Japanese Dragon Tattoos One Of the Best Of Japanese Tattooing
Japanese dragon tattoos are popular. The dragon is definitely hands down one of the most beautiful and powerful of all the mythic beasts. The sheer beauty and power of these mythical beasts alone warrant there attention as tattoo designs. Then being combined with a long and rich history of tattooing as an art form such as in the Japanese culture and you have a winning combination. If you are contemplating getting a Japanese dragon tattoo then you should spend a little time learning about the deep history and symbolism of the beautiful and mystical beast.
Japanese Dragon Tattoo Possibilities
Dragon tattoos are amazingly flexible and the look, feel, and design choices you make an give a totally different symbolism and feel to the dragon. A fierce fiery red dragon with a red body wrapped around a large samurai sword will symbolize strength and power. Whereas if the dragon where high in the sky flying above some beautiful mountain lake then the design might represent freedom and peacefulness. So the symbolism and what the dragon design portrays is really dependent on the stylistic choices you make when designing the tattoo such as look, feel, location and etc.
The History Of Dragons In Japan
Dragons are one of the most important of all the mythological beats in Japanese culture. The Japanese of course have their own word for the dragon, they call them “Ryu” or “Tatsu”. They are typically depicted as very long, skinny and full of scales very similar to a serpent. They also frequently are believed to live around large bodies of water. These creatures are so powerful that they are a god and to be revered. In fact the Japanese believed that their first emporer had descended from a dragon and therefore is partially a god and infallible.
The dragon is not only popular in Japan but throughout all of Asia including China, Korea and numerous other Asian countries. You can find dragon designs throughout the sculpture, architecture and art in Japan even to this day the dragon is still a very popular design.
One can see the improtant role that dragons play in Japanese culture through their extensive sculptures. It is common to see statues of dragons at an alter, temple and other places of worship. For example at the Sonsoji Temple in Asakusa Japan the dragon statue is one of the most predominate features. An even more famous spot is at Miyajima also know as The Isles Of The Temple. This temple is a famous spot for travelers, tourist and religious. They all come here to pray to the dragon and ask for good fortune and good luck in the up and coming year.
At the Sensoji Temple in Asakusa Japan every spring is a very special time of year. It is rumored that way back in 628 AD two brothers were fishing along the Sumida river. During their fishing trip they discovered a beautiful statue of Kanon the Goddess of Mercy. At the time they made this discovery a gold dragon flew out of the Sumida river and up into the sky as a way to mark such an important event and such a big finding. Thus every spring the dragon in taken out oft he Sesoji temple and then paraded around the temple grounds.
In the Buddhist and even many Taoist traditions the dragon is seen as a mythical beast that represents the hardships that people will have to face and eventually overcome before enlightenment can be obtained.
The dragon can also be foudn throughout Japans great literary works and is a prevalent image. For example there is the famous tale of Yamata-No-Orochi (an eight headed serpent) and Susanoo (the man). Yamata-No-Orochi is an eveil beast that devours young women whole. Until Susanoo is able to trick the serpent. He gets the serpent drunk and then is able to successfully kill him.
As you can see form above the dragon is prevalent throughout the Japanese culture and their are many examples of this mythical beast in the art and architecture. The dragon can also be found throughout many of the more traditional tattoo designs. Thus gives you a wide variety of options to choose from and can help in getting the perfect tattoo you want. The most common location for a large dragon tattoo of course is the back. This makes a great back piece and the design can be done very large and therefore with a lot of detail. However you are not locked into only getting a back tattoo. If you want something a little smaller or for whatever reason don’t want a back piece a dragon can easily be done on your shoulder, calf, and even a sleeve tattoo design.
