True tattoo story

A long time ago, one day I was very busy at work, and that time my *American* email friend sent me an email. He said his co-worker is going to have tattoo in Japanese. So asked me a favor to choose the *Chinese* *characters*. We exchanged mails like this...

He: How do you write courage in Japanese?
Me: Um, 勇気
He: How about happy?
Me: I guess 幸福 is acceptable.
He: Joy?
Me: How about one character 喜?
He: He wants to have 2 characters as other words have.
Me: (Come on!) Well, how about 歓喜?
He: How about laughter?
Me: (Wirra, I am busy! Not 苦笑(forced smile), not 嘲笑(chilly smile)…what else do we have 2 character idiom for laughter?) Okay 爆笑 is good enough!

I told him that, but it's a tattoo….. You can't erase it quickly. Oh,I wish the American who has 爆笑( = crazy laughing) tattoo on his left arm would never see Japanese in his life.

Anyway I will introduce Japanese Tattoos, In early Edo era, tattoo was a sort of criminal punishment. Actually Trivia no Izumi said a sinner had to have a Chinese charactore "DOG-犬!!" on his forehead! But later the development of the art and technique made tattoo popular. Actually we have historical hero Toyama no Kinsan. (Bushi works at magistrate's office) has big Cherry Blossom Tattoo in this shoulder.

Okay here is some traditional Japanese tattoo site. Here, and here. hmm even though tattoos are not so rare in Japan, such a big tattoo makes me sweat...

Comments

[donald]

what is honor,courage and commitment in japanese

[Angel]

reading this site has given me a lot of inspiration,and background to the tattoo I will be getting. I want to thank the person who's website this is.

I have done a lot of research on kanji, going so far as to learn how to read and write kanji for the sole purpose of my tattoo.

I agree with the above comments, a lot of people do not even know what they have had tattooed on themselves. Probably only got it because it was "pretty".

One thing I believe firmly in- a tattoo should reflect life changing events. Not something you are going to regret later in life.

Thank you again.

[AzianBrewer]

There used to be a tattoo shop in NYC by the name of 55 Tattoo. Most of the artists there are Japanese without legit working document-so they have to fly back and forth. Finally, they decided to close the shop because of this. I have seen some of their works and they are awesome. I almost had HoriSakura ink in a serpent in my left shoulder (yakuza style).

[robert]

just my rotten luck...now I will walk around japan all stinky cuz I cant take a bath. ;( I wonder about the symbolism of having a mosquito there. Ornate backs are definitely one of those "mating" enhancements in the animal kindom, typically among the male of the species. Perhaps the mosquito represents the intellectual view of mankinds urge to procreate?...either way.. I think it would make me quiet to get a tatto there...right after I got really loud! *whimper* ;)

[Claire （クレア）]

I read a Japanese story once about a tattoo competition. One man bragged of his tattoo and the other quietly said he could outdo whatever the other man had. The other man was very ornately tattooed, in many colors, all over his back. The quiet man had a very lifelike mosquito in a very private place.

Just the same, I don't think I would ever get a tattoo. I would not want to be denied the pleasure of going to an onsen or a sento, because I have this mark on my body. I have also heard of too many people with backward kanji and hanzi, etc.

[cecile]

oh gosh, i've met so many people who upon learning that i'm chinese will show me their hanzi tatoo only to be disappointed later on because their supposedly hanzi tatoo turned out to be nothing more than a few meaningless strokes.
i'm really surprised at how some people can be so careless about something as permanent as a tatoo. and really disappointed at the tatoo artists who don't even research well before they put these things on their clients.

______

Cecile. I agree. 268.3%. My opinion is Kanji is words, words has power, actually we say KOTODAMA. Each word has power we think.
It is not easy to pick the words forevery you will be with on your body.
I am not sure his friend has bakusho tattoo really. But I should not have replied to him mabye.

[robert]

heh.. I dislike it when ANYONE gets something put on them without understanding the meaning behind it, or without having a meaning. Tattoos are a statement, an identity issue if you will. I used to do tattoos for a living, I designed flash for the parlors and made money ( I stopped after I saw how many of my designs were so poorly rendered). Nothing more infuriating than to do a tattoo on someone only to have them come for a "cover up" 3-6 months down the road. Research people. It's a commitment and not an email exchange. And when you were busy no less. I hope your friend understood the stress he caused. On a happier note, I have ALWAYS admired the artistry of the Japanese tattoo arts. It is the kind of vision and commitment I think exemplifies the meaning behind being tattooed. It is exactly that whole picture feeling that makes a million bannered hearts and peeing calvins purile by comparison. Personally I couldn't afford the cost of such an undertaking, so it is definitely something for someone whose devotion is well funded. ;) In case anyone was wondering. I have done a my own little purile piece. It is on my left arm..something completely flaccid, a skull with a banner saying "death never sleeps". My reminder to myself that life is short..but sadly my main reason for doing it was so I wouldnt feel like a hypocrite when I was asked if it hurt, it does people, but no worse than getting a TB innoculation..it is tough to tattoo yourself though..especially when you are left handed
(thankfully I have an ambidextrous streak);)

[gleek]

i can't stand it when americans get kanji or hanzi characters tattooed on themselves and they don't even know what they mean! i saw one woman on the street and she had 'kita' tattooed on her arm. i don't think that she even knew what it was. here's a great site that delves into strange uses of kanji and hanzi and all the bad tattoos you can handle.

http://www.hanzismatter.com/

[Charles]

You really ought to see the film "Irezumi," it's an adaptation of an old story, I think it's by Tanizaki.
http://imdb.com/title/tt0084153/