Japanese flower tattoos are adored by a global audience today. Find out about the strange origins about this popular trend.
The Japanese people are known for the deep love for nature that they possess. The history of Japanese arts clearly displays their desire of being one with nature. Japanese artists are known for their superior powers of observing nature and then depicting them in their art.
Flowers happen to be one of the most beautiful creations of nature. The sheer diversity of looks and smells is something that can keep a nature lover occupied for hours. But naturally the Japanese could never get enough of flowers into their art. Amongst the many different forms of art where the Japanese have used flowers as their inspiration is the art of tattooing.
Flower Tattoos For Men
You would assume that flower tattoo designs are generally targeted towards the women. Although this is true the Japanese tattoo artists have used flower patterns and designs in such a manner that even the macho men have fallen for them. A lot of the flower tattoo designs actually originate from the wood cut blocks of the late Edo period.
It was during this period that the art of tattooing really began to flourish. Although the art of tattooing was in itself not considered to be such a noble practice it started to gain currency with the common people as the feudal system came crashing down. Generally the art of tattooing was associated with the outlaws in Japan. Further more the geisha girls who were hostesses that would entertain their guests by performing various acts would often get themselves tattooed with a flower design in order to attract their customers.
It is surprising to see that despite such un-noble origins the art of tattooing and especially flower tattoos amongst females has become such a fashion craze. For the conservative Japanese families such tattoos are still associated with the not so ethically sound characters of society. In the west however, where everything goes flower tattoos have been accepted as a means of beautifying the human body.
Lotus Flower Tattoos
Japanese flower tattoo designs consist of many different kinds of flowers. One of the most popular flowers is the lotus flowers. Lotus flowers arue known to have a deep symbolic tie to the Japanese culture. Much of the symbolism attached with the lotus flower is associated with Buddhism. The lotus flower is taken as a symbol for the spiritual awakening to the reality of life.
For the majority of people today the lotus tattoo is taken as a symbol of life in general. This perception has been formed by the observation of the way the lotus flower grows which shows the struggle of survival at its most basic level.
Another popular flower in the traditional Japanese tattoo arts is the Peony. This particular flower is taken as a symbol of wealth and good fortune. It is commonly found being used as filler for some of the tattoos derived in Asia but by itself the Peony flower is considered to represent prosperity.
