Japanese Tattoos and such

Posted on 20. Dec, 2007 @ 9:13 pm by in Books, Culture Views: 857

One of the most popular posts on this blog, quite surprisingly actually, is the Tattoo in the Onsen post.

No tattoos or drunks in the onsen please, the sign says.

Lots of people search for “kanji tattoo” or “chinese character tattoo” or “japanese tattoo” and such and end up on that page.

I guess people really want to get authentic Japanese tattoos, or tattoos with Chinese characters on them. Personally I have nothing against tattoos, though personally I’ll probably never get one, but if you’re to get one be careful!

You don’t want to end up like this! Girl’s Chinese Tattoo of Boyfriend’s Name Really Spells ‘Supermarket’. I don’t know how that could happen. I mean, wouldn’t her boyfriend tell her? Does anyone know Chinese well enough to explain this for me?

Anyway. For all those people looking for Japanese Tattoos, I ‘ll throw this link out there.

There is a magazine called Tattoo Lifestyle (Japanese Version) available with full color pictures of tattoos, in Japan. Hardcore full-back (ouch!) tattoos for all your inking needs.

Enjoy!

Does anyone out there reading this have a Japan or Chinese character related tattoo? What is it of? I’m curious.

I hope it doesn’t say “supermarket!”

- Harvey

  • http://atypicallife.wordpress.com/ Shane

    My step-daughter has our last name tattooed on her upper buttocks in katakana. It’s not my thing but at least she will always remember her maiden name should she ever decide to change through marriage. Better that ‘supermarket’….

  • http://urutoranohihi.blogspot.com lina

    I guess it is equally important to find the correct meaning of a kanji word and also to have a tatoo artist who can etch the word correctly. You know, 1 wrong line can change the whole meaning

  • http://slashandburn.typepad.com/slash_and_burn/ Adam

    I’ve been wondering about the whole onsen thing since I have three tattoos and plan to get more. I guess the best thing to do is ask before entering. I’ve also heard that some gyms won’t give memberships to 刺青がある人.

    As for my tattoos, I have いつか on the underside of my right forearm, 流 on my right shoulder, and 空即是色色即是空 on my back. I just love text. And yes, I cleared them with Japanese friends before getting the ink. The calligraphy for the one on my back was actually done by a friend.

  • bulat

    a friend of a friend of mine, a big muscly tough guy got a hiragana tattoo on his shoulder. i dont remember what he meant to put there, but he ended up with おかま (okama) which means “homosexual”. he still hasnt been informed of this -_-;;;

  • http://www.japannewbie.com harvey

    Bulat, that story is so fun it almost sounds like fiction!

    I wonder if he meant to get おかあさん or おかん or something like that to mean “mother”. Talk about a “oops”.

    Just smile and tell him it’s cool if you see it. Smile and nod… smile and nod…

  • http://www.japannewbie.com harvey

    Hey Adam, likely if you ask, they’ll tell you no you can’t go into the onsen. Also gyms don’t allow tattoos either. Even if they’re covered up.

    I was being smart when I joined this gym and asked a bunch of questions, including, what about henna tattoos? They said no. So if you’re a Hindu who happens to have just been married and have the henna left over on your hands. No gym.

    So I asked about people with their eyebrows tattooed on. They said that’s OK.

    I asked what the difference was, they said basically, if it’s an “art” tattoo, it’s not allowed.

    Silly. But I guess they gotta keep the yakuza out.

    Hey Adam, what does 空即是色色即是空 mean? Wow, it’s a Kanji anagram! Almost. I don’t know that one please enlighten me!

  • http://slashandburn.typepad.com/slash_and_burn/ Adam

    I asked for a translation of “reality is an illusion” and what my friend wrote out is, I believe, a Buddhist saying to the extent of, Emptiness is the true state, the true state is emptiness. A Chinese friend saw the characters written out in my room and remarked, that’s Chinese! So I guess it works in more than one country.
    Hey, my tattoos aren’t art, they’re memos! But I figure I’ll just always be wearing long sleeves in Japan. I can’t imagine employers like to see visible tattoos either.

  • http://www.japannewbie.com harvey

    Ahhh I see how that works. Yes if I first saw it, I would have guessed it was Chinese as well. Modern Japanese rarely has strings of Kanji that long. It happens sometimes, but usually if it does it’s from some Chinese phrase or something. Good stuff!

  • http://www.gaijinbash.com Brian

    I have a half sleeve and a bit on my chest. It’s done in the Japanese style, a very colorful scene depicting lotus blossoms and carp. No kanji though. I couldn’t bring myself to get any kanji after reading http://www.hanzismatter.com for the last few years.

    If you ask, they will always say no. Always.

    I find that the large sentos (public bathhouses) in town will have the “no tattoo” signs out front. As for smaller mountain onsen, I’ve never had a problem.

    If you want to be extra safe, ask a local tattoo shop. Some onsen are clearly tattoo friendly. I’ve heard the big one in Asakusa is full of tattooed locals. Gotta check it out…

  • http://www.japannewbie.com harvey

    Thanks for the hanzismatter blog! That’s great, I’m bookmarking it. I’m glad they were also confused about the ‘supermarket’ tattoo. It seems it doesn’t mean supermarket at all!

  • Sara

    Hi
    Dose enybody know where i can finde japanese tattoos, the symbols for power? or Willpower??

  • http://www.wowtattoos.com Nate

    Yes… you have to really, really trust that Japanese design you’re getting. I know for certain there are flash sets out there that list wrong translations.

    -Nate
    Ambigram Tattoo Lettering

  • http://libraryoftattoos.com Tattoo Lettering

    Hi. I’ve been a tattoo expert for many years, and I know that one of the hardest tattoos to get is of Japanese and chinese writing. A friend of mine said not to go to a Caucasian to get this kind of tattoo done; a person who speaks native Japanese is much better with the characters. Hope this helps!

  • Derek Kent

    I have a tatoo that I thought said “Dragon” I picked it off a list in a tatoo shop on the seafront (UK)Doh! When my friend came over from Japan to stay, she had no idea what it said. It’s definatley not the Kanji for dragon (I have since found that out)
    But I discovered a scroll in the V&A museum in London penned by an 18th Century Japanese Zen Monk, that is free form calligraphy and an exact match to my tat!. The scroll is titled ‘Dragon’
    So now I have a Japanese tatoo that no living Nihonjin can read!

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