Popular Japanese Tattoo Meanings, Symbolism and Designs

There has been a phenomenal growth of traditional Japanese tattoo designs in the past few years. It used to be that tattoos were relegated to the Yakuza or Japanese gangs and the criminals in the society. Just the site of a tattoo used to and still can strike fear into people. However, Japan is a rapidly changing country and they are starting to see the value in tattoos and more and more people have a deep respect for them. For most tattoo artists and tattoo enthusiasts alike Japanese designs have always been sought after. Here are some Japanese tattoo meanings and design ideas to help give you a guide of some possibilities if you are interested in getting such a design.

Cherry Blossom Tattoos

For the Japanese the cherry blossom is seen to represent life itself. The flower is a thing of great beauty. It is strong in that is pushes itself and blooms in harsh conditions and climates and often comes out when the snow is first melting. Yet it is paradoxically fragile at the same time. It is fragile because it will only last a few days and then it will fall from the tree and land in the snow. The Japanese view this as a representation of life itself. Life should be lived to extreme beauty and everyday should be lived to it's fullest. Yet one must always be aware of the possibility of death and therefore with the eventuality of death live life even more fully. This is a great tattoo and a symbol that is laden with powerful reminders and a great guide to how each individual should live their life.

 Koi Fish Tattoos

Koi fish are probably the second most powerful symbol in tattoo designs in general but also fro the Japanese. Koi fish can been seen in front of almost every temple throughout Japan. The myth states that the Koi fish swim back up stream against the current to eventually read a bridge or a gate. If they can make it to the gate they are turned into dragons and magically fly away to start a new life. The symbolism behind this design is one of perseverance which is a very deep and important concept for the Japanese. In fact they have many more words to describe perseverance, effort and sticking with something in the language then we do in English.

 Hannya Masks

Hannya masks are scary looking and demonic masks. The mask comes from the famous Kabuki plays in Japan and it depicts a women who has been consumed with rage over a lover or someone that has not returned her love. There are different variations as each Kabuki play has a different interpretation. At any rate these masks represent a jealous women. However, they have been widely used in Japanese tattoos and also here in the west. When they are used in tattoo in it is believed that they will ward of evil spirits and bring good luck to the person wearing it. Japanese will also sometimes but these up for display high in the room of their house to ward off evil spirits.

 Samurai

Samurai of course lived by the code of Bushido. There is not enough room here to full explain the code of Bushido but it deals with living life to the fullest, being prepared to die in service and being loyal and strong. The concepts of Bushido are pretty much at the heart of all Japanese values and morals and also what is taught to most young kids over and over again through stories. You could say the code of Bushido is the heart of the Japanese culture and beliefs. Samurai's and samurai tattoos of course are the best symbol of these beliefs.

These are just four of the most popular themes within Japanese tattoos. One of these might be right for your design and what you are looking for. There are tons of other Japanese tattoo meanings and tattoo design out there. It is best to do some reaserch and spend time finding a design that is right for. This site dedicated to Tattoo Designs can be very helpful in finding the design that is right for you. Check out this site if you want to learn more about other tattoo meanings [http://www.mycustomtattoo.com/blog] and tattoos in general

Article Source:Chris_Ryerson

How to Understand Japanese Tattoo Designs

Ancient relics such as clay pottery and statues showed images of Japanese people who were intricately tattooed. Even more fascinating, the first Japanese tattoo designs were found on people of high social standing. Many Japanese historians now agree that the earliest Japanese tattoo designs were utilized in rituals to signify the positions of people in society, as well as to provide ways to protect one's self from evil spirits.

The Japanese people are one of the first great civilizations to incorporate tattooing into their culture. While in China the art of tattooing began as a way to mark off the prisoners and the other outcasts of society, the Japanese tattoos were valued in a different manner from the start.

Japanese tattoos are rich in inspiration. Like all arts, the Japanese learned to incorporate their most important values into their skin through tattoos. This is the reason why one of the cherished values of the early Japanese people, religion and love, is often the primary motifs of the people's tattoos. The courtesans, artists, and even the geishas of Japan were all acquainted with tattooing and used it as personal markers of their religious backgrounds and who they love.

An example of how Japanese tattoo designs were used to symbolize love was in the vow tattoo. Some geishas will have their lover's names imprinted in their arms in order to show their promises of lasting love. Aside from being used for making promises about love, the tattoo in Japanese society also evolved aesthetically.

During some periods, the design of these tattoos were rendered with intricate detail. On the other hand, during some other times the Japanese had tattoos were less like pictures and more like moles. These dot tattoos were symbolic and were also often used by lovers to indicate the places where their loved ones had touched them, such as the hand.

Eventually, the Japanese tattoos came to posses not only a cultural note, but also a social and political one. From the late seventeenth century up to the latter half of the nineteenth century, many middle class people used tattoos to express their social and political sentiments.

Everyone from the office workers of that time, to the farm hands and the street merchants began placing high value on the political statements that were expressed through Japanese tattoo designs. Even the upper class members of society looked upon tattoos with high regard, and many shows were conducted to showcase the craftsmanship of many tattoo artists.

In general, Japanese tattoo designs are intricately linked to the cultural values of the people. Before full body tattoos developed, the back was the sole place where these skin art works were rendered. Often the themes were the epics and folktales of the Japanese people themselves, which mean that in the past, a Japanese body filled with tattoos can actually contain the history of the people itself. Eventually, full body tattoos became popular and Japanese tattoo designs began to be used to show another aspect of the values that were important to the Japanese, aesthetics itself. Today, Japanese inspired tattoo designs are popular because of the designs that are distinct to Japanese artists or those that have been heavily influenced by the Japanese, seen by such motifs as the carp and other water elements.

Article Source:Dylan_Douglass