Meet The Maker - Eru Higa
Who is Eru Higa?
I’m an Argentine-born Japanese Wizard Tattoo Supply’s owner and Tattoo machine builder who has been deep in the tattoo world since the late ’90s. Curious, stubborn, and always trying to make things work better than they did yesterday.
Where are you from?
I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1969. My parents are Japanese, and I later moved to Japan, where I’ve spent most of my life and career.
What got you into the tattoo industry?
Pretty late—around 25 years old. After getting tattooed in Japan, the tattooer I was going to asked if I wanted to partner with him to make machines and sell supplies. I didn’t know anything back then, so I started tattooing for about a year just to understand how the machines behaved.That partnership didn’t last more than three years, but it opened the door for me.And honestly, I also had good luck with the time and place—being in Japan in that era made it much easier to get into the tattoo world.That year of tattooing taught me something important: I was a careful tattooer. I only did the designs I knew I could handle. If someone asked for something too difficult, I refused, because I knew the drawing wouldn’t come out right — and I didn’t want to mess up my name… or my reputation (laughs).In the end, I realized I wasn’t an artist, and there were many tattooers much better than me. So I stopped tattooing and focused completely on building machines and supplying materials.
Why did you decide to make tattoo machines?
Back then in Japan, there were only two or three very small supply shops, and none of them were building coil machines locally. Everything was imported and resold.I had studied in an industrial technical school—lathe, milling, welding—so I saw an opportunity and jumped into machine building.
Do you only make tattoo machines?
Mainly machines, but not only. At the time, premade needles were rare, so most artists made their own needles or had someone make them for them. I started making needle jigs, and I still make them today.I also produced powder inks until regulations became complicated.I build coil machines, I make rotary machines, and I’m currently developing a pen-style machine to adapt to the newer generation of artists.
Tell us about your supply company in Japan.
It’s a small company I started back in 1998, and ever since then I’ve tried to adapt to every change the times and the industry have brought.I import what I believe are good-quality products from overseas, and I try to sell both my own products and selected items inside Japan and abroad.When I first started, tattoo supplies weren’t regulated. Later, Japan classified tattooing as a medical act.In 2015, about 20 tattooers in Osaka were arrested for tattooing without being doctors. One of them, Taiki (@taiki_tattoo), took the case to court, and in 2020 the Supreme Court ruled he was innocent — and from that moment, tattooing was no longer considered illegal without a medical license.In 2019, we founded the Japan Tattooist Association (tattooist.or.jp) to communicate directly with the Ministry of Health and prevent them from creating laws without understanding the industry.My company has supplied artists across Japan from 1998, always adapting to keep moving forward.
The biggest challenges you’ve faced making machines.
When I started, information was extremely limited. No social media, no YouTube, nothing. Around 2001–2002, Gus (@gusto73) came to work with me. Since he speaks English, he connected with American, European, and Australian machine builders, and thanks to those connections we exchanged valuable knowledge.And even today, he still helps me a lot.I also remember there was a tattoo machine builders forum back then—one of the few places where you could actually learn something or talk with other builders. You had to dig for every piece of information.Other challenges include adapting to regulations, dealing with changing materials, keeping consistency, and surviving in a market that never stops shifting.And of course, being a coil machine builder today is like being one of the last dinosaurs—but we keep going.
What are some lessons you’ve learned?
• If you think you already know everything, you’re finished.
• Adapt or die—this industry changes fast.
• Quality comes from patience, not shortcuts.
• Good conversations and good contacts can teach you more than any manual.
Advice for new machine builders.
My recommendation is simple: study. Learn materials, tools, electricity, vibration—everything.But be realistic: this won’t make you rich. Coil machines don’t sell like they used to.If someone wants to start today, it should be because they enjoy it, not because they expect big money.It’s becoming more of a hobby than a business, and that’s perfectly fine—just do it with passion and curiosity.
Favourite expo you have been to and why?
For me, the best ones were the Tokyo Tattoo Conventions of 1999 and 2000. Nearly every artist who appeared in tattoo magazines at the time came to those shows. All the “famous” tattooers of that era in one place—it was huge for Japan.Today the tattoo world is different. The quality is much higher, and many artists now tattoo far better than the famous names of those days. But fame today is fragmented—an artist may be incredible, but only known to their own followers.Those early Tokyo conventions had a unique atmosphere you can’t recreate.