Unfortunately, Western culture can’t handle pain quite so well, but we love the look of Japanese tattoos. To remedy this, topical anesthetics have been created to numb the pain just a bit. Two different kinds are the best tattoo numbing creams and sprays on the market today:

The problem with Western culture taking over this is that we are not trained to take pain the way the East is. Even modern air-powered machines still hurt when you are sitting under the needle for hours on end covering entire portions of your body. To remedy this, topical anesthetics of two major types have become popular to help relieve some of the pain. These are the two best tattoo numbing creams and sprays.

Pre-tattoo application lotions – Creams are often put on the skin. They often contain a material called Lidocaine, which numbs the skin through heat activation. These creams are said to be very strong and truly numb your skin for a while.

Sprays are not applied until during or after the tattoo. These tend to fight the irritation caused by the skin from the needles used. Sprays can be applied at any time and washed off within minutes, so there is no worry about them not working. You can just spray them on again. These are good for long tattoos that have a lot of breaks.

The problem with sprays is that they are useless until the skin is broken. You can’t spray them on for any effect until after the tattoo is started, so you’ll just have to deal with the pain in the beginning.

These are the two best kinds of tattoo numbing creams and sprays. Each has its own pros and cons. Most tattoo artists will support the use of only one or the other, if they support the use of either.

Both of these approaches to tattoo numbing creams and sprays are popular today. Each has their own benefits and drawbacks. Remember, though, that the tattoo will still not be completely painless throughout. That is just something you’ll have to deal with.

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There is very little personal risk involved with tattooing on top of a scar. The main concern would be causing it to become infected, but this will only happen if the scar is fresh. If the area is too newly scarred, then the tattoo artist won’t apply a design in the first place.

Scars should be left alone for at least a year. Depending on the extent of the damage, some of them need to remain untouched for closer to two years. This gives the skin time to heal as much as it is able to. The skin that is scarred is going to be tenderer than the surrounding skin, so getting a tattoo on the scar might hurt a bit more than if the skin were normal.

If the scar is an extremely thin layer of skin over a sensitive area, a doctor might tell the patient not to have the scar tattooed. It’s a good idea to listen to the doctor’s advice on this one. There could be another medical reason behind the doctor’s hesitancy in okaying the administering of a tattoo on top of a specific scarred area, so don’t go against what this medical professional suggests.

The doctor might also suggest the patient not receive a tattoo at all on the scarred skin. This is generally due to the location of the scar. Sometimes disturbing the area can be detrimental to the patient’s health, which is why the doctor advises against it. This warning should always be heeded.

Tattoo ink doesn’t cover a scar the same way it does regular patches of skin. The ink might run together, or bleed as they say, and cause the design to look smeared or blurry. The scarred skin is often a different color too, which causes the ink to appear a lighter or darker color depending on the intensity of the scar. It’s best to talk to the tattoo artist and see what the verdict is there.

A woman who had a mastectomy or skin cancer of some sort might decide to treat herself to a tattoo to cover the scarred area where surgery took place. Even skin grafts can be tattooed over to hide them from view. Tattooing over a scar can make it virtually disappear, as long as it’s done right. For example, a dark or monochromatic tattoo might be lighter where the scar is, so it’s better to apply a tattoo that has different colors and more fluidity.

Placing Japanese tattooing over scars might only be a bad reason if the person doesn’t know what to get and picks something randomly off the wall. It might also be a negative experience if the tattoo artist hasn’t had any prior experience with tattooing scars. Be sure to do your research and talk to the artist before getting tattooed.

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Tattooing criminals faded as the normal tradition and became a fashion statement for many. From being a punishment for criminals to an art form, many artists began to help those with incriminating tattoos disguise them by adding unique symbols and designs. As people found out about this trend, artists began fulfilling the requests of those wanting ancient art permanently inked into their skin.

Some still believed that different symbols and colorful characters could ward off unwanted spirits and some wild beasts, but the majority of those asking to be marked want their tattoos to tell a story or symbolize an important time in their lives. Most images are created with inspiration from that of the famous woodblock art that these people are known for. Incriminating images and facial punishment is no longer the case, but those who did undergo this treatment have since disguised their markings with more decorative images.

Other countries became aware of this growing trend and eventually made this art form most popular. Still high in demand, the ancient artistic designs are most requested among many, due to their history and ways of telling a story by picture and symbol. Still to thank for inspiring the images used today, are the woodblock creations of ancient Japan.

Tattoo trends have begun to vary but one historic art form has remained at the top of the popularity list, and that is the distinct artistic designs and symbols of the ancient Japanese. They paved the way with their prison cell punishments and ancient designs indicating criminal intent, turning a punishment into an art form for generations to come. Back then it was said to be a sign of social ranking or criminal history, today it is considered an ancient art form and is still holding onto its popularity among people of all ages. Many people are turning to this type of art to symbolize different events in their lives or to remember loved ones who have passed away.

Still holding their value and history, the ancient symbolic images used centuries ago are still being requested today. No longer used for punishment, these unique and gorgeous markings will always be implemented to tell stories and remember those who have come and gone.

The goal of the artists who specialize in this type of art is to keep its history and importance alive through their work. All pictures and symbols represent a story or indicate an important place in the lives of those who request them. Going online and researching these artists and their work can benefit those interested in getting a tattoo.

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The original ink designs were given to criminals to designate their status. This was meant to be a mark of shame provided to them. The more crimes committed, the more they were marked. Most often, they would begin as an armband. Additional bands were added when they were convicted of future crimes.

The seventeenth century is when they were first known to appear. This was a time of the Shoguns. The criminals that carried the marks were often petty criminals that were known for stealing and other mischief. It is thought that these original criminals were ronin, which were unemployed samurai that no longer had a master, or shogun to follow.

They were like Robin Hood. In the sense that they often would steel from the rich, the ronin and others were known for being compassionate towards the weaker villagers. Since they had no one to follow, they were often involved in smaller mischief. Unfortunately, the criminals were very skilled at what they did, but had no leader or person to protect.

Organized crime began to form from these ranks of criminals. A boss would emerge, and the tattoos would become a symbol of loyalty to the boss. Yakuza is the name of the organized crime syndicate even to this day. The loyalty is expected and demanded of anyone in the organization.

The markings are now a symbol of pride instead of shame as intended. The ink is applied by being tapped into the skin with a needle attached to a wooden handle. The skill takes years to accomplish and often cannot be duplicated with modern equipment. It is very painful and can cost over $100,000 to be created over two years. The hands and face are often the only area that is not covered in the ink drawings.

Understanding the history of Yakuza tattoos provides insight into the story of symbols of shame becoming symbols of pride. The loyalty that is represented indicates a very strong and tight organization the numbers over 80,000 individuals. Though they were originally common criminals, they are now a powerful organization that has one of the oldest ongoing stories.

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In reviewing the research and blogs about the issue, one strong point emerges to explain people’s selection of this image. The aquatic creature symbolizes determination to many people. More broadly, three qualities seem to converge in the application of this particular design.

Meaningful imagery is of primary importance to many tattoo customers. The symbolic value of these fish swimming upstream holds great currency for many centuries of readers. Its meaning is easily recognizable while it lends itself to numerous variations that allow for individual self-expression.

Beauty motivates these same consumers. The way this creature moves allows a tattoo artist to shape the design to an individual’s body. Celebratory colors, especially red, and other warm tones in the Asian color palette, contribute to the perception that the picture is alive. The combination of tradition and pleasing design creates a satisfying fusion from the message and means.

A third consideration speaks to artfulness. Unlike some designs, such as anchors or hearts, which require a flat plane such as the chest or a large muscle surface, this shape can be aesthetically pleasing when wrapped around a body curve. The undulations evoke swimming animals, and some artists add blue water drops to further simulate nature.

Strength and determination accrue to this design adapted from nature. The tattoo sends a message about the consumer and the viewer. While many conventional designs suggest swagger or cliche, the koi adds a layer of subtle meaning that invites reflection.

The images of mystery and strength transfer these qualities to the tattoo customer. These, in term, inspire the consumer to feel greater confidence. While it may seem to be a lot to demand from a picture, sophisticated customers will gravitate toward the powerful symbolism of Japanese Koi fish tattoos for profound messaging. People who ink themselves necessarily wear some of their private feelings on the outside. If they choose careful, clean operating technicians, they can enjoy their decorated skin and their positive feelings nearly immediately and surely for a long time to come.

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The several concepts that you need to utilize to become comfortable and feel safe within the studio, is to look for cleanliness on the equipment, the quality of work is excellent, and the licensing is up to standards. Make sure that you never settle for an artist and that you are unaware of the environment.

When picking a tattoo studio, address and other information will be needed to make sure that you get the correct studio and treatment. Once you check the local surroundings then you should be able to get to where you need to go. Researching your artist and studio may seem like a lot of work but it will be best for you and your health. Most times the way the studios look will suggest the character of the artists and the studio.

There are times when an individual will refrain from noticing the unkempt studio because they are unaware. However, cleanliness is the most essential part when searching for a studio. Always check the environment of the studio and ensure that the inks being utilized are clean and not being reused. The hygiene of the artist can tell a story of its own also.

Making sure the equipment inside the place is clean also. Needles need to placed directly in your eye sight and be cleaned correctly. Any equipment that needs to be used on your body make sure that they are clean and up to regulations and codes. Completing all these tasks will ensure your safety and health.

Once you notice the equipment and they seem up to expectations make sure that regulations are being followed. A great tattoo artist will meet any requirements that you place in front of them. They are meticulous about the quality that they will bring to the table. Remember to notice their portfolio full of Japanese tattoos to ensure that they can actually complete the job.

After the work of the artist has been determined you will know if their work is great and whether to invest your time, money, and health into the tat. If there were flaws within the artwork you will notice them based upon the squiggly lines and less than brilliant color. Your decision should be fully formed and you should feel comfortable with it.

Having these five points in mind will help you find the perfect artist to create the perfect Japanese tattoo. Making sure that you utilize all of these will be great for your health.

Get the low down on what to look for in Japanese tattoos now in our article on the art of Japanese tattoo designs

Rooted in History

There are actually three incarnations of the dragon: The tatsu, the ryu and the doragon. The tatsu is the most traditional among the three, being more akin to water serpents and are spirits which personify rivers and other similar bodies of water. The most famous of these dragons is the Orochi, the eight headed and eight tailed dragon which was slain to gain the Kusanagi, or the Imperial Sword of State.

The ryu is the most popular one, since the tatsu do not really have physical form. It is akin to the Chinese dragon, only with three fingers instead of five. This is actually a source of friendly rivalry between Asian countries, with the number of toes determining the nationality of the dragon. The naga is the serpent dragon of Indian folklore, as adapted in Japan and the doragon is the Western civilization’s conception of a dragon (that is, with wings).

Depicting the Forces of Nature

Japan’s dragons symbolize water. This is the main peculiarity between them and the other Asian dragons. Thus, all dragon depictions are fluid and sinuous. Even the scales lend credence to this effect. They are also commonly colored in gold, white or blue, emphasizing the maritime heritage. This is particularly emphasized by the fact that the Japanese believe that the sea is ruled by four dragons, one in each cardinal direction, causing the winds and currents of the sea.

Dragons also symbolize power and majesty. Being one of the four celestial gods, as the seiryu, the dragon is worshipped, revered and feared. This is due to it being calm and placid at first, but when provoked, becomes a deadly catastrophe for anyone who dares. They are also symbols of courage and of fertility. Dragons are also seen as a farmer’s best friend.

A Unique Patrimony

Japanese tattoos share their practice with Western methods. Both use piercing and dyes to create the desired effect. There are also more traditional methods of placing tattoos called Irezumi. While most commonly associated with the yakuza, it’s now gaining prominence as an art form by itself.

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The exquisite rendition of culture and history through tattoo design is both intricate and detailed and for this reason may be expensive. Traditional Japanese tattoo design is called horimono which means “carving” or irezumi which means “insert ink”. Body art was only accepted by the government in the middle of the twentieth century.

Artists make use of dazzling colourful illustrations which include cultural and historical images such as animals including the koi or carp (both fish symbolic of perseverance), flowers, legendary symbols of demons and dragons. Large, bold and colourful drawings are mainly put on the back, shoulder or arm of a person as these places may be covered under clothing and not cause a problem in social situations such as work.

In old times one of the methods to punish criminals was to tattoo them so that they would be branded and shamed, this was called bokukei or bokkei and came to and end in 1870 by the Japanese Emperor’s new Meiji government. Japanese mafia or yakuza used tattoo’s as well and these factors have left a bad connotation for most Japanese people today. Among the youth the designs are considered fashionable.

There are a number of dragon designs to choose from which symbolize the wood element and male forces, they are listed as Asian and west dragon tattoos as the western culture has had and influence on designs over the years and the westerners also like the idea of samurai’s or warriors and the stories of Asian history and culture.

Kanji is very popular form of calligraphy which refers to characters that translate into various things such as love, life or the name of somebody such as “Joy”. The Phoenix is a popular design of a bird that symbolizes justice and fidelity she represents the element of fire and female forces. Clouds, waves and water are often in the background.

Japanese culture is rich in respect for life and nature which is also seen in their tattooing. Japan hold frequent events and expo’s in honour of tattoo art to enable the public to use and enjoy Japanese heritage that is filled with rich fantasy in symbolism.

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Kanji is the preferred way to write strength in Japanese as a tattoo symbol. If you have not learned Japanese, you may not be aware that there are three Japanese alphabets. These are called hiragana, katakana and kanji.

Although it is possible to write the word Strength in all of the alphabets, most people will want to write it in Kanji. Kanji is usually used for concepts and Katakana is usually used for Names and foreign words. Kanji is the word in Japanese that is used to refer to chinese characters. These characters were originally simplified from characters brought to Japan from China.

To write the Japanese character for strength, it only needs two strokes. Some characters can be much more complicated and made up of numerous strokes, so the symbol for strength is one of the most simple characters to learn and draw. When you see it, it may remind you of an arm muscle bulging with strength. ‘Chikara’ is the Japanese word for strength. It is pronounced Chi Ka Ra.

Some of the other Japanese symbols that are always popular for tattoos are also linked to the family theme These include father, mother, daughter, sister and brother. If you have looked at all of the Japanese symbols related to family and still can’t choose, then you could always go for a universally popular character, the symbol for Love. In Japanese the word for Love is ‘ai’ and is only one character of 13 strokes, which makes it a very good choice if you are looking for a symbol with a strong meaning in one character.

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The prime reason for this is Japanese tattoo artist does not have the language ability to understand what you are asking for or what it should be in Japanese. There are many tattoo artists who are proficient in tattooing but not in kanji stokes. They may not be able to understand the exact meaning of your English words and have translated it into a different kanji.

There are also times where the strokes go wrong in representing them in kanji which results in a completely different meaning. We have also heard of some cases where the tattoo artist acts unprofessionally, and used the wrong kanji symbols on their clients because they didn’t like their clients attitude towards Japanese culture or tattoos.

Whatever the reasons are, how reasonable they are, none of us would be willing for such mistakes to sit permanently on our body forever. There are several ways we could avoid being the victim of such mistakes. After all we know that prevention is always better than the cure. The first thing we should do is to research a lot about the kanji symbols and strokes. The internet is the best first hand easily accessible source for such information. The second tip would be to approach a professional language translator.

Though it costs a lot, it saves your time and money that you spend after you understand it did not communicate the meaning you wanted it to mean. Approaching some professional in person may be out of budget for some of us, since we are planning to already spend so much on Japanese tattoo kanji symbols. If you do not have a budget to hire a professional interpreter, then it is good to approach some professors or students from universities which provide international language courses. If you have a friend or colleague who is a native Japanese speaker, you could even approach them to confirm the meaning of the kanji before getting it on your body as a permanent tattoo. Knowing the ways to avoid the common Japanese tattoo kanji mistakes, we could save time, money, and energy.

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Japanese tattoos are called ‘Irezumi’ in Japanese. There is a long history of tattoo art in Japan. The traditional kind of tattoo designs can be very extensive and cover the arms, shoulders and back or even the whole body. The designs tend to be elaborate and include snakes, dragons, koi fish or even flowers. As the designs can cover a large part of the body, it can often take many sessions to complete the art and cost a large amount of money. In Japanese these kinds of designs can be associated with the Yakuza (Japanese mafia) and so they are not favoured by most people.

An alternative to a traditional Japanese tattoo design is to use a symbol used in Japanese writing. The first thing to know if you are considering a symbol tattoo is that there are three writing systems in Japan, hiragana, katakana and kanji. Hiragana are used for parts of speech, word endings and words that can not be represented in Kanji. Katakana is used for foreign words and foreign names. Kanji are adapted originally from Chinese characters and is the most complicated of all the writing systems.

If you are thinking of using a Japanese symbol for your tattoo design, you can either use one of the writing systems to represent a name, or you could choose one of kanji characters. Some of the most popular kanji characters that are used are those that represent the meanings of Love, Family members, Happiness, Luck, Samurai, Wisdom and even Zen.

Choose your Japanese tattoo symbol carefully. Study the different options for the designs and if you go for a symbol made from Kanji or another Japanese writing system, take extra care to ensure that it will be written correctly. Make sure you are going to happy with the design, location and size of it, and it will be with you for the long term.

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If you are after a Japanese tattoo design, you may think the easiest and quickest thing to do is to use an online translation tool. Enter the english word for the tattoo that you want and you will get the Japanese translation back. You can then get a tattoo for the Japanese word that you have found right? The problem is that online translation tools are not perfect, and sometimes get it very wrong. You cannot rely on these types of tools for something so important and it is worth the time and money to get a native speaker to do the translation for you.

Many people want a tattoo design that represents their name. If that is what you want, you should understand that Japanese is made up of three writing systems, Kanji, Katakana and Hiragana, and the differences between them.

Foreign names should be written in Katakana only as Katakana is the writing system used for foreign words, including names. Although it is possible to come up with a Kanji, or Chinese character combination for most names, it is a made up and artificial way of writing a foreign name that is not used in Japan.

Once you have selected a design you may have it on a stencil ready for the tattoo artist. If the tattoo artist is not familiar with Japanese characters, it is quite possible that they could get the orientation wrong. It has happened that the character has ended up reversed or upside down. It is best to find a tattoo artist that is familiar with Japanese and Kanji, but if you cannot, at least mark the orientation of the character clearly so that there is no chance that it will be wrong.

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