An Introduction to Japanese Tattoos – Past and Present of Japanese Tattoos

The history of tattoos in Japan goes back to at least 5,000 BC, and possibly even before that. Over the years, many different styles of Japanese tattoos, also known as “irezumi”, were being introduced, including Kanji characters, flowers, animals, and various animals and plants. A lot of warriors acquired large tattoos as a way to increase their tolerance of pain.

During the Edo Period, from around the late sixteenth century to the late nineteenth century, tattoos were mainly popular with prostitutes and criminals. Tattoos were looked down upon by most people due to the influence of Buddhism. It wasn't until the famous Chinese novel, “Suikoden”, became popular in Japan during the latter part of the Edo Period, when tattoos started becoming popular with the Japanese people. This novel, which was painted on woodblock, featured illustrations of warriors who had large tattoos of dragons, flowers, tigers, and other symbolic creatures and plants. The large, elaborate tattoo designs were full bodied and referred to as “horimono”.

More and more Japanese men became fascinated with horimono designs and wanted body art. Many lower class men especially wanted body art such as the ones featured on the men in the illustrations; unfortunately, the only available artists were the woodblock painters. Since they didn't have all the tools necessary for tattooing human skin, the end results weren't anything special. Still, more and more Japanese began getting tattoos as time went by.

Today, they are not only popular in Japan, but all over the world. True, authentic Japanese tattoos are still done with handmade needles, and only the very best artists are able to master this type of application, which is referred to as “tebori”. Needless to say, tattooing by hand rather than modern machines can cause a lot of pain and bruising. Still, for many, the symbolism behind receiving the tattoo is just as important as the design itself.

So, what is the symbolism behind Japanese tattoo designs? It's believed that dragons can bring luck, koi fish represent bravery and endurance, Kanji characters represent emotions such as peace and perseverance, etc. It can be challenging to find a tebori master, especially in the Western world, thus most Westerners only have the choice of getting traditional Japanese tattoos in regular tattoo parlors. The interest in Japanese culture is rising all around the world, therefore it's not surprising that the tattoo designs are becoming more popular.