Japanese Dragon Tattoos One Of the Best Of Japanese Tattooing
Truly one of the most majestic and magical of all the mythical beasts the dragon demands the attention it constantly receives in the world of tattoo designs. Dragon are prevalent design and symbolic elements throughout Asia including Chine and especially Japan. This has lead to a great deal of Japanese and Chinese artwork to use this mythical beasts as a central theme in their tattoo design work.
Possibly Design Ideas For Dragon Tattoos
There are a wide variety of different tattoo possibilities with a dragon. There are the issues of location, size and design to consider. The style and look of the dragon can often determines what the person might wish to represent. For example an evil looking dragon that is bearing his large teeth and surrounded by flames and wrapping around a large sword would obviously represent power, strength and the warrior spirit. Where as a dragon that is depicted in a scene above a large body of water or in the clouds in flight might represent peace and beauty. So the style, look and feel of the design will ultimately determine the meaning of the tattoo.
Dragon History In Japan
Dragons are a fundamental mythical animal or beast tot he Japanese people. In the Japanese language dragons are referred to as "Ryu" or often "Tatsu". They of course are large yet slender serpent looking creatures. Often they live around large bodies of water such as the ocean of a big lake. They are well respected as a creature that has tremendous power and therefore the Japanese believe that the very first emperor of Japan had descended from a dragon and therefore is partially god himself.
Throughout Asian the dragon is a very significant animal that is part and parcel f the culture. In Japan like many other countries that Dragon is a sacred animal that has always inhabited the earth. There are numerous stories, myths, and legends as well as extensive art and design work.
One can see the improtant role that dragons play in Japanese culture through their extensive sculptures. It is common to see statues of dragons at an alter, temple and other places of worship. For example at the Sonsoji Temple in Asakusa Japan the dragon statue is one of the most predominate features. An even more famous spot is at Miyajima also know as The Isles Of The Temple. This temple is a famous spot for travelers, tourist and religious. They all come here to pray to the dragon and ask for good fortune and good luck in the up and coming year.
At the Sensoji Temple the dragon sculpture is taken out each spring and paraded around the temple ground. Thousands of people from all over Japan come to see and participate in this huge festival. This is done to commemorate a major event. The story is about two brothers who in 628 AD were fishing along that bands of the Sumida river. During their fishing trip they accidentally discovered a beautiful statue of the Goddess of Mercy Kanon. It is said that a gold dragon flew up out of the river and into the sky once the discovery was made as a way to celebrate the wonderful finding.
In both Buddhist and Taoist religious traditions the dragon is seen to also represent the hardships that a spiritual pilgrim will have to face in their journey towards enlightenment.
The dragon can also be foudn throughout Japans great literary works and is a prevalent image. For example there is the famous tale of Yamata-No-Orochi (an eight headed serpent) and Susanoo (the man). Yamata-No-Orochi is an eveil beast that devours young women whole. Until Susanoo is able to trick the serpent. He gets the serpent drunk and then is able to successfully kill him.
Japanese Dragon Tattoo Placement Since dragons are so prevalent through Japanese art, architecture, and literature there are many different even historically famous tattoo designs to choose from when contemplating getting a dragon tattoo. As far as location the most popular place is a very large full back piece. This allows for a lot of canvas space to truly depict the beauty and power of the mystical beast. You are not just locked into a large back piece however, as there are many different dragon tattoo designs to work with and you can get a tattoo anywhere on your body that you want. Typically calves, shoulders and sleeve tattoos also work well for dragon tattoos. The choice is up to you and what you want and what you are looking to express int he design.