Japanese tattoos

The Hottest and Most Popular Japanese Half Sleeve Tattoos For Both Men and Women - Part 2

This is the second part of a two part article that explores some of the top themes and designs for Japanese half sleeve tattoos. In the first part we discussed why the Japanese tattoo designs are so popular here in the west and also some of the top designs for men. Luckily the designs are very versatile and these days many women are getting Japanese tattoo designs and full or half or even quarter sleeve tattoos. This article will look into some of the most popular designs for women.

Themes For Women

It is amazing there are so many great designs for women also. Now most women in Japan did not get tattoos and only a select few ever did this. However, much of the symbolism and meaning behind the classic or traditional Japanese tattoos are still important to women today.

Geisha - Of course spoken about above these were highly entertaining women trained in the most classical art forms of the Japanese. They could sing, dance, pour sake and entertain roomfuls of guests with their intelligent banter. They were incredibly beautiful yet became almost untouchably beautiful when their artistic and conversational abilities were combined. These women were often seen as mysterious, often powerful in social settings. These are often things can relate and hold important to even to this day.

The Lotus Flower - Of course the lotus flower is seen as a symbol of change and enlightenment. It is an incredible beautiful flower that did not start life that way. The beauty and symbolism behind lotus flower tattoos have lead many women to seek these designs out.

Cherry Blossom - Of course the cherry blossom is seen as representative of the shortness and delicate balance of life. Most Samurai thought of the cherry blossom as symbolic of life. It is short, delicate and can slip away at any time. Therefore they would remind themselves to live each day to the fullest. Stating each morning today is a good day to die. This was not so much a sick death wish as more an acceptance of the delicate nature of life. They also serve as a reminder to live each day to its full potential and not live in a scarred or worried state of mind.

Koi Fish - Thus one is actually pretty equally popular among men and women. The koi fish is seen as a symbol of power, strength and individuality. The myth about koi fish tells how they would swim upstream against the current to become released and turn into a dragon. These have for a long time been a symbol of going against the "mainstream" of culture and being original and different. Thus it is a very popular theme for both men and women.

As you can see there are so many different themes and designs that one can get. The Japanese half sleeve tattoo is a very versatile and deeply meaningful set of tattoo designs. If you are considering getting a Japanese tattoo design just make sure you work with a quality tattoo artist and only the best top quality design resources. It is so easy to find designs that have been done backwards or in mirror image and the writing and classic elements of design have been done incorrectly. This ruins the beauty and history of these great tattoo designs.

If you are considering getting a Japanese tattoo design you have to check out this wonderful site full of tattoo designs and ideas. Don't get stuck with a badly formed or incorrect Japanese tattoo design that bastardizes the rich and deep tradition of Japanese tattoos. Find a competent and professional artist and only use the best and traditional designs for a great look tattoo. You have to check out this great site for more information and design possibilities Top Japanese Tattoo Designs. ( By Chris Ryerson )

Japanese tattoos

Japanese Tattoos – an Overview

Articles By Fran Rimrod

Japanese tattoos are a very popular request in the tattoo studios, as they are a style of body art that's rich with symbolism and has links to ancient traditions. The majority of Japanese tattoos consist heavily of written symbols which can be divided into three main categories.

1) Kanji

Of the three types of Japanese tattoo symbols; Kanji is the most popular because it is so expressive and artistic. Each different Kanji symbol (of which there are reported to be more than 40,000) represents a specific idea or meaning. So by combining a number of different Kanji symbols in your tattoo design it's possible to create a stylish and unique tattoo that expresses an unlimited number of ideas and messages.

2) Hiragana

Unlike Kanji, Hiragana is a style of writing that's used in everyday Japanese life. You'll find it used in media such as newspapers and magazines, so it's much more amenable to literal translation than Kanji.

In terms of design, the hiragana characters are more rounded than Kanji symbols, which is worth bearing in mind depending upon your artistic tastes. Hiragana writing is also known as cursive, so don't get confused if you hear someone speaking about a cursive tattoo.

3) Katakana

The system of Katakana is similar to Hiragana. Together they're known as Kana and were originally based on the Kanji symbols which existed more than one thousand years ago. Since than they've developed into their present form and both Hiragana and Katakana each have their own set of 46 symbols with which to form their words.

The system of Katakana symbols is used almost exclusively to represent words that are non Japanese in origin. These symbols are similar to the system of hiragana with the main difference being that words in Katakana have sharper edges and are much more angular in appearance.

And that concludes the three types of Japanese tattoo symbols that are available. However, there's no rule that says you have to choose one style and stick to it. You could have your tattoo designed so that it includes more than one of these styles. For example, you could have a sentence written using Hiragana that includes various Kanji symbols to enrich it with greater meaning.

But whatever option you select, it's important to take one additional safety precaution before you go anywhere near a tattoo studio with your design. As you can see from this brief explanation of different character types, the system of Japanese writing is extremely complicated and subtle.

If you don't speak Japanese fluently, it's vital to get an accurate translation of your design from a Japanese language expert.

It's also a good idea to make sure that you find a tattoo artist who has experience forming the various Japanese characters and symbols.

Ultimately, the tattoos that people are most pleased with are those that have deep personal meaning or significance.