Japanese tattoos are the most popular and often stuffed among other body painting styles. They came to Russia a long time ago, but they firmly hold their leading positions for a number of understandable reasons.
Firstly, many are interested in Japan: its colorful and rich culture and history, and secondly, tattoos are not only attractive in appearance, but also endowed with a deep meaning in which everyone will find a part of themselves. A tattoo made in the Japanese style is not just a tattoo, it is a work of art that not every master can professionally perform.
A bit of history
Japanese tattoos have a history of several thousand years. They left their mark not only on the bodies of ordinary people, but also on crowned persons such as Frederick IX (King of Denmark), Edward VII (English monarch) and, according to some sources, even Nicholas II.
Earlier, the position of a tattoo artist was very much appreciated, they were equated with artists, and they studied this art for about 5 years, being with the master as assistants. The student washed the floors, mixed paints and watched the work of the mentor. Educationconsisted not only in the mechanical ability to fill the picture, but also in the possible combinations of the elements of the picture and the correct construction of the plot composition.
Old school masters still use bamboo tebori sticks for tattooing instead of modern machines, explaining this as follows:
• it is possible to manually achieve interesting color gradation, while the machine paints over the skin brightly and tight;• the machine significantly reduces the duration of tattooing, which leads to more of them on the body of modern guys and girls and to a rash choice.
These traditions are slowly becoming history as the old masters retire, die.
The role of tattoos in human life
Artistic tattoo is a visiting card of a person, by which he is recognized and noticed from afar. If you want your business card to be the brightest and most attractive, then the best way to do this is Japanese tattoos. The sketches are so diverse that in the first minutes you simply get lost in the choice, ranging from a thin branch of sakura to a large-scale panorama of the battle of Japanese warriors or a geisha dance.
People believed and continue to believe that a tattoo can become an amulet, a talisman, and help to cope with fears, overcome difficulties, even contribute to a change in character and, of course, bring a lot of good luck and happiness.
Japanese tattoos and their meaning
All Japanese tattoos, even the smallest ones, are endowed with a deep meaning.
Flowers
• Peony attracts luck, good luck and we alth, gives a man courage and the ability to take risks, for women it is a symbol of spring beauty and freshness. Peony makes marriage happy.• Chrysanthemum represents longevity.
• Sakura (Japanese cherry) is a symbol of respect for a person, grief over the death of a loved one, and also reminds of the transience of life. Sakura was given this meaning because of its rapid two-day flowering.
Animals
When it comes to animal tattoos, carps, dragons and tigers are the most common.
Koi are known for being able to swim against the current, easily overcoming difficulties and obstacles in their path. Such an image is suitable for people who are fond of symbols and mythology, ideal for young people striving for their goal, ready to fight for the desired result. Carp is a symbol of perseverance, courage and determination, love of life and inspiration.
Dragons are the most popular Japanese tattoos. The sketches are different: dragons with spikes and entwined with colored ribbons, fire-breathing and smiling. Each of the options has its own meaning, which you need to carefully study before settling on a particular image. In the West, the dragon is associated with something evil and cunning, but fire-breathing animals are not found in Eastern cultures, they personify strength and power, as well as the balance of male and female principles. A dragon tattoo will suit a strong and powerful person who is not devoid of wisdom.
Tigers, although not found in Japan, are often used in tattoos. In Eastern culture, the tiger, not the lion, is the king of beasts. Japanese tattoos with a striped predator are power and strength, besides this there are several more meanings:
• cunning and duplicity;
• high level of intelligence, attentiveness;
• determination, achievement of a goal;
• supernatural abilities;• greatness and power.
If a tiger is depicted with bared fangs and a paw stretched forward, then this indicates that the owner of the tattoo is an aggressive and rude person. The tiger is associated with the masculine principle, it suits such a zodiac sign as Gemini. A person with such a tattoo is always a hero who wins. In India, the tiger symbolizes spirituality, its walking through the jungle is compared to the life path of a person. It is this sacred animal that helps the owner of the tattoo not to stray from the true path. The emblem of the samurai is a tattoo with a tiger.
Prayers and hieroglyphs
The Japanese often fill themselves with religious Buddhist prayers, as well as formidable gods and guards guarding the Buddha and his sermons.
But Japanese characters have gained worldwide popularity. Tattoos of this kind adorn the bodies of both boys and girls. They are located on almost all parts of the body, of any size. And they fell in love so much because you can put the most diverse meaning into them, you just have to translate the phrase you like into Japanese. The meaning of tattoosJapanese characters do not lend themselves to a clear classification, but basically they describe certain character traits. It is believed that if you apply a symbol denoting courage, dexterity and luck, then this is exactly what will befall its wearer.
Japanese-style tattoos will attract people with their mystery and colorfulness for a long time to come. Individuals seeking to know themselves, the meaning of life and inner harmony will again and again turn to Eastern culture and become adherents of this unique and mysterious style.
