Japanese dragon tattoos are popular. The dragon is definitely hands down one of the most beautiful and powerful of all the mythic beasts. The sheer beauty and power of these mythical beasts alone warrant there attention as tattoo designs. Then being combined with a long and rich history of tattooing as an art form such as in the Japanese culture and you have a winning combination. If you are contemplating getting a Japanese dragon tattoo then you should spend a little time learning about the deep history and symbolism of the beautiful and mystical beast.

Great Ideas For Dragon Tattoo Designs

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.

The History Of The Dragon In Japan

Dragons play a central role throughout Japan. In Japanese they are called Ryu or Tatsu. They are large serpent like beasts that are covered with scales. They typically live near large bodies of water and throughout history have come to be respected as a powerful creature. It is such a powerful creature that it is believed the first emperor of Japan was descended from a dragon and therefore directly from a power god.

Like many of the east Asian countries dragons have a long tradition in Japanese culture, art, architecture and literature. There are numerous stories, temples and shrines where dragons play a central role.

Sculptures of dragons can be seen today throughout Japan typically in alters, temples and other places of worship. One of the most famous of these temples is at Miyajima also known as The Isle Of The Temple. This has become a famous spot for pilgrims, travelers and tourists to come and pray to the dragons for good luck and good fortune. Dragons are also revered at the Sonsoji Temple in Asakusa Japan.

At the Sensoji Temple in Asakusa Japan every spring is a very special time of year. It is rumored that way back in 628 AD two brothers were fishing along the Sumida river. During their fishing trip they discovered a beautiful statue of Kanon the Goddess of Mercy. At the time they made this discovery a gold dragon flew out of the Sumida river and up into the sky as a way to mark such an important event and such a big finding. Thus every spring the dragon in taken out oft he Sesoji temple and then paraded around the temple grounds.

In the Buddhist and even many Taoist traditions the dragon is seen as a mythical beast that represents the hardships that people will have to face and eventually overcome before enlightenment can be obtained.

Dragons are also featured throughout Japanese literary works. One of the first appearances of a dragon like beast is the beast named Yamata-No-Orochi. Yamata No Orochi is a eight headed serpent like beast that devours young women. In the story a man named Susanoo tricks the beast and gets him drunk on Sake and then is able to slay him. In later literary works dragons are seen as much more benign creatures.

As you can see form above the dragon is prevalent throughout the Japanese culture and their are many examples of this mythical beast in the art and architecture. The dragon can also be found throughout many of the more traditional tattoo designs. Thus gives you a wide variety of options to choose from and can help in getting the perfect tattoo you want. The most common location for a large dragon tattoo of course is the back. This makes a great back piece and the design can be done very large and therefore with a lot of detail. However you are not locked into only getting a back tattoo. If you want something a little smaller or for whatever reason don’t want a back piece a dragon can easily be done on your shoulder, calf, and even a sleeve tattoo design.

Tags: Tattoos