more about Japanese Tattoos

Unlike the Chinese people, the Japanese people are currently very big on tattoos, but that was not always the case. In fact, for a brief time near the end of WW II, getting or giving a tattoo in Japan was actually illegal. The end of the war brought an end to that crime as well.

The alphabetic characters that appear in many Japanese tattoos are called Kanji. These characters, alone or in combination with others, can display a whole range of human emotions, thoughts, proverbs and poetry.

In addition to the calligraphic-like Kanji characters, there are many different animal, spiritual and nature-oriented symbols and images that make their way onto people's body parts in the form of a Japanese tattoo.

Traditional Japanese Tattoos

Irezumi, one of the more traditional Japanese tattoo styles depict dragon, koi and other symbols of Japanese culture and lifestyle. These types of Japanese tattoos are becoming increasingly popular with women who are having these sometimes intricate tattoo designs placed on their hips, back, ankles and arms. Even an occasional breast dragon has been spotted in the wild or during a wet T-shirt contest at some spring break bar in Florida or Mexico.

history of Japanese tattoos

The history of Japanese tattoos goes back to 10,000 BCE. The woman of the Ainu people used tattoos to make themselves look like their goddess, so that demons (who caused diseases) would mistake them for the goddess and get scared. These tribal tattoos started at an early age with a small tattoo on the upper lip. When growing older this small tattoo was expanded. From 300 BC to 300 AD tattoos were used for spiritual and social purposes. Just like in other tattoo cultures, they were an indicator of ones social status. From 300 AD on, tattoos were used in Japan to mark criminals. This practice is called bokukei or bokkei. Japan was the last country to stop marking criminals with tattoos (in 1870). People started covering up these marks of shame with more decorative tattoos and that's how the art started.

Japanese Tattoo Art (1870) Tattooing in Japan reached its zenith in the 1800s, during the Edo period, a time when the power and influence of the common people was very much on the rise. One way in which people chose to use their new-found wealth was to celebrate their art and culture with tattoos. The beauty of the images created was considered a reward for enduring what was, at the time, a long and painful process. Around 1870 the Japanese government outlawed tattoos in order to make a good impression on the Western world. As a result, Japanese tattoos went underground and became affiliated with the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia.

Tattooing in Japan was legalized again in 1945 by the occupying forces, but never really lost its association with crime. Even today people with tattoos are still banned from businesses like fitness centers, in an attempt to restrict the yakuza from entering their place.

Symbolism in Japanese Tattoos

Here are some images that are frequently used in Japanese style tattoos:

• Mythological creatures:
  • The phoenix: the Japanese phoenix is called Ho-Oo and resembles the Chinese phoenix. This mythical bird is a symbol of justice and fidelity. The phoenix represents the element fire and the female force.
  • Dragons: the dragon is a recurring image in Japanese tattoo designs. Dragons represent the element wood and the male forces. The dragon and the phoenix are enemies and are often depicted together in Japanese art and tattoos.
• Animals: tigers, snakes, octopus, bird, butterfly, rabbit, frog, wolf
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Birds: crane bird, owl
• Plants: tree, flower, cherry blossom, lotus, bamboo, maple leaves, peonies
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Religious images: Buddhas and Buddhistic deities
• For backgrounds: clouds, water and waves are recurring.
• Geisha, samurai
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The Japanese sun.
• Anime tattoos.

Japanese Tattoos

Japanese Tattoos