Samurai Tattoo

The New Cross Tattoo Designs Range From Small and Hidden to Bright, Big and Colorful

Cross tattoo designs are popular ways to display art on the body. They are popular both among men and women. Tattoos were original to Japan and were applied to the face. Over the years there have been numerous changes in tattoos and tattoo designs. This form of body art has dramatically changed and no longer applies to simply getting a cross popular among the Celts many years ago.

There are vast arrays of types of design ranging from Celtic to Christian crosses. They can be small and hidden or elaborate and cover an entire area. Where you decide to put the cross design depends on many factors. If you work in an arena that frowns on body art, you would not opt to have a neck or sleeve tattoo. The colors are bright and amazing to simple black or blue.

Crosses and other religious symbols are very popular designs. They can be a small cross on your ankle to an elaborate design with intricate detail on the back. The choice is unlimited. Many who have lost a loved one choose to design a colorful cross with a name.

Getting hearts, angels and butterflies are popular alternatives to cross designs among women. They can be small, but have a lot of color. Women tend to get art on their ankles, stomach or small of the back.

Men generally opt for their cross to be put on the back, chest or arm. They usually opt for a cross design with symbolic meaning. The creative designs are not limited to either a man or a woman. It is no longer unacceptable for a woman to have a bold design on her arm or a man to have something on his leg. That is part of the beauty with cross tattoos, there is no significant sex or placing that is limited.

The cross design has to be something that you admire. And are proud to wear. When you make the decision to get a cross tattoo, it should be done by someone with previous work to show you. It is permanent and the last thing you want is a design that you are unhappy with; they are made to be displayed and admired.

The majority of cross tattoo designs are created out of remembrance to something or someone special. The tattoo is a beautiful piece of art that symbolizes what you admire. The designs can be a full colored cross or a simple one.

A Guide to Cross Tattoo Designs

The cross tattoo is one of the oldest symbols known to mankind. Celtic coins found dated back long before Christianity and cave drawings have also revealed crosses' dating back to the Stone Age. It is not known when or why the first cross was drawn but after the circle the cross is one of the first drawn by children across all cultures, this may be due to the simplicity of the design and the children's exposure to the cross symbol, but its still an interesting point to ponder.

One of the earliest crosses was the Ancient Egyptian ankh ("meaning handled cross"), or the Key of the Nile, this cross predates the modern cross and was seen as a symbol of life and fertility. The circle on the top represents the sun, the creator of life. The most popular and easily recognisable cross is that of the Christian cross as a symbol of the death of Jesus. The word cross comes from the Latin "crux", meaning to torture, and torture it certainly was, and whether you believe the biblical version of events or not, there can be no doubt that this symbol of sacrifice propelled Christianity into the religious juggernaut we see today.

Jesus was not the first to die on a cross and he certainly was not the last. Many of the disciples of Jesus also met the same fate, most notably St. Peter who insisted on being crucified upside as he thought he was unworthy to be compared to Jesus. This upside cross is still used today in some Catholic ceremonies to symbolise humbleness and respect to Jesus. The upside cross has also been associated with anti-Christian or Satanic groups.

The Anchor cross has been a popular tattoo design for sea fairing folk for centuries, although the origins of the anchor cross are not so cheerful. The story goes that a Roman Emperor by the name of Trajan took a distinct disliking to the bishop of Rome, so much so, that he tied the poor bishop to an anchor and threw him in the sea. The bishop, now known as St. Clement has been remembered as a martyr to Christianity. Other popular crosses are the Greek, Coptic ankh, Canterbury, Serbian, Presbyterian, Maltese, Nordic and many more. The cross has also been represented on many flags, such as, the Flag of Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Australia, and many others.

The cross has been utilized by almost every culture in various shapes and sizes with varied symbolic meanings. For example, the cross can symbolise health, life, death, immortality, fertility, the sun and stars, the alliance of Heaven and earth, and that is why the cross has always remained one of the most popular and best tattoo designs today. As you can see there are many interpretations other than religious for you to think about for your cross tattoo design. I hope this guide to cross tattoo designs has been of some benefit to

The Mystical Japanese Tattoo Symbols

Due to the popularity of body art many art lovers have tried to ink the Japanese tattoo symbols in their body. During the early years, when you are in Japan, you would have tattoos of the people you would think that are associated to Yakuza, which is known to be a group of notorious Japanese criminals. But over the years, Japan has developed and the significance of body art is greatly appreciated. Presently, both the tattoo lovers and tattoo artists find the Japanese symbols attractive.

Examples of Favorite Japanese Symbols

1. Koi Fish - This is one of the most sought Japanese symbols used even for non-Japanese. If you visit Japan you will notice that most of the temples have Koi fish symbol. This is because the fish signifies strong determination that is very significant to the people of Japan. Likewise, the Koi fish is also a symbol of uncompromising bravery.

Moreover, Koi fish is one of the many symbols that are used by men on their arms, back, calf areas and shoulders. Some inked this symbol in full sleeve designs while others choose the large koi tattoos. On the hand, women prefer to ink the tattoo on their arms, stomach areas and hips. The good thing about this symbol is that the color harmonizes with any skin tone.

2. Cherry Blossoms - This flower symbolizes life and is comparable to beauty. The essential characteristic of cherry blossoms that makes it an important symbol is its ability to thrive in any weather condition though it is also delicate. In this sense, it implies that living life to the fullest is very important for us to see the beauty of life. On the other hand, living life to the fullest does not mean that we take for granted the possibility of death. That is why it is necessary that we live life on its very meaning.

3. Hannya Masks - This mask has a demonic look that was originated in Japan's Kabuki stage play. It symbolizes jealous and hatred but Japanese believed that inking this symbol in their body would beget good fortune and keep away evil spirits.

Before you decide to pick any Japanese tattoo symbols make sure to know first its meaning as well as what it stands for. In this way you will be confident to flaunt your body art without worrying if anyone asks you what its significance is. Moreover, you should also keep in mind that this body art would reflect your personality and it serves as self representation. Likewise, tattoo does not only add attraction but also used for sentimental reasons.

Japanese Sleeve Tattoo Designs - Comparison of Half Sleeve and Full Sleeve Japanese Tattoos

Japanese sleeve tattoos with its rich and intricate details combined with bright colors are extremely popular among tat enthusiasts. It's becoming a mainstream and are not only getting attention from the males but with females as well. Being very exquisite and decorative, tattooing this theme can take a lot of time, even multiple session thus it can be expensive. However, the idea of sporting an aesthetically pleasing tattoo art on your arm can be really rewarding making it so much worth in the end.

When contemplating on getting Japanese sleeve tattoos, you have two options to choose from - half sleeve or full sleeve designs. Half sleeve tattoos start from the upper arm and end near the elbows while full sleeve covers the entire arm. Normally, a full sleeve is a product of something that started out as just a half-sleeve body art and then is extended later on with complimentary designs to make it a full sleeve ink. The arm is the body part involved in this process and it is such a great canvas to work on because its shape makes way for artistic flow of various tattoo arts.

The most common designs for Japanese sleeve tattoo are those that are part of their history and culture such as koi fish, cherry blossoms, samurai, dragon and geisha. Their symbolism and art go way beyond just tattoo designs because they hold deep significance in the Japanese psyche. They are the symbols that have been part of Japanese folklore that has lead their prominence in art and culture. They generally represent strength and courage to go through trials to achieve one's purpose in life. The kind of message that one wants to convey in his Japanese tattoos.

Japanese Flower Tattoos

Japanese Flower tattoos are becoming very popular particularly among women who often see their tattoo as an extra accessory. Many women choose to have a tattoo because they think of it as having a piece of artwork that you can have with you wherever you go. Flowers have their own individual meanings and it is a good idea to find the meaning behind the flower that you choose.

An increasing number of women choose the lotus flower as a tattoo. The Lotus flower has a long history and in the Hindu and Buddhist traditions it is seen as a sign of waking to a spiritual reality. Most tattoo artists feel that the lotus flower is emblematic of life in general because if starts off in mud and turns into something beautiful. Many people who have had a rough time of things will sometimes have a lotus tattoo as a symbol of the fact that they are coming out of the other side of trouble. Lotus flowers are also quite important in Japanese symbolism. Japanese tattoo artists will work with lotus flowers, sometimes combining them with koi fish as the two things are often found together in the ponds in front of Japanese temples.

Flower tattoos come in all shapes and sizes. Until recent years many women who had a flower tattoo would have it placed somewhere on the body that was normally covered by clothing. Nowadays society has a far more open attitude to women with tattoos. A rose can signify eternal love and beauty but if the rose is black or is entangled with barbed wire then it tends to have a darker meaning. Many women start with small flower tattoos and then add to their body art over time. Hawaiian flower tattoos are worn by both women and men they might be a yellow Hibiscus or a flowery orchid. The Hibiscus flower comes in red or yellow and is often accompanied by a rose in body art. Tattoos are extremely popular in Hawaii and it is not unusual to see both men and women sporting tattoos. Women tend towards the floral designs whereas men seem to prefer tribal design tattoos.

One of the biggest attractions of flower tattoos is the fact that they tend not to date and will probably just as popular in twenty years as they are now. Some women have a floral tattoo around the navel or on the ankle bone. Many women like their tattoos custom designed and so they will take an ordinary flower and add their own adornments to it so that they finish up with a tattoo that is uniquely theirs. The beauty and delicate nature of cherry blossom makes it a popular choice for many women who want a tattoo. Cherry blossom is heavy with significance in both Chinese and Japanese cultures. The Chinese regard cherry blossom as a symbol of female power and at the same time as a symbol of love. In Japan on the other hand the cherry blossom signifies the transience of life. It makes sense to try to understand the symbolism behind the tattoo before you have it done

Tattoo Japanese Design Ideas

Getting Japanese tattoo design ideas can help anyone find the perfect tattoo that reflects exactly who they really are. We are going to discuss some basic tattoo designs to help you get an idea of where to start and what to prepare for.

Tattoos are an undying symbol of who you are. They can help remind you of where you came from, where you are going, or who you want to be. They are a pure form of self expression and a representation of your inner self. Tattoos may tell a story or keep remembrance of a love one alive. Try to keep this in mind when you are figuring out which tattoo you would like. It is extremely important that you choose wisely.

Below are just a few basic styles of tattoos. The type of designs may help you spark some great tattoo ideas.

1. The Tribal Tattoo Design - Tribal Tattoo designs have its roots from early cave paintings. Many cultures from the Mayans and Aztecs to the early Egyptians used tribal tattoos. They have many meanings and represent a number of ideals. Tibal Tattoo Designs are great because they hold much deep inner meaning and can symbolize everything from strength to purity. There are literally thousands upon thousands of different kinds of tribal tattoo design ideas. Discover which one is right for you.

2. Celtic Tattoo Designs - Celtic Tatto designs are also one of the most famous kinds of tattoos. Celtic Tattoos symbolize the celtic genre and are often a very intricate weave as with all celtic designs. Most often seen is the Celtic Cross tattoo. Celtic tattoos are a great tattoo idea and there are literally unlimited choices for the kind of tatt idea you are looking for.

3. Zodiak Tattoo Designs - Zodiak tattoos are also extremely popular. Zodiak tattoos are a great symbol of who we are. Those who practice and follow astrology often find this style of tattoo a winner. Whether your looking for a Pisces tattoo, a Leo tattoo or an a Gemini tattoo everyone can find a style that they can relate too.

4. Japanese Tatto Designs - Japanese tattoo designs and other kinds of oriental tattoos are often popular in the west as well. Oriental tattoos are stylish and can represent something that no one else (unless they are oriental) may understand. Japanese tattoos make great tattoo ideas and can be very beautiful.

5. Dragon Tattoo Designs - Dragon Tattoos can represent anything from strength to luck. Dragon tatts are great and beautiful and have its place in history as well. These style of tatts are culturally defining and look very exotic. This is a great choice for a tattoo idea.

Whichever style of tattoo design you are looking for, make sure it is what fits you exactly. Tattoos are long-term and will follow you wherever you go. It is a great idea to make sure you choose wisely and invest time in to deciding which one is right for you.

Chinese and Japanese Tribal Dragon Tattoos

Dragon tattoos are one of the most popular designs all over the world. It can go in any category, whether abstraction, naturalistic, dedication, stylized or combination tattoos.

Throughout history, dragon tattoos have never been out of fashion and had been used as a symbol in some parts of the world. It can be drawn as menacing or regal depending on your choice of design.

Dragon tattoos come in two popular forms: the Chinese or Japanese dragon of the east with its long, snake-like body and the European dragon of the west with its powerful wings and long neck. The European dragon usually symbolizes power and fear, a depiction of evil where as the Chinese dragon usually symbolizes unity and conformity, a depiction of good.

You can find many different designs of dragon tattoos in different forms and colors. Some of these dragon designs have additional background scenery where they are depicted flying in the clouds, swimming in the ocean, crawling on top of mountains or ravaging small villages. But the most common depiction of a dragon is being done as tribal dragon tattoos due to both its simplicity (the majority color being in either black or gray with the additional color to highlight the dragon) and its complexity.

Most often, the eastern dragons are the ones being used as a basis for the designs for the tribal dragon tattoos. Chinese and Japanese designs are the ones most common to be created into tattoos. Both have similar features: long, snake-like body, wingless and have horns. The only difference between these two dragons is their claws. Japanese dragons have only three claws where as the Chinese dragons have five. Their long, wingless bodies are less complicated to draw and since tribal tattoos are mostly being done in one color (two at the most), the outcome of these dragon are more elegant looking and sophisticated.

Though, some in today's society, eastern dragons that are being created into tribal dragon tattoos is being depicted as a symbol of fear and power; a contrast to the real symbolism of the eastern dragons.

Some people today would ask for a tribal dragon tattoo when they want to look tough or powerful. They would look for the best dragon design and ask to have it done. But there are still those who see the eastern dragon as a symbol of wisdom and would ask for a dragon as a sign of respect. And still, others would just like a tribal dragon tattoo because the artistry is very well made and it looks good in the body.

The most common place to find a tribal dragon would be on the whole arm length or at the back.

There are still some parts of the world where dragon tattoos are still used as a symbol in society. Whether they are being used as a status symbol in an organization or a clan, they are a mark of respect and power to the people who still value them.

Lower Back Butterfly Tatoo

Lower Back Tattoos Flowers Tattoo

Female Japanese Tattoos With Image Japanese Cherry Blossom Tattoo Designs Especially Japanese Cherry Blossom Foot Tattoo

Female Japanese Tattoos With Image Japanese Cherry Blossom Tattoo Designs Especially Japanese Cherry Blossom Foot Tattoo 1

Female Japanese Tattoos With Image Japanese Cherry Blossom Tattoo Designs Especially Japanese Cherry Blossom Foot Tattoo 2

Female Japanese Tattoos With Image Japanese Cherry Blossom Tattoo Designs Especially Japanese Cherry Blossom Foot Tattoo 3

Female Japanese Tattoos With Image Japanese Cherry Blossom Tattoo Designs Especially Japanese Cherry Blossom Foot Tattoo 4

Female Japanese Tattoos With Image Japanese Cherry Blossom Tattoo Designs Especially Japanese Cherry Blossom Foot Tattoo 5

Female Japanese Tattoos With Image Japanese Cherry Blossom Tattoo Designs Especially Japanese Cherry Blossom Foot Tattoo 6

Female Japanese Tattoos With Image Japanese Cherry Blossom Tattoo Designs Especially Japanese Cherry Blossom Foot Tattoo 7

Sexy Model Sleeves Tattoos

Cherry blossom tattoos designs for lower back tattoo

Wings tattoo for girls

Japanese Kanji Tattoos

Japanese Kanji Tattoos are fast becoming the most popular tattoo design. Japanese Kanji characters are so incredibly artistic and have such mystique that it seems as though they were created ideally for the purpose of tattoos. When you think about the best qualities of a tattoo many words come to mind such as symbolic, mysterious, and meaning.

The beauty of Japanese Kanji tattoos is that each Kanji symbol is an ideographic character, which means is represents an entire object/meaning/symbol. Japanese Kanji symbols have such elaborate definition; each stroke of the symbol must be done in the correct direction and order. Japanese Kanji Tattoos can easily represent nearly any meaning you want. Words such as love, peace, freedom, strength, unity are very popular Japanese Kanji tattoos, as well as loved one's names.

It is a good idea to research your Japanese Kanji Tattoo before visiting your tattoo artist. There are several reasons for this - firstly, Kanji is a different form of language to English, and if you were to choose a Kanji sentence, the order of the words will be in different order to English. Secondly, many tattoo parlors have Japanese Kanji tattoo designs which have been altered by westerners and you will not know until it is too late. Finally, some Japanese Kanji characters have several meanings, and you may think your symbol means one thing, where in fact it means something completely different. Luckily there are websites out there that can help you get the perfect translation.

How to Find Amazing Japanese Tattoos

Let's talk about where you can find Japanese Tattoos. Japanese tattoos are not very hard thing to find on the internet. I bet that you can spend less than five minutes doing a quick search on Google and find thousands of Japanese Tattoos. That's not the tough part though. The main problem most girls and guys have is that all they seem to run into are broad, low end pictures that are not worth the time to print out. One why around this is to do this, especially if you are using a Google search to find your Japanese tattoos.

Now do not take this the wrong way I love to use search engines but they are not just great for everything you are looking for. It's just that they pack with sub-par Japanese tattoos and tattoo artwork. I even tried it myself. No matter which styles of Japanese tattoos I was looking for, it was the same broad, low end galleries that rear their ugly heads. They were just loaded with nothing but run of the mill Japanese tattoos that aren't worth the time.

That's not the worst part of it, though...

When you look for Japanese tattoos at these galleries, most of the pictures they have were not even intended to be used as real Japanese tattoos! Can you believe that they would post this kind of sub-par artwork on their sites, but they did. They don't care if that Japanese tattoo was not really sketched in the way tattoo-art needs to be sketched. As long as it looks somewhat good, they are always willing to put it up on their sites. It's sad, because girls and guys end up choosing sub-par artwork like this and go to get them tattooed. They have no idea that it will not look anywhere near as great on their skin as it looked on the paper it was printed it on.

That is not the form of Japanese tattoos worth settling for. In fact, they are not even real Japanese Tattoos!

Ok, enough talk about that. So, how can you find great Japanese tattoos without digging through so much sub-par artwork, low-end pictures?

It's actually pretty easy and will change the way you search for Japanese tattoos. Everything you need when it comes to finding tons of pictures of tattoos is using a forum. Actually, you should use forums for many different products you are looking for on the internet. They are the perfect place for finding out where the hidden artwork is. You see, there are a lot of topics revolving around Japanese tattoos inside of forums. This is why it is a great idea to look there, because these topics usually have loads of links that people have found. They are usually to the hidden artwork sites that have much of the great artwork you've been missing out on. It's a resourceful and different way to find the Japanese tattoos you want. It does not take long to use them and it beats the heck out of seeing the same old artwork all the time.

No matter which Japanese tattoos you decide on, just make certain that you are 110% happy with it before getting it tattooed

Japanese Dragon Tattoo Designs and Meaning

The Japanese Dragon Tattoo is a very beautiful and colorful tattoo design and very symbolic, with its origins in myths and folklore. It is also very mystical, adding to the appeal of the Japanese dragon tattoo. Over the ages, from Egyptian times the dragon has represented good and also represented evil. However, the attraction of the Japanese dragon, apart from its stunning beauty is that it represents good luck and the source of wealth. The Japanese dragon also represents the meaning of freedom and being fearless, both very attractive qualities.

In the Greek language, dragon is sourced from draca, which means serpent.

Like the angel, the Japanese Dragon also has the meaning of guardianship, providing a protective force over those it was associated with. Other meanings associated with the Japanese dragon is strength and power. In Japanese culture the dragon is associated with supernatural powers, and amazing wisdom.

There are six forms of the Japanese Dragon. They are:

Sui-Riu is the king Dragon and is in control of the rain. Therefore in this day and age of drought he is all powerful!

Han-Riu has many stripes on his body and is up to forty feet in length. One of the biggest dragons.

Ri-Riu dragon is a rare breed that is not well understood. However, it is known that they have amazing eye sight.

Ka-Riu is a brilliant red color, and a petite dragon in comparison with the others.

Fuku-Riu is a favorite dragon of many people as it is the dragon of luck.

Hai-Riyo is known as the dragon bird, and the most advanced form of dragon. It evolved out of Chinese mythology.

The colors of the dragons have special significance, which are based on their parents. For example a dragon with a black color means their parents are very old and wise. Green dragons are smaller than average, but are representative of life and of the earth. Gold colored dragons are special because they have many special attributes such as wisdom, kindness and the ability to face challenges head on.

Yellow dragons represent the east. They are great companions when you need a hand, but can be self absorbed at times. Blue dragons are from the west. They are forgiving and compassionate, but on the negative side can be lazy and uncaring when it suits them.

Finding the right Japanese Tattoo Design for you can be quite daunting. Check out all the free sites on the net to get as many ideas as you can. Just remember that many other people have done the same thing to get ideas. For example, last month, over 41,000 people searched for dragon tattoo designs on Yahoo. Apparently, roughly 8 times that amount check out Google for the same search term. Then there is MSN and the other search engines. So a huge amount of people see the same free designs as you. If you want original Japanese Dragon tattoo designs, it is recommended that you check out books or other sources of tattoo designs that are not freely available. I have checked out three Japanese dragon tattoo galleries on the internet that have from 3,500 to 6000 different designs, so you will have no trouble finding what you want.

Kanji Tattoo Tips From Japan - Avoid Becoming a Laughingstock

Kanji, or Hanzi in Chinese, has obtained cult status. Practically every day I come across something with Kanji on it. Unfortunately, often times they contain blatantly ignorant mistakes. Clothes shops sell t-shirts with random Japanese letters strung together, as if it should be readable. Furniture shops offer furniture, bed covers, cushion covers, and even matching curtains with inverted and mirrored Kanji on it. Once I saw a BWM with Kanji stickers proudly decorating both side doors. It read "Viagra" in Chinese... However, these mistakes are nothing compared to the mistakes I have seen on various body parts as "Kanji tattoos."

It is truly flattering to know that Kanji and the Japanese and Chinese languages have gained such prominence and status among tattoo fans. However, if you are going to engrave something on your body, show respect for yourself, as well as for our language and culture, and learn a thing or two about the language and the art of Asian calligraphy before getting it done. Otherwise you will find yourself secretly sweating, every time a Japanese girl comments on your tattoo, wondering "Did she mean it? Or was that sarcasm in her voice?" Or worse, you might end up on one of the many Japanese websites that showcase the gibberish Kanji tattoos they have come across.

How can you avoid ending up with a Kanji tattoo that screams "amateur"?

* Do not have Western names translated into Kanji and inked. Kanji are symbols which often have several meanings. When someone "translates" Western names into Kanji, they are simply fishing out Kanji that have the right phonetics, Kanji that sound similar to the word they are trying to translate. Take the name "Stacy" as an example. When translated into Japanese, it becomes a 5-Japanese-letter word (su-te-i-shi-i, since the word is broken up into syllables, as it should be spoken in the Japanese language). To translate it into Kanji, one would have to find five Kanji which sound like the five syllables of the name. Of course the translator would (or should) make sure they choose Kanji with positive connotations, such as "poem" as opposed to "death" (both words pronounced "shi" in Japanese) -- but be aware that if you ask ten people to translate your name into Kanji, you will likely end up with ten different results. It is that subjective, the art of "translating" names into Kanji. If you still insist on having a name inked, have it done in Katakana instead of Kanji. At least then it would be an objective symbolism of the name, in other words, without the translator's "interpretation" of your name into symbols (Kanji). However, if you are adamant about having Kanji, then my next suggestion would be to keep it short. Have the name translated into just one Kanji, for the first syllable in the name for example, and then have the Kanji inked in the design of a Hanko stamp. This is much more elegant, artistic and aesthetic than having several random Kanji that have the phonetics to sound like a Western name. To a native speaker, such strings of Kanji look extremely odd and usually need to be explained before it can be understood.
* Keep it simple. Do not even think about translating a whole sentence or phrase. Most likely the meaning will get lost in translation. If you are keen on getting a certain message across with your tattoo, consult a native speaker and convey what it is you want to get across and see if an original Chinese or Japanese proverb can get the same point across. David Beckham's famous Chinese proverb tattoo is a great example. Direct translations should be avoided for obvious reasons.
* Consult a reliable native speaker -- or two, to get different opinions and inputs. Do not rely on a non-native or just walk into a tattoo parlor and choose from their Kanji catalogs without any research. Many of the catalogs circulating the internet and tattoo parlors are full of translation mistakes, missing strokes, crooked Kanji that you have to tilt your head to read, and disproportional, unattractive Kanji that were clearly not written by someone with calligraphy skills. Besides, the selection is extremely limited, considering the fact that there are thousands of Kanji in the Japanese and Chinese language to choose from.

Having said all of that, let me leave you on a thought: Japanese are wary of tattoos, since we associate it with Yakuza, the Japanese mafia. In fact, most bath houses and Onsen (hot spring baths) in Japan have specific rules prohibiting people with tattoos from bathing there. It is the politically correct way of saying "Yakuza not welcome." So as flattering as it is that the Western world has come to embrace our language and incorporated it into their culture of tattooing, be aware that you will seldom meet a Japanese with a Kanji tattoo, much less a tattoo. It is just not our culture.

Japanese Tattoos

The traditional Japanese tattoos known as 'horimono' became very popular among the people of the 18th century or the Edo period. The most popular choices for the designs of the tattoos were the images from traditional water color paintings, picture books and woodcuts. Understanding the history and background is as important to experience and enjoy the Japanese horimono tattoos as it is to preserve their traditions.

The Edo period was like a period of Cultural Revolution for the Japanese. There were many changes that happened during that period at different levels of the society. A different class of people grew up out of the ordinary people of Japan, who found lot of interests in fashion, comedy, drama, novels, songs, and theatre. So, a unique and separate culture began to grow up.

As the society of Edo progressed, the ordinary people began to take pride in activities of fashion. Gradually, the Edo working class people began to imitate the heroes from the folk stories they used to read in the books (especially the picture books) and comics and other artworks as popularized by the famous woodblock artist Kuniyoshi. Getting highly impressed from these artistic works, the people began to tattoo themselves ritualistically and painfully with the designs based on folklore, such as dragons, Chinese lions, and giant snakes, and also with religious figures with the help of sharp needles for inserting pressed charcoal ink under their skin.

The people who carried out the process of tattooing were mostly the woodblock artists who simply had to exchange their wood-carving blades for long and sharp needles. With time, some of these people became so much involved with tattooing that common people began to accept them as tattoo specialists. This is how the unique Japanese traditional body art form, horimono was formed.

Today, it is very common to have tattoo conventions in Japan as well as in the West. But to have such conventions in the Edo period in Japan around 150 years earlier is itself a strong indicator of the Japanese having a long and rich history of tattoo culture.

Even though there are no photographic record of their works and designs, lot of books are available today which describe the life and work of many tattoo artists of the Japanese Edo period.

One very famous tattooist from the Edo period is Horiuno. Horiuno was born in 1843. He became a tattooist at the age of 20. But before beginning to work full time from his age of 40, he travelled extensively throughout Japan, going from place to place like Osaka, Kyoto and Shizuoka. However, he continued doing his business well into his seventies and much of his work can be seen even today. Most of his customers used to work in the local construction and manufacturing industries, and in 1912, some of these people of the Kanda area formed the Kanda Choyu-kai, meaning "Tattoo Friends Society of Kanda", and after another 10 years, the society was extended to outside the Kanda area, and formed the Edo Choyu-kai.

All the members of this group, who are mostly labourers such as construction workers, carpenters and plasterers, meet every year at places like Ojinanushi-no-taki and Marukotamagawaen, take part in mass outdoor banquets, or in festivals such as the Asakusa Sanja-matsuri, and present their intricate and extensive body art tattoos with pride.

Horiuno was known as the most talented tattooist from Japan and was famous throughout Japan and also overseas. However, at that time there were many other equally skilful tattooists in Japan, such as Horikane, Kyuta, Horiiwa, and Nekokichi.

Japanese Symbol For Victory - Use it As a Japanese Tattoo Symbol

Selecting a Japanese symbol for a tattoo design can be a difficult choice. There are a lot of characters to select from, it is worth taking the time to research and know all of the choices. There are a select few tattoo designs that constantly seem to be well-liked. One of these is the Japanese symbol for victory. This article will tell you more about this Japanese character and popular Japanese tattoo symbol.

Victory in Japanese, when used for a tattoo is usually written in Kanji. If you have not studied Japanese, you may not be aware that there are three Japanese writing systems. They are called hiragana, katakana and kanji. Although it is possible to write the word victory in all of the alphabets, on the whole people will prefer to write it in Kanji. Kanji is usually used for concepts and Katakana is as a rule used for Names and foreign words. Kanji is the word in Japanese that is used to refer to chinese characters. These characters were originally simplified from characters brought to Japan from China.

The Japanese symbol for victory actually needs two characters. the first character needs 12 strokes to write it and has the meaning of excel, prevail, victory or winning. The second character is made up of 7 strokes and has the meaning advantage, benefit or profit. Together the two characters have the meaning victory. Many characters can be much simpler and only need one character and a few strokes, so the symbol for victory is more difficult than most. The Japanese word for victory is Shouri. It is pronounced Shou-ri.

Some of the other Japanese characters that are always well-liked for tattoos are also associated to the winning theme. These include spirit, warrior, courage and bravery. If you have researched all of the Japanese characters and still can't select one, then you could always go for one of the most popular characters, such as love, peace, a family member or even your zodiac symbol.

Japanese Tattoo Art - The Tattoo As a Part of Underworld Gangsters

The land of the rising sun, that's how people describe Japan. This is where different types of people are situated, from popular celebrities, electronic experts, robots and gangsters. In addition to that, culture and tradition have a huge influence in their everyday living. The Japanese are also excellent when it comes to visual designs. One of the popular designs used until now is the Japanese tattoo art.

History of Japanese tattooing

Archeologists concluded that tattoos started from early settlers in Japan or the so called "Ainu" tribe. Back to the early civilization, tattoos were used as facial identities. This is how people determined what tribe they belonged and what tradition they performed. Japanese tattoo art has been present for around centuries. But as years passed, simple tattoo designs turned into innovative and meaningful images. Aside from flowers and dragons, Japanese are now featuring endless choices including heroes and weapons used in wars.

Tattoo designs featured by gangsters of Japan

Japan is also known for underworld gangsters like Yakuza for example. In the past, tattoos are illegal to Japanese people and this thing was distinguished from the rest of the population. Although, there were people who have tattoos in their bodies, still authorities marked tattooed individuals as criminals. These individuals have discriminated the whole people in Japan. This is the main reason of forming underworld gangster known as "Yakuza".

Women as part of gangland society

Since then, tattoos were worn by these people symbolizing status and dedication. As featured in several movies, Yakuza tattoos involved magnificent styles and full body masterpieces. The design is quite difficult. It comprises complex curves, circles and Japanese symbols that only tattoo experts can do. During early years, Yakuza's members only involved men. Today, many women also become integral parts of Japan's gangland society.

As part of the gangster's tradition, wives and girlfriends of top Yakuza members often undergo extensive tattooing. Even in some countries, Japanese tattoo art was still in used. Try watching WWE and you'll see that some wrestlers get inked with these designs, including the world's famous Rey Mysterio and Japanese's pride Rikishi.

Japanese tattoo art is increasingly popular in the world today. Thanks to people of Japan for creating these meaningful images. Regardless of gangsters, the art of tattoo will always represent freedom for everyone. If you're interested with this kind of art, you should decide first. You should understand that tattoos are lifetime responsibilities. In order to avoid regrets in the future, you should have the willingness to carry it for the rest or your life.