As much as Kaname was inspired by Horiyoshi and the distinctive art of Japanese traditional tattooing, or irezumi, Kaname in turn inspired a new generation of tattoo artists, and his books celebrating Japanese tattoo have become a valuable source of inspiration and reference.

An almost exact contemporary of Horiyoshi III, Kaname's body of work consists primarily of naked women brandishing stunning wabori, Japanese designs including dragons, samurai, Buddhist deities and koi fish. His interpretations of irezumi have found their way not only into his impressive tomes, but into mainstream Japanese culture, and his artwork can be found in many other formats from jigsaw puzzles to postcards.