Japanese koi tattoo,
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Japanese
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Japanese
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Japanese
tattoo
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Japanese
tattoos,
Japanese
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symbols,
Japan
All About Irezumi Tattoos
Irezumi is the Japanese word that refers to
insertion of ink under the skin that leaves a permanent mark. Irezumi
means 'tattooing' in other words.
Although there are many ways to
write the word irezumi it is most commonly written as Chinese characters
which literally means 'insert ink'. The Japanese people were thought to
use tattoos for both spiritual and decorative purposes and extends back
to the Jomon period (~10000 BCE).
At the beginning of the Meiji period the
Japanese government, wanting to protect its image and make a good
impression on the West, outlawed tattoos, and irezumi took on
connotations of criminality.
Nevertheless, fascinated foreigners went
to Japan seeking the skills of tattoo artists, and traditional
tattooing continued underground.
Although tattooing in Japan was legalized by the occupation forces in
1945, unfortunately it has retained an image of criminality. Traditional
Japanese tattoos are often associated with the Japanese notorious mafia
known as 'Yakuza'.
Many places in Japan such as public baths, spas and
fitness centers still ban customers with tattoos.
In Japan traditional irezumi is still done
by specialist tattooists,
but is a painful, time-consuming and
expensive process.
Japanese Lady full Body Back Dragon Tattoo
Japanese Lady with traditional Irezumi full Body Tattoo
A typical traditional body suit (tattoos that cover
the arms, back, upper legs and chest, but leaving an untattooed space
down the center of the body) can take 1-5 years of once-per-week visits
to complete and cost more than US$30,000. The one stop tattoo portal
with tattoo information, tips and designs -
Author
Cheryl Goh www.tattoodesignsforyou.com
Kanjis - Mistakes to Avoid with
Japanese Style Kanji
Tattoos,
Japanese Men full body Irezumi Tattoo
Japanese Lady mythical upper back Tattoo
Asian inspired tattoos are increasingly
popular in the West. Chinese dragons and Japanese tattoos have been
mainstream for
years. There seems to be no let up in people getting
tattoos in Asian style writing. In the West Kanji tattoos started
becoming popular in the 1980s. Nowadays even kids are getting temporary
tattoos out of vending machines with kanji style tattoos!
But are kanji tattoos really that popular? Some tattoo artists
state that one out of every 20 people looking for a tattoo asks for a
kanji style tattoo with Asian lettering. It has also created another
problem namely people getting kanji tattoos which can mean something
completely different than what they think it does.
There are many urban legends of disgruntled tattoo artists tattooing
words like 'loose' and 'whore' onto a persons body because they feel
that the person getting the tattoo does not really appreciate tattoos as
an art form but is just slavishly following fashion.
Japanese Lady full upper back Tattoo
Japanese Lady with traditional Irezumi full Body Tattoo
Japanese Men full body back Tattoo
It is always a good idea to keep in mind before you decide upon a tattoo
that kanji is based on a different form of language and is unlike
English in its construction. Be sure to spend time researching the
authenticity of each symbols’ meaning. It could be rather embarrassing
to learn later on after you have been tattooed that the Kanji tattoo you
thought meant one thing turned out to be something completely different.
If you don’t speak Japanese it is very hard to find characters that say
what you want and are not something that will turn heads with native
Japanese speakers for all the wrong reasons. Trusting a non native
speaking tattoo artist is recommended either as the tattoo artist may be
as much in the dark as you are. It is highly recommended that you do
your research before rushing off to get a kanji tattoo character done.
Hot Koi Fish Tattoos, Design, and Ideas! A
Revitalization of a Traditional Japanese Design
Koi fish tattoos are quickly growing in
popularity. In fact many traditional Japanese tattoo designs are coming
to life with new vivid tattoo ink colors. This is a rapidly growing
movement very similar to the west coast tattoo style. The west coast
tattoo style started with the idea of taking older classic tattoo themes
like anchors, hearts and etc and adding a ton of bright, and beautiful
inks to them. A few years back the west coast tattoo style was about the
hottest thing in tattoos.
However many people are not satisfied to stick with what everyone else
has already done and most people that get tattoos want them to be unique
and different. Therefore tattoo artists are always on the look out for
new designs, new ideas and new ways to
take their art to the next level. This
constant pushing of the envelope develops many hot new trends in tattoo
design
In the past 5 or so years there has been a rebirth or revitalization
of traditional Japanese tattoos. One of the hottest themes in
Japanese tattoos has been koi fish tattoos.
Koi fish are very popular among women but many man are getting them also
now. In Japanese mythology Koi are typically thought to swim up stream
against the current. They are therefore often associated with
perseverance in adversity and can make a great tattoo with a very deep
meaning. Yet a delicate and beautiful design.
Men tend to get koi fish tattoos on their back, shoulders, calf or
upper thigh most typically. In fact large koi tattoos that take up
the entire back are a style that many men are starting to get. They can
also make a great full sleeve design with the water and koi twisting
around the arm or leg.
Women tend to get koi tattoos on arms, thighs, and even on the side
of their stomachs. Koi can make a beautiful tattoo with lots of
bright color and large splashes of blue water that can become a very
flowing and artistic tattoo.
Typically koi fish tattoos feature a large blue, splashing water
background with the fish jumping out of the water and playfully
splashing in it. Traditional designs often include either Japanese maple
leaves or lotus flowers in combination with the design. Chris has been
running http://www.designmytattoos website for the last three months.
He likes helping people find the custom
tattoo designs and where to get them done by professional tattoo
artists. Check out the site and post a job to get your own custom tattoo
design.
If you are a tattoo artist and would
like to earn some extra income go ahead and sign up as an artists and
make some money in your spare time. Check out this article on Koi
fish tattoos on the site. Author Chris
Ryerson
Japanese Kanji Tattoos -
Meaning of Kanji Characters
Japanese kanji characters are so expressive
and artistic. Basically they are ideographic characters, which means
that each Kanji character represents a whole object, idea, or meaning in
a visually expressive way. It is a very popular choice among those
seeking Japanese style tattoo designs. With Kanji style characters, you
can easily create and express nearly any meaning you want.
However, it is a good idea to keep in
mind before you decide upon a tattoo that kanji is based on a different
form of language and is unlike English in its construction. Be
should be sure to spend time researching the authenticity of each
symbols’ meaning. It could be rather embarrassing to learn later on
after you have been tattooed that the Kanji tattoo you thought meant one
thing turned out to be something completely different.
If you don’t speak Japanese it is very hard to find characters that say
what you want and are not something that will turn heads with native
Japanese speakers for all the wrong reasons. Trusting a non native
speaking tattoo artist is recommended either as the tattoo artist may be
as much in the dark as you are. It is highly recommended that you do
your research before rushing off to get a kanji tattoo character done.
Celebrities with Kanji Tattoos
Alyson Hannigan - Actress (Buffy and American Pie)
Janet Jackson - singer/actress
Kelis - singer
Alyssa Milano - Charmed TV Show
Pink - singer
Britney Spears - singer
READ THIS before you get a Japanese Kanji Tattoo!
Read more tattoo articles by Author Declan O'Reilly
