The image of the dragon is something that fills the Japanese tradition of tattooing. For the Japanese the dragon is among the most powerful and beautiful mystical beasts of all time. The physical look of the dragon makes it a hard to miss symbol regardless of where it is placed.
The history of the art of tattooing shows that the dragon has been a definite favorite amongst the commoners with regards to getting a tattoo. There is a rich history of symbolism linked to the image of the dragon itself which lends it even more mystique to couple its physical appearance.
The location, size and style of dragon tattoo designs have the ability to alter the symbolic meaning of the dragon’s image. For example, the usual picture of a dragon that appears wrapped around a sword and looking at a person with fiery and bright red eyes represents strength and power. On the other hand, the picture of a dragon flying in the sky is meant to symbolize freedom.
In Japanese culture the dragon holds a revered position. The dragon is referred to as tatsu and ryu in Japan. The general depiction of the dragon is like to a mutated serpent with a long and scaly body. According to mythological beliefs dragons live in close proximity to large bodies of water. The Japanese regard these powerful imaginary creatures to be gods. This is one of the reasons why the image is so common in Japanese culture.
The image of the dragon is also very popular in other Asian countries including Korea and China. You can find many sorts of artistic works displaying dragon designs in Japan such as sculpture, fine arts and architecture. The Japanese still consider the dragon a very popular design element today.
Japanese alters and temples can be seen displaying large scale sculptures of dragons even today. The Isle of the Temple is one of the most popular places for its dragon statues which act as a tourist attraction in modern times. For the Japanese the image of the dragon brings good luck and good fortune.
For the majority of the people in the west today the image of the dragon is simply something that is supposed to be cool. Their liking of dragon tattoos is generally void of the cultural symbolism that it has for the Japanese.
Presently, artists who make dragon tattoos generally try to attach meanings to them that do not have historical significance. New dragon tattoos commonly can represent moods, feelings or concepts.
The modern opinions regarding the use of dragons in art are not the same as the usual opinions of the Japanese who always had the opinion that dragons held a great significance. The different eras also influenced the symbolic meanings of the dragon in Japan. As an example, the people who practiced Buddhism and Taoism used the dragon as the creature that symbolized the hardships they had to face in order to become enlightened.
Japanese kanji tattoos are based on the traditional Japanese script. To read more on tribal dragon tattoos.
