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 three incarnations of the dragon: The tatsu, the ryu and the doragon. The tatsu is the most traditional among the three, being more akin to water serpents and are spirits which personify rivers and other similar bodies of water. The most famous of these dragons is the Orochi, the eight headed and eight tailed dragon which was slain to gain the Kusanagi, or the Imperial Sword of State.
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 symbolize water. This is the main peculiarity between them and the other Asian dragons. Thus, all dragon depictions are fluid and sinuous. Even the scales lend credence to this effect. They are also commonly colored in gold, white or blue, emphasizing the maritime heritage. This is particularly emphasized by the fact that the Japanese believe that the sea is ruled by four dragons, one in each cardinal direction, causing the winds and currents of the sea.
Therefore, these dragons still symbolize power. Water is most fitting, since it is calm and subtle and life giving, but also very threatening, deadly and merciless when in anger. The dragons are also symbols of courage but the most unlikely symbolism is one related to agriculture and fertility. This may be because these fields are so intertwined with water that they are already considered aspects of it.
The Future
Japanese tattoos done the traditional way are called irezumi. This involves the use of bamboo flints to pierce the skin and apply the color. While the results are astounding and excellent, this takes a long time to complete, sometimes years for a small area. Thus, most have already adapted the Western practice of using machines. However, the designs are still completely Japan in flavor and motif.
Rooted in History
There are actually three incarnations of the dragon: The tatsu, the ryu and the doragon. The tatsu is the most traditional among the three, being more akin to water serpents and are spirits which personify rivers and other similar bodies of water. The most famous of these dragons is the Orochi, the eight headed and eight tailed dragon which was slain to gain the Kusanagi, or the Imperial Sword of State.
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 symbolize water. This is the main peculiarity between them and the other Asian dragons. Thus, all dragon depictions are fluid and sinuous. Even the scales lend credence to this effect. They are also commonly colored in gold, white or blue, emphasizing the maritime heritage. This is particularly emphasized by the fact that the Japanese believe that the sea is ruled by four dragons, one in each cardinal direction, causing the winds and currents of the sea.
Therefore, these dragons still symbolize power. Water is most fitting, since it is calm and subtle and life giving, but also very threatening, deadly and merciless when in anger. The dragons are also symbols of courage but the most unlikely symbolism is one related to agriculture and fertility. This may be because these fields are so intertwined with water that they are already considered aspects of it.
The Future
Japanese tattoos done the traditional way are called irezumi. This involves the use of bamboo flints to pierce the skin and apply the color. While the results are astounding and excellent, this takes a long time to complete, sometimes years for a small area. Thus, most have already adapted the Western practice of using machines. However, the designs are still completely Japan in flavor and motif.
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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. This article, Japanese Tattoos: The Japanese Dragon Motif is released under a creative commons attribution license.
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