Now for those who are not familiar with Ukiyo-e (Pictures of the floating world) art work – the work from this era is the most popular for Traditional Japanese tattoo artists. These include popular motifs that are often echoed throughout the genre, popular tattoo designs such as Koi fish, Cherry Blossoms, Dragons, and maple leaves.

Kuniyoshi’s print of Nine-Dragons Shi-Jin

from the story Outlaws of the Marsh

I’ve spoken about the historical, cultural, and traditional significant of tattoos in my essay about tattoos because it is so deeply rooted in belief there are many rules of tattoo motifs. In Thailand, Buddhist monks tattoo prayers and images called Sak-Yant. The spirituality and belief behind these tattoos are so powerful that when animals are tattooed on people they are believed to have that animal’s spirit within them. Once tattooed with a Sak-Yant yantra, people believe that they cannot be harmed and gain protection through them – although for these yantras to work, the wearer must follow Buddhist code such as not speaking ill of your mother or father, no alcohol/drugs, and the list goes on with rules that probably would seem silly to us, but have cultural significance there (Such as not walking under houses – which in those areas are often on stilts, and having such immense power of the Yants it is deemed dangerous for the house).

A Sak-yant tattoo in Khmer Script.

Now the lifestyle rules to wear a Sak-Yant tattoo is nothing compared to the rules of a Traditional Japanese Tattoo. I was recently asked by Justin D…

“I know there are certain rules about certain plants not being able to be paired with certain animals. Can a chrysanthemum be paired with a dragon? This is a personal tattoo question. Looking to continue a 3/4 sleeve with and existing dragon to a full sleeve, and thought the chrysanthemum would be badass. My tattoo artist says he hasn’t seen any chrysanthemum paired with dragons but is not certain.”

In response to Justin D – Well the rule isn’t a hard-line rule. It’s not so much that the flowers are paired with certain animals and others not. It’s that the flowers represent the seasons.

Cherry Blossoms + Peonies = Spring/Summer
Chrysanthemums + Maple leaves = Fall/Winter

So think of the flowers representing the seasons. Koi fish only swim upstream during the fall, so you can pair them with Chrysanthemums + maple leaves (Koi fish spawn during the Fall, so Koi fish with Maple leaves are also common motifs). So rules like this applies – You have to think what animals do not come out or do certain tasks they perform at that time of the year that is coordinated by the flower you choose.

The myth behind Koi fish is that when they swim upstream and make it to the top they transform into Dragons. So since the dragon is not a real animal (As far as I’m aware of) it’s hard to link it’s behavior to seasons (We don’t know if Dragons come out in the winter or summer) but we can link Dragons to Koi fish, since the Koi transforms into the Dragon. So knowing that Koi fish swim upstream during the Fall and often paired with Maple leaves the Dragon is usually paired with the spring/summer flowers. Although because there are no rules saying dragons are not out during winters – Thus being able to be paired with Maples or Chrysanthemums.

Picture of Dragon paired with maple leaves

signifying the fall.

Other traditional Japanese rules in tattooing is the clouds and waves rule. Often Traditional Japanese tattooing means a full body suit – with central images linked by backgrounds of waves and clouds. The rule is that above the waist clouds should be used, this signifies the sky – while below the waist waves should be used, signifying the ocean. This rule is often overlooked, and quite easily. Imagine wanting a Koi fish on your arm (Above the waist) although most often they are done with waves behind them – this motif would be incorrect (It isn’t unusual to see Kois with cloud backgrounds).

Full body tattoo by Horiyoshi III

Above the waist w/ cloud background

Another rule I came across is tattooing deities and Buddhas. These important icons often are on shrines that are high up, this is because these icons are “above” us. It is disrespectful to tattoo a Buddha below the waist, they must always be tattooed above the waist.

These images may look beautiful and pretty, behind them is a complexity of knowledge, rules, superstitions, and motifs that need to be followed.