Japanese Tattoos: A Cultural and Historical Overview

Thursday 19th of February 2009 10:43:52 AM [Add To This Article]

Tattoos have a long and complicated history in Japan. Although many people in the West have been getting Japanese calligraphy tattoos in recent years, traditional Japanese tattoos are in fact very intricate designs. Often, a Japanese tattoo takes up a large part of a body, such as the full back or even the entire body. This style of tattooing is very impressive and detailed, although there are mixed reactions to tattoos in the East.

History of Japanese Tattoos

In order to understand the cultural significance of Japanese tattoos, one must look back more than 2,000 years. The first written accounts of tattooing in Japan date back to 297 A.D. Artifacts with markings on menâ€™s faces, presumed to be tattoos, date back even further (some as old as 5,000 B.C.). Over the years, tattoos have fallen in and out of favor with the Japanese people.

During the 7^th century, much of Japan began to adopt Chinese trends and ideals. Since the Chinese people looked down upon tattoos, Japan saw a similar trend with public opinion. Suddenly, tattoos were considered inappropriate by the upper class and, years later, people began to be punished through tattoos. This continued for generations until tattoos were greatly associated with criminals rather than a decorative art form.

Penal tattooing was issued to very serious criminals and would sometimes be placed on obvious areas of the body, such as the forehead. Different regions of Japan adopted various forms of penal tattooing. Sometimes, a person was tattooed for merely being an outcast rather than a hardened criminal. Those people would be easily spotted and prevented from participating with normal community life.

By the late 17^th century, attitudes toward tattoos changed again in Japan. No longer were tattoos only associated with outcasts and criminals. Instead, people began to appreciate tattoos as art. Large, elaborate designs of animals and landscapes were being used to decorate people. Those who had been punished with tattoos were also covering those markings up with colorful, larger decorations.

The public opinion of Asian tattoos has waxed and waned in recent years. This form of body modification has always been most popular with the working class, such as firemen. However, Japanese gang members (known as Yakuza) also adopted tattooing as a part of life. Although many citizens appreciate traditional Japanese tattoos, more conservative Japanese people associate the art with troublesome Yakuza.

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Yakuza Tattoos

The Yakuza are a group of organized crime members from Japan. There are many factions (or â€œfamiliesâ€) of the Yakuza and the criminal phenomenon is considered to be the largest in the world. As of 2005, there were over 85,000 members in Japan. Numbers have decreased somewhat in recent years, due to gang-related laws being enforced in Japan.

Yakuza differ from the Italian mafia and Chinese triads in that they are not secretive about their membership. In fact, they often proudly display their status with garish clothing and large, colorful tattoos. These criminals adopted the practice because tattoos can be very painful and by getting full-body tattoos, the Yakuza feel they are proving their strength and individuality. Although the tattoos are symbols for their criminal activity and clan affiliation, the artwork is often quite beautiful and detailed.

Yakuza tattoos are known as â€œirezumiâ€ in Japan. Many members opt for a hand-poked gang tattoo, which requires more stamina than receiving a tattoo with a modern gun. A full-body, hand-poked Yakuza tattoo could take years to complete and is very expensive. Because of the association between graphical Japanese tattoos and the Yakuza, many normal Japanese citizens experience prejudice against their tattoos. In fact, public places like Japanese bathhouses will sometimes prohibit people with large tattoos from entering.

Japanese Tattoo Styles

Japanese tattoos are very easy to distinguish from Western tattoos because they are so detailed and large in scope. Rather than getting a series of tattoos, the Japanese people often seek many images that merge together in a large piece. This style grew very popular in the 18^th century when woodblock carvings were first being developed. As print work and graphic design flourished, so did the high detailing of tattoos.

Flora and fauna are often depicted in Japanese tattoos. Common tattoo designs from Japan include animals like tigers, frogs, dragons and phoenixes. Colorful plants, such as lotus flowers and cherry blossoms, are also widespread in Japanese tattoos. Epic, heroic scenes can be depicted and are often influenced by ancient Japanese history. It is not unusual to see a samurai engaged in battle, for instance, on a large tattoo. Although Western tattoo styles have seeped into Japanese tattoo parlors a bit, most artists are dedicated to traditional Eastern designs.