Japanese tattoos are becoming very popular again, especially from Western people who are trying to express themselves with the beautiful calligraphy used in them. They give the appearance of being mystical and exotic. It is thought that Japanese tattoos have existed since 10,000 BC. In about 300-600 AD they took on a negative connotation. They were used as punishment for criminal behavior. The meaning for tattoos fluctuated for a period of time. In the Edo period around 1868 AD tattoos started taking on the form of art that they represent today. In the Meiji period the Japanese government outlawed tattoos as a way of lifting the West’s view of the Japanese and tattoos became aliened more the criminal behavior.

Tattooing in Japan was legalized in 1945. It still has the aura of criminality though. Many people associate it with the yakuza, the Japanese mafia and some Japanese establishments will not allow people with tattoos in. Many young Japanese people are beginning to get tattoos again though, but they seem to be opting for the less graphic type that can be completed in one visit to the tattoo parlor. Many of the more traditional Japanese tattoos involve a very long process and are both painful and expensive. Because of the amount of detail that is needed to do Japanese tattoos, they may involve months or even years of weekly visits to the tattoo artist’s shop. Japanese tattoos that cover the entire upper body can take up to five years to complete and cost up to $30,000.

Japanese tattoos are popular in the Western countries because they are very colorful and mystical. Most people enjoy the attention they bring, because most in the West don’t know the meaning of the symbols, etc… This can be used as a way to attract attention. Most Japanese tattoos are done with Kanji characters. Kanji characters originated in the Chinese language but some of them were adopted by the Japanese and became known as Kanji. They can express a message in the most artistic way, and this is one of the main reasons they are so popular. Japanese people as well as people from Western countries are now very into having these vibrant tattoos. In the West, they draw attention because most people do not understand their meaning. They are intriguing because of this.

It is very important to do your homework when getting these tattoos, especially outside of Japan, because you want to be sure that the translation means what you want it to mean. Sometimes people get the tattoos and find out later that the message is completely different than they intended. Be sure that you research the meaning of the characters you are going to use and that the whole message is accurate. There are people who specialize in doing Japanese tattoos. It is worth it to spend more money to get an accurate outcome. Removing an incorrect tattoo can be a difficult process and expensive also.