The Japanese dragon is an ubiquitous yet mysterious symbol of Japan's culture. It is a part of the ensemble of many tattoos from that country, being one of the most recognizable motifs and designs there. Thus, for the Oriental look, it is best to utilize this fact and apply them to your creations or artworks and in Japanese tattoos.
Rooted in History
There are actually multiple variations to the dragon in Japan: the indigenous Tatsu and the foreign varieties. The tatsu are actually more animistic than physical, being manifestations of what a river or a body of water is and the spirits that live in them. The most famous, however, is the personification of lightning, Orochi. He is an eight headed and eight tailed dragon who was killed to gain the most important element of the Imperial Regalia of Japan, the Kusanagi.
The ryu is the most familiar one. It is akin to the Chinese dragon, only differing in the fact that the feet of the dragon only have three fingers as opposed to five. This is due to the fact that the dragon's feet tells of it's nationality. According to Japan's tradition, Japan, where dragons originated, makes 3 fingers, Korea makes 4 fingers and China makes 5 fingers. When you go further the dragons get too many fingers to survive. The Chinese believe in the reverse, stating that they lose fingers until they have no more. The doragon, on the other hand, is the Western incarnation.
Depicting the Forces of Nature
Japan's dragons are personifications of water. This is the main difference between them and the other cultures, which tend to associate dragons with fire. Thus, all depictions are fluid, to the point of being psychedelic in effect. The dazzling colors, and the detail of the scales also add to the effect. They are commonly colored gold, black, white or blue, emphasizing the sea origin. The ultimate testament to this is the Four Dragon Kings which rule over the four seas surrounding Japan.
These dragons also symbolize power. Being one of the Four Celestial Gods, the dragon is a powerful symbol carried in battle. It is said that the dragon emblem is capable of rousing courage. They are also sometimes symbols of agriculture and fertility. Most often, however, they represent the torrential powers of water, placid and calm at first sight but really brutal and savage when angered.
The Future
Japanese tattoos share their practice with Western methods. Both use piercing and dyes to create the desired effect. There are also more traditional methods of placing tattoos called Irezumi. While most commonly associated with the yakuza, it's now gaining prominence as an art form by itself.
Rooted in History
There are actually multiple variations to the dragon in Japan: the indigenous Tatsu and the foreign varieties. The tatsu are actually more animistic than physical, being manifestations of what a river or a body of water is and the spirits that live in them. The most famous, however, is the personification of lightning, Orochi. He is an eight headed and eight tailed dragon who was killed to gain the most important element of the Imperial Regalia of Japan, the Kusanagi.
The ryu is the most familiar one. It is akin to the Chinese dragon, only differing in the fact that the feet of the dragon only have three fingers as opposed to five. This is due to the fact that the dragon's feet tells of it's nationality. According to Japan's tradition, Japan, where dragons originated, makes 3 fingers, Korea makes 4 fingers and China makes 5 fingers. When you go further the dragons get too many fingers to survive. The Chinese believe in the reverse, stating that they lose fingers until they have no more. The doragon, on the other hand, is the Western incarnation.
Depicting the Forces of Nature
Japan's dragons are personifications of water. This is the main difference between them and the other cultures, which tend to associate dragons with fire. Thus, all depictions are fluid, to the point of being psychedelic in effect. The dazzling colors, and the detail of the scales also add to the effect. They are commonly colored gold, black, white or blue, emphasizing the sea origin. The ultimate testament to this is the Four Dragon Kings which rule over the four seas surrounding Japan.
These dragons also symbolize power. Being one of the Four Celestial Gods, the dragon is a powerful symbol carried in battle. It is said that the dragon emblem is capable of rousing courage. They are also sometimes symbols of agriculture and fertility. Most often, however, they represent the torrential powers of water, placid and calm at first sight but really brutal and savage when angered.
The Future
Japanese tattoos share their practice with Western methods. Both use piercing and dyes to create the desired effect. There are also more traditional methods of placing tattoos called Irezumi. While most commonly associated with the yakuza, it's now gaining prominence as an art form by itself.
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Learn all there is to know about Japanese tattoos specifically the Japanese Dragon Motif in our overview of the best Japanese tattoo designs
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