By Angela Cabotaje

From the moment you walk into Tiger Tiger Tattoo, you know you’ve entered much more than just a tattoo parlor. It is part tattoo shop and part art gallery. The front display windows are large and inviting, while inside, the walls are vibrant red and covered with paintings and other beautiful works. Tiger Tiger is part of the P.A. Stephens’ Tattoo Emporiums family, which has six shops in total, including Seattle Tattoo Emporium, the oldest existing tattoo shop in the nation; it was established in 1941. Proprietors Chula and Jimmy the Saint pride themselves on creating a place where tradition, culture and community can all come together. After closing a shop in Columbia City, they decided that a move to the International District — and Nihonmachi in particular — would be a perfect fit. Tattooing has deep ties to the Japanese culture. Since World War II, a trading of techniques and cultural influences allowed the art to blossom. Today, Chula and Jimmy both refer to the works of ukiyo-e masters Utagawa Kuniyoshi and Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, who greatly influenced the Japanese tattoo narrative. Chula and Jimmy each have more than 20 years of experience and do a mix of custom and traditional work for their loyal clientele and new customers. “Tattoo is just another form of art,” Chula explains. “The canvas is just different.” As for their new location, he sums it up like this: “We found a place where we know we belong.” The neighborhood, Chula says, has been extremely supportive and welcoming. In turn, Tiger Tiger strives to give back and be an active member of the community. They participated in Nihonmachi Nites this past summer and plan to raffle off tattoo time to help raise money for a local organization this holiday season as they did last year. “The fact that we’re in the business of helping people feel good about themselves — adorning the body — it makes us feel good,” Chula says. “It’s a very gratifying job.”