meaning of the designs
I often get asked about the meaning of tattoo designs. The peony is said to be the “King of Flowers,” and there are phrases like “a peony when standing, a tree peony when sitting, and a lily when walking.” However, the design itself does not have any inherent meaning. I have been asked in the past to get a tattoo with the meaning of “filial piety,” or to explain the meaning of “Akugenta.” Instead of focusing on the meaning of the tattoo design, it may be more appropriate to view it as a personal story, a symbol of luck, or even a play on words.
Story
A story is a narrative or legend about the origin of a design. For example, “Momotaro’s Extermination of Demons,” “Watanabe no Tsuna’s Rashomon,” and “Taira no Koreshige’s Autumn Leaves Hunting.” It’s not just about the samurai going wild; there are also flowers, backgrounds, supporting characters, etc. that complement the story. Everything is purposefully depicted, with a specific meaning behind it.
Jinx
Jinx means that if you put a certain pattern on it, you will die early, or if you put your lover’s name on it, you will break up. There are various theories, ranging from what is considered established to those labeled as erroneous.
carry auspicious
Other popular tattoos include lanterns on the feet to “brighten the feet” and crabs to “catch the customers and keep them out”. I think this is because tattooing originally spread among people who like to carry auspicious symbols, such as architects like kites and plasterers, gamblers, street vendors, and people in the geisha world. In addition, I can’t say anything about putting a goldfish in it and saying “I can’t eat it even if it’s boiled or grilled”, or putting a crab in it and saying “Life walks sideways”.
word play
There are also puns such as “Tenka Gomen” with five masks, or “Listen to good things” with an axe, a koto, and a chrysanthemum.
There are also ways of thinking, such as putting in a snake that is said to be vindictive because it has a personality that gets bored easily, or putting Kannon in to neutralize it because it is always fighting.
The jinxes and geniuses will differ depending on the region and occupation, and if there is a customer’s request, we will respect it, except for what is said to be an established theory. Also, since there are various versions of the story, props and supporting characters may change depending on which version you stand on. There are puns that are used only for tattoos, and there are also puns that are said by the general public, and customers often come looking for them.
Tattoo Studio Miyabi 