The Japanese Tattoo

In Japanese the word Irezumi means “to insert ink” or tattoo. Synonyms include bunshin ('patterning the body'), shisei ('piercing with blue'), and gei ('tattooing'). Each of these synonyms can also be read as irezumi. Irezumi started to become a frequently used term by the Japanese population in 1720. It was in this year, during the Edo period (1603-1868), that tattooing started to be used for punitive purposes on the island. Today, this word can still have a negative image in Japan, depending on who you are talking to. Tattoos are also sometimes called horimono which have a slightly different significance and can also refer to the practice of traditional tattooing in Japanese culture. Many tattoo artists in Japan prefer the word Horimono over Irezumi because of the later word’s negative connotation, though that is changing with the popularization of the word Irezumi. Much like in the west where tattoos were long considered to be wore by “bad” people, the negative view of tattoos is wearing off with it’s popularity. I choose the word Irezumi because of it’s popular culture association with Japanese tattoos.

The Body Suit

Kame-no-koh-back piece

According to traditional standards the back piece or Kame-no-koh should be the central element of the body suit. This being the largest continuous plain on the body it is where the main theme of the body suit should start. All other areas of the body suit should compliment and work from this central tattoo. Kame-no-koh or “turtle shell” should cover from the neck to the back of the thighs, similar to the area a turtle shell would cover. Having said that, a lot of people start at other places on their bodies and back piece tattoos can also stop at the bottom or top of the butt.

Nukibori- tattoo without background

Nukibori tattoos are only the main subject with no other elements. These types of tattoos are usually worn by women.

mikiri- background

Gakubori-Tattoo with background

Beyond the main theme of the tattoo is the Gakubori. Gakubori compliments the main theme with its’ environment. This is achieved by adding backgrounds such as clouds, waves, and flowers. It has the effect of making the main theme stand out in the same way as framing a painting. The Literal translation of Gaku 額 is “framed”, Bori 彫り is “tattoo”. Gakubori has specific shapes and formula. Potentially you can add secondary elements to this to specify seasons or atmosphere, like cherry blossoms, peony, chrysanthemum or maple leaves, which then become a recurring element throughout the bodysuit.

Hikae-Chest

Arms and Chest should be the next step in the completion of a body suit. For men the chest plate or ‘hikae’ covers most of the pectoral area, 1-2 inches from the middle of the chest to 1-2 inches above the nipple and following along the collarbone up top. A strong chest plate really makes a sleeve look complete. However, there are two types of Hikae- Deep and Shallow. Deep covers the entire pectoral region, around the nipples and follows the form of the pectoral muscles. Shallow covers the area above the nipple. For a woman the tattoo should go onto the chest but not all the way on to the chest muscle, this creates a nice feminine look while staying true to tradition and finishing off the sleeve properly. Of course, there are no set rules on this and the entire breast can be covered the same as with men.

Arms

Themes from left and right are sub-divided into feminine themes on the left and male themes on the right. An example is a dragon with an open mouth on the right, a dragon mouth closed on the left. Another example could be a koi swimming up on the right, a koi swimming down on the left.

Nagasode-full arm tattoo

Full arm tattoos or “sleeves” are called such because they cover an area the same as a shirt sleeve would cover. There are two types of Nagasode. Kubu- which ends at the wrist bone and Tobu- which stops just above the hand.

shichibusode- 7/10ths or 3/4 Sleeve

The Shichibusode tattoo stops below the elbow. In the west we would call this the 3/4 sleeve, in metric using countries and Japan this is referred to as the 7/10ths sleeve. It mimics a shirt sleeve that has been rolled up. This probably started for people who worked in situations where their shirt sleeves would have been rolled up but you would still be able to hide the tattoo. Everyone has their own opinion and work requirements may dictate otherwise but traditional Japanese tattoo aesthetics would favor that for females it should always be a 3/4 sleeve, this gives it a distinguished feminine look.

gobusode-five tenths or half sleeve

The half sleeve stopping above the elbow much like a short sleeved shirt.

abdomen and legs

It is considered that traditionally the legs and abdomen should follow the back, arms and chest. The abdomen and legs would connect and continue the back.

Hands, Feet, Neck and Head

Traditionally, these spaces would be left open. However, times are always changing as well as the social attitudes associated with these locations being tattooed. It is common to get symbols for long life on your feet and sacred symbols are becoming popular motifs to be placed on the head. Personally, I think the Japanese bodysuit looks best without the neck or hands being tattooed. Opinions, opinions we all have them.

History, Folklore, Meanings and Symbolism

History

Tattooing for spiritual and decorative purposes in Japan is thought to extend back to at least the Jōmon or paleolithic period (approximately 10,000 BC) on the Japanese archipelago. In the following Yayoi period(c. 300 BC–300 AD), tattoo designs were observed and remarked upon by Chinese visitors in Kyushu. Such designs were thought to have spiritual significance as well as functioning as a status symbol. A further record in the Nihon Shoki (sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan) (the second-oldest book of classical Japanese history) chronicles that tattooing traditions were confined only to the Tsuchigumo people. Starting in the Kofun period (300–600 AD), tattoos began to assume negative connotations. Instead of being used for ritual or status purposes, tattoo marks began to be placed on criminals as a punishment.

It was in the Edo period (1603–1867) however, that Japanese decorative tattooing began to develop into the advanced art form it is known as today. The impetus for the development of irezumi as an artform was the development of the art of woodblock printing, and the release of the popular Chinese novel Suikoden in 1757 in Japan; though the novel dates back several centuries before this, 1757 marked the released of the first Japanese edition. Suikoden, a tale of rebel courage and manly bravery, was illustrated with lavish woodblock prints showing men in heroic scenes, their bodies decorated with dragons and other mythical beasts, flowers, ferocious tigers and religious images. The novel was an immediate success, creating a demand for the type of tattoos seen in the woodblock illustrations. There is some academic debate over who wore these elaborate tattoos. Some scholars say that it was the lower classes who wore—and flaunted—such tattoos. Others claim that wealthy merchants, barred by law from flaunting their wealth, wore expensive irezumi under their clothes. It is known for certain that irezumi became associated with firemen, who wore them as a form of spiritual protection.

Folklore

The Japanese tattoo as we know it today started with the introduction of the Suikoden to the Japanese population. This book of heroes and their exploits caught the attention of many people in Japanese society. As many of the characters and depictions in this book show the characters covered in tattoos it spurred a new wave of tattoo collectors in Japan. Tattooing kept evolving during the Edo era, either out of appeal or perhaps to hide punitive tattoos. Its evolution is directly tied to ukiyo-e art, Japanese woodcut printing, which is one of the most famous forms of traditional Japanese graphic art. The engravings of Ukiyo-e are filled with various themes including; landscapes, kabuki (Japanese theater) actors and the masks associated with them, shunga (erotic scenes), or Yokai (spirits). Some of these themes then began to make their appearance in Japanese tattoos. Buddhism and Shintoism have also contributed greatly to the Japanese tattoo designs people get today.

Buddhism being a large religion in Japan many people want tattoos with religious meaning such as the Buddha, similar to people in the west getting tattoos of Christian symbols; praying hands, bible quotes and reproductions of the image of Jesus. But Shintoism is the main source of inspiration for Japanese tattoo designs.

Shinto ("the way of the gods") is the indigenous faith of the Japanese people and is as old as Japan itself. "Shinto gods" are called kami. They are sacred spirits which take the form of things and concepts important to life, such as wind, rain, mountains, trees, rivers and fertility. Humans become kami after they die and are revered by their families as ancestral kami. The kami of extraordinary people are even enshrined at some shrines. The Sun Goddess Amaterasu is considered Shinto's most important kami. In contrast to many monotheistic religions, Shinto does not have absolutes. There is no absolute right and wrong and nobody is perfect. Shinto is an optimistic faith, as humans are thought to be fundamentally good, and evil is believed to be caused by evil spirits. Consequently, the purpose of most Shinto rituals is to keep away evil spirits by purification, prayers and offerings to the kami. It was through this belief system that most of the Gods and Goddesses as well as Yokai came to be symbols that show up constantly in Japanese tattoos.

Meanings and Symbolism

I have realized over the years that many people come to me with the most basic and common ideas for their Japanese tattoo designs such as a Koi or Dragon. (Not that there is anything wrong with these at all!) Many times people have come to me and said I want a samurai for instance, to which I respond, which one? Most people don’t realize that Japanese samurai tattoos are all based on people who actually existed and the stories associated with them. This is mostly due to the fact that obtaining a deeper knowledge of the designs available takes a lot of research. The Japanese culture is old, rich, deep and to westerners often somewhat impenetrable.

With this resource, I wanted to give my potential customers and anyone that might stumble upon this site, an opportunity to gain a little more knowledge. It is for this reason I decided to compile this library of Japanese Tattoo ideas and their meanings.

See these below.