Tattoo

The traditional Japanese tattoos known as 'horimono' became very popular among the people of the 18th century or the Edo period. The most popular choices for the designs of the tattoos were the images from traditional water color paintings, picture books and woodcuts. Understanding the history and background is as important to experience and enjoy the Japanese horimono tattoos as it is to preserve their traditions.

The Edo period was like a period of Cultural Revolution for the Japanese. There were many changes that happened during that period at different levels of the society. A different class of people grew up out of the ordinary people of Japan, who found lot of interests in fashion, comedy, drama, novels, songs, and theatre. So, a unique and separate culture began to grow up.

As the society of Edo progressed, the ordinary people began to take pride in activities of fashion. Gradually, the Edo working class people began to imitate the heroes from the folk stories they used to read in the books (especially the picture books) and comics and other artworks as popularized by the famous woodblock artist Kuniyoshi. Getting highly impressed from these artistic works, the people began to tattoo themselves ritualistically and painfully with the designs based on folklore, such as dragons, Chinese lions, and giant snakes, and also with religious figures with the help of sharp needles for inserting pressed charcoal ink under their skin.

The people who carried out the process of tattooing were mostly the woodblock artists who simply had to exchange their wood-carving blades for long and sharp needles. With time, some of these people became so much involved with tattooing that common people began to accept them as tattoo specialists. This is how the unique Japanese traditional body art form, horimono was formed.

Today, it is very common to have tattoo conventions in Japan as well as in the West. But to have such conventions in the Edo period in Japan around 150 years earlier is itself a strong indicator of the Japanese having a long and rich history of tattoo culture.

Even though there are no photographic record of their works and designs, lot of books are available today which describe the life and work of many tattoo artists of the Japanese Edo period.

One very famous tattooist from the Edo period is Horiuno. Horiuno was born in 1843. He became a tattooist at the age of 20. But before beginning to work full time from his age of 40, he travelled extensively throughout Japan, going from place to place like Osaka, Kyoto and Shizuoka. However, he continued doing his business well into his seventies and much of his work can be seen even today. Most of his customers used to work in the local construction and manufacturing industries, and in 1912, some of these people of the Kanda area formed the Kanda Choyu-kai, meaning "Tattoo Friends Society of Kanda", and after another 10 years, the society was extended to outside the Kanda area, and formed the Edo Choyu-kai.

All the members of this group, who are mostly labourers such as construction workers, carpenters and plasterers, meet every year at places like Ojinanushi-no-taki and Marukotamagawaen, take part in mass outdoor banquets, or in festivals such as the Asakusa Sanja-matsuri, and present their intricate and extensive body art tattoos with pride.

Horiuno was known as the most talented tattooist from Japan and was famous throughout Japan and also overseas. However, at that time there were many other equally skilful tattooists in Japan, such as Horikane, Kyuta, Horiiwa, and Nekokichi.

Phoenix are a very popular tattoo design. Phoenix made as phoenix tribal tattoos or phoenix Celtic tattoos are also very popular.

Phoenix tattoos can be tattooed as armbands / arm bands, lowerback / lower back pieces, on ankles, shoulders, the upperback area, chest. . . just about anywhere as body art.

People now commonly search online using the internet for phoenix tattoo flash (tattoo art / tattoo pictures) and this is a great source to find phoenix tattoos. First instinct is to find free phoenix tattoo designs, but the quality of these designs is generally pretty poor (you get what you pay for, of course).

Tattoo Artists who create our tattoo flash get paid a royalty, so your purchase goes to support the flash artists to create more top quality tattoo artwork!

Phoenix tattoo

Phoenix tattoo

Phoenix tattoo

Phoenix tattoo

The military tattoo has a long history within the various branches of military service in the United States. Soldiers view the tattoo as a sign of commitment to their fellows and as an identifying mark. Divisions and brigades take pride in their own symbols. Every soldiers look forward to the day when they can wear that symbol and hold their head high.

The longest and richest military tattoo tradition should be in the United States Navy. The anchor symbol has become one of the most easily recognizable military tattoos in the world. In the early 1900's, the sailors introduced the practice of tattooing to the other military branches. As the sailors traveled to somewhere else and saw that the art of military tattooing was alive and well, they began to create tattoos that represented their group. They would return from voyages that had literally taken them around the world.

The United States Army also follows the practices of the Navy. Variation of American Flag is currently used as a symbol for tattooing. The flag can be integrated into an eagle's wing or into the shape of a heart, the red, white and blue. All plays a prominent role. The POW-MIA theme is another one commonly found in a military tattoo, particularly in the Army. These tattoos pay homage to the prisoners of war who are missing in action.

The United States Marine Corps also has its own versions of the military tattoo after noticing the Army and Navy. Although it is not as wildly popular as that in the Navy and Army, the Marines still have a long history of tattooing within certain regiments and brigades. Bulldog symbol is one of the most popular Marine Corps tattoos. Marines are typically the first strike in a United States Military campaign. They pride themselves on toughness, tenacity, and stubbornness. That’s why no one disagree that the bulldog is a perfect symbol for what they represent.

For those who serve in the Air Force, sport tattoos with wings incorporated in them is another military tattoo. The history of Air Force military tattoos is still being written. As the practice of military tattooing becomes more and more popular, it is growing within the ranks. Pilots may include details of a certain fighter.

Actually, all branches of military service people see such tattoos are much more than just ink and pictures. A military tattoo is a constant reminder of the hardships and struggles that were endured as a team, and of those who may have been left behind. Even once they have left the military, they will also get a new tattoo in order to remember a fallen comrade or other momentous event.