Japanese tattooing for women differs significantly from men. Women often choose animals such as butterflies and dragonflies or flowers such as cherry blossom trees and lotus blossoms to have permanently inked on their bodies. Tattoo art can be stunningly beautiful and has a deep spiritual significance that represents who wears it and their personalities, with some also serving as symbols of good luck or endurance.
Red
Red is an eye-catching hue and one of the most impactful tattoo colors, drawing immediate attention and making a direct statement about you and your values. Red tattoos have long been associated with danger, courage, and sacrifice. tattoos can serve as a symbolic representation of one’s progress through hard times, signifying new beginnings. A red phoenix can represent someone who has managed to overcome hardship and start again, while dragons or koi fish tattoos can symbolize strength or power, respectively. Tattoo enthusiasts frequently opt for the namakubi, which features an image of a severed head—usually paired with black ink to highlight its haunting symbolism.
Blue
Blue is a refreshing and versatile hue, ideal for most skin tones. Additionally, many believe it to be a bright color to bring luck. This hue can symbolize trust, loyalty, wisdom, faith, and truth – perfect qualities in all those critical symbols! Blue can often be associated with naivety and gullibility in European culture, hence why people frequently refer to themselves as feeling “blue.” Conversely, in Japanese culture, blue symbolizes stability, depth, and wisdom.
Green
Green is the color of nature and often stands for safety, life force, and hope. Additionally, it symbolizes renewal and abundance. Green Japanese women’s tattoos often include potent symbols, like dragons or koi fish, which bring good fortune and blessings to their wearers. Dragons are great ways to convey an aura of strength, while the latter represents courage and hard work ethic. Baku is another beloved folklore character who is a sleeping guardian to protect us from nightmares. You’ll find him everywhere, from fairytales to modern novels; one characteristic that never changes is his cheerful grin!
Purple
Purple is associated with royalty, nobility, and luxury. Additionally, this color represents wisdom, dignity, grandeur, devotion, peace, pride, mystery, and magic. Purple color therapy helps with mental/emotional/psychological health concerns, eyes, ears, pineal gland, and addictions, aiding recovery and stimulating the spleen by increasing white blood cells, decreasing pain sensitivity,, and aiding detoxification. Purple is iconic for Japanese women’s tattoos, representing strength, confidence, and femininity. This color can be easily integrated into various designs, including tiger, snake, and dragon designs.
Yellow
Yellow is an energetic and joyous hue, one of the world’s most widely used hues across various cultures and religions. This color comes from natural sources such as saffron, pomegranate rinds, turmeric, and Garcinia tree resin, and synthetic dyes produced synthetically. Blue has long been one of the oldest colors in art history. It can be found in cave paintings dating back over 17,000 years ago and was also popular during Renaissance and Medieval art periods. Spiritually, yellow is associated with life, rebirth, happiness, optimism, cheerfulness, and wisdom. Additionally, it symbolizes vitality and energy.
