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Ainu People The
Ainu are a race
of people living
on the northernmost
island of Japan,
Hokkaido. Until
the 1920's the
lips and mouth
of their single
women was tattooed
with broad blue
bands that looked
much like mustaches.
The young Ainu
women underwent
this tattooing
between the ages
of 11 and 21. The
lips were washed
with a boiled solution
of birch bark and
clear water and
the grandmothers
or maternal aunts
began the pricking
with a razor sharp
sliver of metal.
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