japan tattoos

Japanese tattoo sleeve with demon & cherry blossoms

Phoenix Japanese tattoo

The Phoenix Its name comes from the Greek word for "red", the color of fire. According to the Greek historians Herodotus and Plutarch, it came originally from Ethiopia. For the ancient Egyptians, though, a heron was the first animal to land on the hill that rose out of the primordial ooze.

Japanese geisha

The Japanese geisha
In modern Japan, geishas have been transformed into symbols of traditional values. In the west, the geisha has become a symbol of the exotic grace and beauty of the East. In this tattoo design, the wind has ruffled her kimono and set some pieces of paper loose, perhaps from the sheaf tucked near her arm. The wind has also loosed some petals of cherry blossoms which are beginning to swirl past her. They echo the cherry blossom design of the lower part of her kimono while the upper part makes use of the chrysanthemum. Both flowers are frequently used in Japanese art and in Japanese tattoos.

Japanese Dragon

Japanese Dragon Entwined Around a Sword Tattoo Design by Greg James

Japanese Dragon Tattoo Design

Japanese Dragon Tattoo Design
This dragon has its mouth closed, in a less aggressive stance. It also clutches in one of his claws an object that is variously shown as a ball, a pearl, or a jewel. This item is essentially the closed-lotus form seen in various Buddhist designs including temples and grave markers

Japanese Backpiece Tattoo

The body of the dragon directly connects with the cherry blossoms and wind at the upper left. The clutched pearl of wisdom takes up a place of some prominence at the upper right, providing balance to the design. The lower body of the dragon tattoo now loops downward and to the left while the tale finally ends downward and to the right, somewhere on my upper thigh.

Japanese Backpiece Tattoo

The body of the dragon directly connects with the cherry blossoms and wind at the upper left. The clutched pearl of wisdom takes up a place of some prominence at the upper right, providing balance to the design. The lower body of the dragon tattoo now loops downward and to the left while the tale finally ends downward and to the right, somewhere on my upper thigh.