examples and inspiration for Japanese tattoos. Beautiful publication.
Both the Shane Tan and Bill Canales books I ordered contain breathtaking references and the quality of the books is similarly great. I have baught quite some reference books, but Kintaro puts in extra effort to make them durable and enjoyable.
I use them every day since they arrived.
Awesome book for beautiful references.
Looking forward to getting the rest two!
A fascinating and beautifully presented exploration of Japanese tattooing that goes far beyond the artwork itself.
What makes this book particularly engaging is the way it brings together the rich history, cultural significance and traditional principles of Japanese tattooing. It provides a genuine understanding of the structure, composition and symbolism behind the designs, explaining how individual elements come together to create something far more meaningful than simply an impressive tattoo.
The book successfully bridges the gap between tradition and modern interpretation, showing how centuries of history and craftsmanship continue to influence Japanese tattooing today.
Whether you are a tattoo enthusiast, an artist or simply someone interested in Japanese culture, this is an insightful and rewarding read that leaves you with a much deeper appreciation of the artistry, discipline and meaning behind this remarkable tradition.
Fantastic book for reference and learning. Unfortunately, I don't speak Japanese, but even so, there is a lot to learn from the drawings, and the steps showing how each piece is laid out.
Highly recommend picking it up!
Great range of literature and illustrative books for all styles if tattooing. Very reasonably priced for an investment into yourself not just for the books you buy. Also great deals available whenever they have offers on.
awesome finds for excellent reference material looking forward to my next purchase from kintaro