The Japanese word irezumi (入れ墨, 入墨, 文身, 剳青, 黥 or 刺青) refers to the insertion of ink under the skin japanese tattoo to leave a permanent, usually decorative mark, japanese tatoos in other words, tattooing.
The word can be written in several ways, each with slightly different connotations. The most common way japanese tattos of writing irezumi is with japanese tattoes the Chinese characters 入れ墨 or 入墨, literally meaning to "insert ink." The japanes tattoos characters 文身 (also pronounced bunshin) suggest "decorating the body." 剳青 is more esoteric, japnese tattoos being written with the characters for "stay" or "remain" and "blue" or "green," and probably refers japanesse tattoos to the appearance of the main shading ink under the skin. 黥 (meaning "tattooing") is rarely used, japanesetattoos and the characters 刺青 combine the meanings "pierce," "stab," or Japanees Tattoos "prick," and "blue" or "green," referring to the traditional Japanese method of tattooing by Jappanese Tattoos Japanse Tattoos hand.
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Contents
- 1 History of Japanese tattoos
- 1.1 Ainu Japannese Tattoos tattoos
- 2 Japanese tattoos in the Edo period
- 3 Tattoos in Japanee Tattoos modern Japan
- 4 The making of a Japanese tattoo
- 5 Glossary of Apanese Tattoos Japanese tattoo terms
- 6 Symbolism in Japanese tattoos
- 7 Further Japaese Tattoos Japamese Tattoos reading
- 8 External links
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History Japanesee Tattoos of Japanese tattoos
Tattooing for Japnaese Tattoos spiritual and decorative purposes in Japan is thought to extend back to at least the Jomon or paleolithic period Jpanese Tattoos (approximately 10000 BCE). Some scholars have japanese tattoos suggested that the distinctive cord-marked patterns observed on japanese dragon tattoos the faces and bodies of figures dated to that period represent tattoos, but this claim is by no japanese koi fish tattoos means unanimous. There are similarities, however, japanese flower tattoos between such markings and the tattoo traditions observed in other contemporaneous cultures.
In the following Yayoi period traditional japanese yakuza tattoos (C. 300BCE - 300CE) tattoo designs were observed and remarked upon by Chinese visitors. japanese demon tattoos Such designs were thought to have spiritual significance as well japanese symbols characters for tattoos as functioning as a status symbol.
Starting in the Kofun gallery japanese tattoos period (300-600CE) tattoos began to assume negative connotations. Instead japanese kanji tattoos of being used for ritual or status purposes, tattooed marks began to be placed on criminals as a punishment (this was japanese koi tattoos mirrored in ancient Rome, japanese symbols and characters for tattoos where slaves were known to have been tattooed with mottos such as "I am traditional japanese tattoos a slave who has run away from his master").
Ainu japanese fish tattoos tattoos
The Ainu people, the indigenous people of Japan, are known to have tattoos japanese used tattoos for decorative and social purposes. There is no known relation to the development of Irezumi.
Japanese tattoos japanese name tattoos in the Edo period
Until the japanese symbol tattoos Edo period (1600-1868CE) the role of tattoos in Japanese society fluctuated. Tattooed japanese chest tattoos marks were still used as punishment, but minor fads traditional japanese dragon tattoos for decorative tattoos -- some featuring designs that would be completed only when lovers' hands were joined -- also came and went. cool tattoos japanese symbols It was in the japanese fan tattoos Edo period, however, that Japanese decorative tattooing began japanese letter tattoos to develop into the advanced art form it is known as today.
The impetus for the development of the art were the development of the japanese style tattoos art of woodblock printing and japanese symbol word tattoos the release of the popular Chinese novel Suikoden, a tale of japanese water tattoos rebel courage and manly bravery illustrated with lavish woodblock prints showing men in heroic scenes, japanese characters symbols words tattoos their bodies decorated with dragons and other mythical japanese warrior tattoos beasts, flowers, ferocious tigers and religious images. The novel was an japanese writing tattoos immediate success, and demand for the type of tattoos seen in its illustrations was simultaneous.
Woodblock artists began tattooing. They tattoos of japanese characters used many of the cream shirt japanese yakuza mafia tattoos same tools for imprinting designs in human flesh as they did to create their woodblock prints, including chisels, japanese blue dragon tattoos gouges and, most importantly, unique ink known as Nara ink, or Nara black, the japanese element tattoos ink that famously turns blue-green under the skin.
There is academic japanese tattoos pictures debate over who wore these elaborate tattoos. Some scholars say that it was the lower japanese tiger tattoos classes who wore -- and flaunted tattoos japanese symbols -- such tattoos. Others claim that wealthy merchants, barred by law from flaunting their wealth, wore expensive irezumi authentic japanese koi fish tattoos under their clothes. It is known ebaycom save money and buy japanese tattoos on ebay for certain that irezumi became associated with firemen, dashing figures of bravery and roguish sex-appeal who wore them as a free english to japanese translation tattoos form of spiritual protection free japanese translations tattoos (and, no doubt, for their beauty as well).
Tattoos in modern Japan
At the beginning japanese art tattoos of the Meiji period the Japanese government, wanting to protect its image and make a good japanese characters tattoos impression japanese cobra tattoos on the West, outlawed tattoos, and irezumi took on connotations of criminality. Nevertheless, fascinated foreigners went to Japan seeking the japanese inspired tattoos skills of tattoo artists, and japanese lotus flowers, tattoos traditional tattooing continued underground.
Tattooing was legalized by the occupation forces in 1945, but unfortunately japanese mask tattoos has retained its image of criminality. For many years, traditional Japanese tattoos were associated with the yakuza, Japan's notorious mafia, japanese meanings of flower tattoos and many japanese red dragon tattoos businesses in Japan (such as public baths, fitness centers and hot springs) still ban customers with tattoos.
Tattooing and other forms japanese samarui tattoos of body decoration and body modification, japanese samurai tattoos as in much of the western world, are gaining in popularity in japanese script tattoos Japan. However, Japanese young people who choose to get tattooed are most often choosing "one point" designs -- japanese snake tattoos small designs that can be completed in one sitting -- usually japanese symbols for tattoos in the American or tribal styles. More recently, japanese tattoos art however sanskrit scrypts Siddham script tattoos are getting more and more fashionable, due to the fact japanese wave and flower tattoos Kanji tattoos really look tattoos japanese dragon weird to Asian eyes.
Traditional irezumi is still done by specialist tattooists, but it is painful, time-consuming and expensive: a typical traditional body suit (covering the arms, back, upper legs and chest, but leaving an untattooed space down the center of the body) can take 1-5 years of once-per-week visits to complete and cost more than US$30,000.
The making of a Japanese tattoo
The prospective tattooee must first find a traditional tattoo artist. This in itself can be a daunting task (though it has been made easier by advent of the Internet) because such artists are often surprisingly secretive, and introductions are frequently made by word of mouth only.
A traditional tattoo artist trains for many years under a master. He (for they are nearly exclusively male) will sometimes live in the master's house. He may spend years cleaning the studio, observing, practicing on his own flesh, making the needles and other tools required, mixing inks, and painstakingly copying designs from the master's book before he is allowed to tattoo clients. He must master all the intricate skills -- unique styles of shading, the techniques used for tattooing by hand -- required to create the tattoos his clients will request. He will usually be given a tattoo name by his master, most often incorporating the word "hori" (to engrave) and a syllable derived from the master's own name or some other significant word. In some cases, the apprentice will take the master's name, and will become The Second or Third (and so on).
After an initial consultation during which the client will discuss with the tattooist the designs he (again, clients are most frequently male; though women do wear traditional irezumi, they are most often the wives or girlfriends of tattoo artists) is interested in, and work begins with the tattooing of the outline. This will usually be done in one sitting, often freehand (without the use of a stencil), which may require several hours to complete. When the outline is complete, the shading and colouring is done in weekly visits, whenever the client has money to spare. When the tattoo is finished, the artist will "sign" his name in a space reserved for that purpose, most often somewhere on the back.
Wearers of traditional tattoos can often afford little else. They frequently keep their art secret, as tattoos are still seen as a sign of criminality in Japan, particularly by older people and in the work place. Ironically, many yakuza and other criminals themselves avoid tattoos for this very reason.
Glossary of Japanese tattoo terms
- Irezumi (入れ墨, 入墨, 文身 (also pronounced bunshin), 剳青, 黥 or 刺青) -- tattoo (noun or verb)
- Horimono (彫り物, 彫物, literally carving, engraving) -- tattoo. This is another word for traditional Japanese tattoos.
- Horishi (彫り師, 彫物師) -- a tattoo artist.
- Bokukei, bokkei (墨刑) -- punishment by tattooing.
- Tebori (手彫り, literally to carve by hand) -- describes the technique of tattooing by hand.
- Hanebori (羽彫り, literally to carve with a feather) -- a hand-tattooing tecnhique employing a feathering motion.
- Tsuki-bori (突き彫り) -- a hand-tattooing tecnhique emplying a thrusting motion.
- Kakushibori (隠し彫り, literally hidden carving) -- tattooing near the armpits, the inside of the thighs and other "hidden" body areas. Also refers to the tattooing of hidden words, for example among the petals of flowers.
- Kebori (毛彫り) -- the tattooing of fine lines or of hair on tattooed figures.
- Sujibori (筋彫り) -- outlining, the outline of a tattoo.
- Shakki -- the sound needles make when they puncture the skin.
- Irebokuro -- from ire or ireru, which means to insert, and bokuro or hokuro, a beauty spot
- Yobori -- "Yo" (European) tattooing. The Japanese-English slang term for tattooing done with the Machine.
- Sumi -- The ink used to tattoo, traditionally mixed by the apprentice
Symbolism in Japanese tattoos
Some common images in traditional Japanese tattoos are:
- Mythological beasts and monsters: Dragons, Kirin, Foo Dogs, Hō-ō (鳳凰, Phoenixes)
- Animals: Birds, Koi (Carp), Tigers, Snakes
- Flowers: Peonies, Cherry Blossoms, Lotuses, Chrysanthemums
- Other plants: Bamboo, Maple leaves
- Characters from traditional folklore and literature, such as the Suikoden
- Images of the "Floating World" inspired by ukiyo-e prints: geisha, samurai
- Buddhas and Buddhist deities such as Fudō Myōō and Kannon
- Shinto kami (deities) such as tengu
- Backgrounds: clouds, waves, wind bars.
Further reading
- Joshua Andrews, The Art of Tattooing
- Donald Baruma and Ian Ritchie, The Japanese Tattoo
- Sandi Fellman, The Japanese Tattoo
External links
- Tattoology - The Science of Tattoos and Tattooing
- Tao of Tattoos - The Art of Japanese Tattoos
- BMEZine - Body Modification EZine
- Irezumi - Irezumi by Horiyoshi-III
Categories: Arts in Japan | Tattoos
