Polynesian Tattoo · San Jose Japantown
KAVA FLOW
TATTOOS BY SEF
Freehand Samoan and Polynesian tribal work drawn straight onto the body, at State of Grace Tattoo since 2016. Culture, family and flow — one line at a time.
KAVA — ROOT OF WHO YOU ARE.
Like the kava plant, everything begins at the root.
KAVA represents the foundation of who we are — our family, culture, faith, struggles, and the people and experiences that shaped us.
Rooted in Polynesian tradition.
Built for every walk of life
The Kava Flow difference
Traditional tribal has a handful of patterns everyone has seen. Sefa rebuilds them — one shape, ten different ways — and lays them along your own muscle lines.
Freehand only
Drawn with marker on your skin at the appointment. Nothing traced, nothing copied.
Follows your body
Bold, medium and fine lines shaped to your muscle structure so the piece flows when you move.
Rooted in culture
Inspired by Chief Samatua's pe'a — modern-traditional patterns that carry story and family.
Sleeves to KAVAladieS
Full sleeves, legs, chest and back panels, plus finer women's designs and cover-ups.
Past clients
Work that walked out of the chair
Sleeves, backs, legs and finer women's pieces — every one drawn freehand on the client, never traced from a sheet.
Photos of Sefa's clients, shared with permission from the shop portfolio and @sefkavafornia.
About the artist
Started with a crayon and a brown paper bag
Sefa was four years old, back when San Jose was still all orchards, sitting at his grandfather's knee sketching the dark shapes he saw there — Chief Samatua's pe'a, the Samoan rite of passage that runs mid-back to knees.
Nearly fifty years later those same spears, dots and blocks have become “Kava Flow”: Sefa's signature style, inked at State of Grace Tattoo in San Jose Japantown since 2016, and widely credited as the work that put Polynesian tattooing on the map in San Jose.
Raised on the east side on Napa Drive, with three families — sometimes four — under one roof, Sefa builds everything on family, culture and faith. He still lives in San Jose with wife Krista, daughters Ava and Tessa, and dogs Tyson and Pua.
“There's maybe five patterns everyone has on their body. I take the spear and ask: how do I change this in ten different ways?”
Sefa Samatua
Booking
Request a tattoo session
01
Request availability
Use the request form to share three preferred dates and times, along with your tattoo idea.
02
Design & deposit
Sefa talks through pattern and story, then a deposit holds your session and goes toward the final price.
03
Get inked
Your piece is drawn freehand on the day at 221 Jackson St and built to your body.
Submitting a request does not confirm an appointment. The studio will contact you to confirm a tattoo session time. Appointment-only shop, 18+ with valid photo ID. Contact the studio if you need help booking.
KAVA brand · SAVS x KAVA collabs
Wear the flow
Sefa's Kava patterns, cut into gear: the KAVA brand hoop shorts for adults and kids, plus the SAVS x KAVA collab beanies and skullies. Same lines that go on skin — now on cloth. Everything ships from the KAVA BRAND powered by SAVS store.
"KAVA 626" Trimless Hoop Shorts
Men's · black
KAVA brand$60
"LILO" Trimless Hoop Shorts
Men's
KAVA brand$60
"KAVA 626" Kids Hoop Shorts
Kids · black
KAVA brand$45
"LILO" Kids Hoop Shorts
Kids
KAVA brand$45
SAVS x KAVA Knit Beanie
Black
SAVS x KAVA collab$25
SAVS x KAVA Knit Beanie
Mocha brown
SAVS x KAVA collab$25
SAVS x KAVA Skully Beanie
Black / grey
SAVS x KAVA collab$25
SAVS x KAVA Skully Beanie
Orange
SAVS x KAVA collab$25
Apparel is fulfilled by SAVS. Checkout opens in a new tab. Prices shown in USD; confirm current pricing in the store.
Kavafornia events
Where the flow shows up next
Sample event listings for layout only. Dates and details have not been confirmed. Follow Sefa on Instagram for announcements.
Kavafornia Pop-Up: Ink & Apparel
State of Grace Tattoo · 221 Jackson St, San Jose
11:00 AM – 6:00 PM PT
Walk-in Kava Flow spots on the books all day plus the full KAVA x SAVS rack on site — hoop shorts, skullies and beanies you can try on before you buy.
View source →
Polynesian Tattoo Showcase
San Jose Japantown
12:00 PM – 8:00 PM PT
A day of live tattooing, siva and pe'a storytelling with guest Polynesian artists. Sefa takes booked appointments only — contact the studio to request an appointment.
View source →KAVA x SAVS Holiday Drop
Online · savs.co
Drops 10:00 AM PT
New colorways of the Kava hoop shorts and knit beanies, plus a limited holiday tee. Sizes sell out fast — the drop goes live on the SAVS store.
View source →
Kava Flow Workshop: Reading the Lines
State of Grace Tattoo · 221 Jackson St, San Jose
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM PT
Small-group session on what the spears, dots and blocks actually mean, and how Sefa builds a pattern around your own story. Limited seats.
View source →Sample events shown for layout only. Dates, venues and details are not confirmed.
Questions people ask
What is “Kava Flow”?+
Sefa's own take on Polynesian tribal — bold, medium and fine lines built into patterns that follow your muscle structure, so the piece moves with your body instead of sitting flat on it.
Do you draw the design first?+
No. Almost everything is freehand, drawn with marker directly on your skin at the appointment. That's why every piece is one of a kind — and why the consultation matters.
How much will my tattoo cost?+
Pricing is quoted per piece once Sefa sees the placement, size and idea. Send a tattoo session request and the studio confirms your quote and deposit.
Do you take walk-ins?+
State of Grace is an appointment-only shop. Start by requesting tattoo session availability using the form linked above.
Can you cover up or add to older tribal work?+
Yes — cover-ups, rework and additions to existing tribal pieces are common. Bring photos of the current work to the consultation.
What should I bring?+
Valid photo ID (18+ only), reference photos, and the story behind what you want — family patterns and meaning are part of the process. Eat and hydrate before your session.
Something else? Call the studio or book a consultation.
Visit the shop
State of Grace Tattoo
221 Jackson St, San Jose, CA 95112 — Japantown
Sef's hours: 10 AM – 5 PM · Shop: Tuesday – Sunday, 11 AM – 7 PM · Closed Mondays
Paid parking lot at 5th & Jackson · free street parking on Sundays.