Some question the artistic factor of Japanese tattoo art, but it is because they are looking at simple pieces such as symbols. Japanese tattoo art consists of so much more. As a matter of fact, there are some amazing designs that celebrities and other high profile individuals have paid a lot of money for.History
Japanese tattoo art has been around for centuries. It is thought that facial tattoos graced the faces of early Japanese settlers. Throughout the years, the art evolved and it was a custom to be tattooed with very detailed images. For instance, in 1827 Kuniyoshi Utagawa created 6 very intricate designs that were part of the 108 Heroes of the Suikoden. These heroes were like a bunch of Robin Hoods. Each tattoo told a piece of the story.
There is Japanese art that depicts their warriors as heavily tattooed. In today's Japan, it is not common to find someone who is heavily tattooed. As it stands, the Japanese people consider people who are tattooed to be a part of an underworld of gangsters. They believe it to be a habit of the low class. Young tattooed people in Japan have them placed where people cannot see. That way they do not have to encounter judgment by their peers or older individuals in Japan.
But the Japanese tattoo designs are quite amazing when you look at them. They depict parts of Japanese history, contain many fine lines that make the design, and the colors are so vivid and unique. Some people may even have their entire back tattooed because some tattoos are only good when they are large and a message is to be relayed.
Types
Flowers and dragons tend to be the most common, aside from Japanese symbols with significant meaning to the tattooed individual. Extensive Japanese tattoo art can take a while to finish. Because of the amount of detail put into some designs, it can take several sittings to finish. Having one done in one sitting could be quite daunting to the tattoo artist and to the recipient. It is also necessary to allow some healing to take place before continuing some parts of the journey.
It is also common to see Japanese tattoo art of Japanese warriors with weapons and of serpents. The best way to know what your options are is to explore online or consult with your Japanese tattoo artist on what it is that can be done for you.
Another popular and traditional theme in Japanese tattoos are Geisha. These women were not the prostitutes or hookers but rather women of culture and refinement that were seen to carry the traditions of the culture. They were often extremely beautiful and talented women they could sing, play traditional instruments, dance and entertain. There of course are tons of traditional woodcuts that feature the "floating world" where the Samurai and Geisha would meet. Many of these woodcuts and themes have been done in tattoo designs. If you are looking for a strong female image then you could always get a design of a samurai's wife who were traditionally trained in martial arts and expected to defend their home if needed.
Cherry blossoms are a beautiful flower that blooms from the cherry tree typically in April. These beautiful flowers have long been a passion for the Japan in general. They are symbolic of how fragile and beautiful life can be. Often the Samurai would write poems about Cherry Blossoms and they thought of the blossoms as being brave and ready to die at any minute. That is how the Samurai lived their life all the time. So the cherry blossom is a symbol of beauty first and foremost but it also symbolize living life to its fullest each and every day.
Here are some of the top designs that work very well for the female body. Of course any design is open to get by any female. A person is free to choose any design they want and a lady could get a huge samurai on their back if they want. However, these themes below tend to be favored by women.
Samurai and gods are always very popular in traditional Japanese sleeve tattoos. These designs of course feature either fierce samurai in the heat of battle of gods fighting off evil spirits. Either way you end up with a way cool dude tattoo. What can be more guy then a man swinging a huge katana sword and slaying a dragon or a demon. It is the ultimate. The reason the Samurai is so popular in Japanese tattooing and traditional arts is that the samurai is seen to embed everything that is important to the Japanese male. The samurai carries the Japanese culture as well as being a strong and fierce warrior in battle yet is always mindful and follows the code of bushido. This is what every Japanese male wants to be deep down.
