Want a mask tattoo from Japan? You will be amazed to find out about the origins of some of the scariest Japanese mask tattoos.
Contrary to popular belief the most famous of Japanese mask tattoos known as the hanya tattoos have nothing whatsoever to do with the devil. The physical appearance of this satanic creature has lured many people to believe that it is an image associated with the king of evil himself. The truth however is quite the contrary.
Although the Japanese Buddhists do have a concept of hell but the image of the hanya has nothing to do with it. The hanya is by far one of the most popular mask tattoos in Japan. It is a symbol that only the Japanese have been able to appreciate completely. For the westerners this is one symbol that has not sunk in like the rest of the Japanese tattoo designs. This is not to say that you will not find people in the west to be tattooed with this ugly looking face. The truth is that most of them think it’s satanic and that’s what makes it cool when in reality its nothing like that.
Mask Tattoos Explained
According to Japanese tradition the hanya is a terrestrial monster rather than a hell creature. The Japanese believe that when women get tangled up in confused emotions like jealousy, passion and hate they can transform into these monsters. The truth about this claim on the outside is questionable but not many people would deny that this is what the inside of a person caught up in envy would look like.
Japanese mask tattoos seem to be inspired by the Iwami Kagura style. This is a form of local sacred dance theatre which is practiced in selected parts of Japan. This exclusiveness of the practice lends it the mystique which intrigues many foreigners.
In recent years the image of the hanya has been heavily commercialized. With improvements in mass communication the image and the story behind it has reached many people around the world. So much so that it has led some people to get themselves stamped with these Japanese mask tattoo designs. Ironically these mask tattoos according to Japanese tradition are also something that drives away bad luck as well as the evil spirits.
So what is the real story behind the most popular mask tattoo design of Japan? Well the most popular story that surfaces in Japan is about one particular woman who fell in love with a priest. The fact that she was unable to consummate her love led her to develop negative emotions such as jealousy and hatred. This in turn distorted her face and made her into a monster.
The wide collection of Japanese mask tattoos has some of the scariest looking variations that you will be able to find. The Japanese have been known to possess an extremely creative dark side which allows them to create images of monsters that most of us could not even dream of. Mask tattoos are quite popular in Japan and their popularity continues to grow outside the country as well.
