Japanese Tattoos and Their Meanings - Tattooing 101 (2024)

Japanese tattooing is unique because the designs are used for storytelling. It's an essential part of Japanese culture and has gained popularity all over the world.

As an aspiring tattoo artist, understanding the techniques and symbolism of Japanese tattooing can help you create stunning designs that are steeped in cultural significance and personal meaning for your client.

Because the first modern tattoo machine wasn’t created until 1891, the famous Japanese tattoo style we know today started out with the tabori, or “hand tattooing” method. The artist would have a long bamboo needle bar with a metal needle grouping attached to the end. They would use this tool to puncture the skin, one mark at a time. (For reference, a modern tattoo machine punctures the skin about a hundred times per second.)

Because hand tattooing takes so long, it causes the tattoo to be more painful. Clients endured this pain as a way of “earning” their tattoo.

While it’s rare, there are some artists who still use this traditional method and clients who prefer hand tattooing.

The symbols and motifs used in Japanese tattoos are inspired by Japanese mythology, folklore, and art. Common themes include protection, bravery, and good luck. Because traditional Japanese tattoos are meant to tell a story and convey deeper themes, they are usually very large. Sleeves, full-back tattoos, and even bodysuits are “normal” sizes for Japanese tattoos.

This style of Japanese art can use several different images or symbols. Each symbol within an overall design has a specific meaning, and knowing these meanings is crucial for creating culturally significant tattoo designs.

Here are some of the most common elements you’ll see within the style and what they mean:

Tattoos have a complicated history in Japan, and there were periods of time when the Japanese government deemed tattooing illegal.

For many years, tattoos were associated with criminals and were outlawed in Japan until the late 1800s when tattoos started to become more popular among the general population.

Today, tattoos are legal in Japan, but there are still some restrictions. For example, many hot springs and public baths prohibit people with tattoos from entering, as tattoos are still associated with criminal organizations, including the Japanese organized crime syndicate.

These Yakuza members have tattoos that cover most of their bodies (called “horimono”). To this group, a Yakuza tattoo is seen as a symbol of strength, loyalty, and brotherhood. And while tattooing is popular, its relation to crime has led to a generally negative perception of tattoos in mainstream Japanese culture.

Neo-Japanese (“new” Japanese) draws inspiration from traditional Japanese tattooing while using modern techniques and design elements.

This style of tattooing emerged in the late 20th century and became popular in the United States and Europe in the 2000s.

This is partially because of the internet and other media. People were exposed to more Japanese culture and artwork, and artists began to blend their own ideas and modern takes on the style.

Instead of sticking to the more rigid rules of Japanese tattooing, neo Japanese uses traditional imagery like dragons and koi fish, but adds in pop culture references or abstract designs.

Japanese tattoo art is very detailed, and many masters of the style form long-lasting relationships with clients because it can take years to complete a piece. This is especially true for body suits.

However, if you’re new to tattooing, it’s still important to understand how to develop your own Japanese designs, and you’ll need to keep a few rules in mind while you’re working.

Traditional Japanese designs relied on stories found in mythology. Very often, clients would get imagery from a myth that resonated with them and their personal journey. This has changed over time, and many clients now want tattoos that relate directly to their own experiences.

To do that, you will need to know a bit about your client, and what theme they want their tattoo to have. They might have a specific image in mind already, or they might ask for guidance.

For example, if they wanted a design to represent their bravery, you might talk to them about a Samurai warrior or a lion. With someone who’s overcome significant struggles, a phoenix or koi fish might be a better thematic fit.

While you will see small Japanese tattoos on occasion, they generally take up large areas on the body. Because they take up so much space, it is very important to work with the flow of the muscles. If you don’t, the tattoo won’t look like it belongs on the body.

To work with the body’s flow, you need to find the natural curves (or “S” shapes) on the part of the body you’re tattooing and base the movement of your design on that flow.

Waves and wind bars can be very helpful with this part of your design. Using them as background elements will make the whole piece feel more cohesive and make it easier to follow the body’s flow lines.

Japanese tattoos often have overlapping features and multiple elements in a single design. Because of that, you need to create contrast within your tattoo, or it won’t be readable from afar.

Bold colors, high-contrast background elements like wind bars, and making sure you have strong line work that keeps the clear separation between overlapping items will all make your tattoos easier to read.

Learning about different styles of tattooing is an important step in your journey, but it can also be pretty eye-opening to how difficult tattooing can be. Without the right knowledge, it’s impossible to level up your skills and become a professional tattoo artist.

However, finding the straightforward information you need to progress is difficult. And with so much out there online, it’s hard to avoid picking up bad habits from incorrect and outdated resources.

This is one of the biggest struggles new tattooers face, and too many talented artists have given up their goal of getting into tattooing because of the years it would take to unlearn their bad habits.

That’s why aspiring artists are learning to tattoo with the Artist Accelerator Program’s structured course. As a student, you learn every step of the tattooing process from professional artists with the experience and advice you need to build your skills and create incredible tattoos.

With the Artist Accelerator, you can stop wasting time searching through incorrect information. You just get the clear, easy-to-understand lessons you need to start improving fast… along with support and personalized feedback from professional artists in our online Mastermind group.

Over 2500 students have already gone through the course, with many of them opening up their own studios. If you want to join them and learn the skills you need to start tattooing full-time faster…

Click here to learn more about the Artist Accelerator Program.