Japanese Tattoos: The Japanese Dragon Motif

Written by Johnny Tran Saturday, 28 May 2011 06:45

The Japanese dragon has always been a mysterious symbol. It's sinuous flow and various forms have helped it to become one of the most recognizable designs in Japanese tattoos. You could also be able to utilize the power of the ryu in your own creations to symbolize something very important or mystical.

The Japanese dragon has always been a mysterious symbol. It's sinuous flow and various forms have helped it to become one of the most recognizable designs in Japanese tattoos. You could also be able to utilize the power of the ryu in your own creations to symbolize something very important or mystical.

A Brief History

There are actually multiple variations to the dragon in Japan: the indigenous Tatsu and the foreign varieties. The tatsu are actually more animistic than physical, being manifestations of what a river or a body of water is and the spirits that live in them. The most famous, however, is the personification of lightning, Orochi. He is an eight headed and eight tailed dragon who was killed to gain the most important element of the Imperial Regalia of Japan, the Kusanagi.

The ryu is the one more commonly seen, since the tatsu are shape shifting. It looks like the Chinese dragon with the biggest difference being the number of fingers on its feet: Three. This is actually a good indicator of the origin of the depiction, with Korea having four fingers and China having five fingers. This may be coincidence but is actually a source of friendly rivalry between these Asian nations.

A Deep Symbolism

Japan's dragons are personifications of water. This is the main difference between them and the other cultures, which tend to associate dragons with fire. Thus, all depictions are fluid, to the point of being psychedelic in effect. The dazzling colors, and the detail of the scales also add to the effect. They are commonly colored gold, black, white or blue, emphasizing the sea origin. The ultimate testament to this is the Four Dragon Kings which rule over the four seas surrounding Japan.

Dragons also symbolize power and majesty. Being one of the four celestial gods, as the seiryu, the dragon is worshipped, revered and feared. This is due to it being calm and placid at first, but when provoked, becomes a deadly catastrophe for anyone who dares. They are also symbols of courage and of fertility. Dragons are also seen as a farmer's best friend.

A Shared Heritage

Japanese tattoos share their practice with Western methods. Both use piercing and dyes to create the desired effect. There are also more traditional methods of placing tattoos called Irezumi. While most commonly associated with the yakuza, it's now gaining prominence as an art form by itself.