Issued by the International Tattoo Federation (ITF) | November 14, 2025
Official authentication letter certifying the award delivered to Masaharu Suzuoka (Kenshō II) by the ITF President.
Awards & Press — Kenshō (Masaharu Suzuoka) | Japanese Tattoo Artist
HALL OF FAME & CERTIFICATIONS
Certificate of Excellence — OCE109
Authenticity Letter — International Tattoo Federation
Legend of the Industry Award &
Modern Tattoo Hall of Fame Induction
Icons & Prodigies — Venice Tattoo Convention, Italy | June 2025
Awarded the “Legend of the Industry” — a lifetime achievement recognition voted on by fellow tattoo artists at the Icons & Prodigies event. Recipients are selected by peers who vote for the artists they consider the greatest sources of inspiration, admiration, and artistic influence in the world of tattooing.
Upon receiving this award, Kenshō was officially inducted into the Modern Tattoo Hall of Fame, an institutional archive established and chaired by the International Tattoo Federation (ITF), celebrating the key figures of modern tattoo art from the 1990s to the present.
The induction ceremony was held at Palazzo Ca’ Vendramin, Venice, Italy.
📰 PRESS & MEDIA
Eighty Magazine – Issue 18 (July 2026)
Interviewed 16 pages about Kensho’s life, tattoo in Japan, traditional culture, and more.
DGN Tattoo Magazine — Feature Interview (March 2026)
Extended 9-question feature interview covering Kenshō’s Tebori philosophy, lineage, the WAJIMA-IREZUMI Project, and international recognition.
Waboripedia — Horishi Interview Series, Episode 26 (October 2025)
Featured as the 26th horishi interviewed in Waboripedia’s renowned Japanese tattoo interview series, covering Kenshō’s traditional Tebori approach, lineage, and involvement with Wajima-nuri lacquerware.
Global Tattoo Magazine — 10th Anniversary Edition (September 2022)
Featured artist in the commemorative 10th anniversary issue.
Killer Ink (March 2020)
Serink Tattoo (June 2020)
BBC News (October 2019)
Featured in international BBC coverage on Japanese traditional tattooing and the art of Tebori.
Le Iene — Mediaset Italy (November 2019)
Featured in Italian national television coverage.
Belfast Telegraph (July 2018)
Exclusive feature article: “Japanese Tattoo Master Brings the Ancient Art of Tebori to Belfast Convention”
Esquire Magazine (June 2016)
Total Tattoo Magazine (June 2017)
🏆 CONVENTION AWARDS
・1st place Best Of Day Oriental
・1st place Best Of New Name
・Legend Of The Industry | Modern Tattoo Hall Of Fame
・1st place Best Of Oriental/Japan
・1nd place Best Of Oriental
・1st place Best Of Sleeve
・2nd place Best Of Oriental
・Grand Prix Award(Selected from the 1st place winners)
・Best Of Show
・1st place Best Asian Style
・1st place Best of Friday
・1st place Best of Oriental
・3rd place Best of Japanese
・1st place Best of Oriental
・1st place Best of Oriental
・1st place Best of Day 3
・1st place Best of Oriental
・2nd place Best of Oriental
・2nd place Best of Oriental
・3rd place Best of Ornamental
・1at place Best of Oriental
I have been to attend numerous international tattoo conventions as special guest. Luckily sometimes I won the tattoo contests and received offer from medias for interview or featured on their platforms.
I have been interviewed by many TV stations and newspapers during international tattoo events, and it has been published, but unfortunately I was so busy at tattooing that I forgot the names of the media.
The list here is the best I can remember.I do not claim that these are the most important, but I have included them as proof of my skill level as a tattoo artist.
I set their links on the name of media and tattoo convention, please visit them if you interested in it.