Cap Bagong Tatu

Cap Bagong Tatu is a studio on Jalan Jembawan in Padangtegal, Ubud, focused on traditional Indonesian tattooing: hand tapping, hand poke and machine work. It is open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00 and takes walk-ins on a first-come basis every day.

Artists and styles

Resident artist Sono, from Yogyakarta, has tattooed for about 12 years. He works in custom designs inspired by Indonesian ornaments, carvings, statues, batik and traditional fabrics, with dot work and ancient Javanese script among his specialities. Vincent Whisnu, from Makassar, has ten years of experience and favours traditional Indonesian motifs. Hand tapping uses a wooden stick with a needle and a second stick to tap it, and is done with an assistant who stretches the skin. Hand poke places the design dot by dot with a stick and needle. Cover-ups and piercing are also available.

Booking, prices and hygiene

Appointments are made in person or through Instagram, Messenger or the website. Once an artist confirms, a non-refundable deposit of IDR 500,000 is paid and counted toward the final price, and three design revisions are included. The minimum price is IDR 1 million. Every tattoo includes a free touch-up and free aftercare balm for two days. Equipment is sterilized in an autoclave, needles and gloves are single-use, nitrile gloves are available for latex allergies, and inks are vegan, from Kurosumi and Intenze. Payment is by cash or PayPal.