Japanese dragon tattoos are popular. The dragon is definitely hands down one of the most beautiful and powerful of all the mythic beasts. The sheer beauty and power of these mythical beasts alone warrant there attention as tattoo designs. Then being combined with a long and rich history of tattooing as an art form such as in the Japanese culture and you have a winning combination. If you are contemplating getting a Japanese dragon tattoo then you should spend a little time learning about the deep history and symbolism of the beautiful and mystical beast.

Japanese Dragon Tattoo Possibilities

There are really an endless number of possibilities when considering getting a dragon tattoo design. The size, style and location of the dragon can greatly change and enhance the symbolism behind the design. For example a dragon with fiery red eyes wrapped around a large sword might represent strength and power. Yet on the opposite end of the spectrum one depicted flying high in the clouds above a lake or the mountains might be a symbol for peace and freedom. What your dragon will symbolize is really dependent on the design and style you choose to give the dragon.

The History Of The Dragon In Japan

Dragons are a fundamental mythical animal or beast tot he Japanese people. In the Japanese language dragons are referred to as “Ryu” or often “Tatsu”. They of course are large yet slender serpent looking creatures. Often they live around large bodies of water such as the ocean of a big lake. They are well respected as a creature that has tremendous power and therefore the Japanese believe that the very first emperor of Japan had descended from a dragon and therefore is partially god himself.

The dragon is not only popular in Japan but throughout all of Asia including China, Korea and numerous other Asian countries. You can find dragon designs throughout the sculpture, architecture and art in Japan even to this day the dragon is still a very popular design.

Sculptures of dragons can be seen today throughout Japan typically in alters, temples and other places of worship. One of the most famous of these temples is at Miyajima also known as The Isle Of The Temple. This has become a famous spot for pilgrims, travelers and tourists to come and pray to the dragons for good luck and good fortune. Dragons are also revered at the Sonsoji Temple in Asakusa Japan.

At the Sensoji Temple the dragon sculpture is taken out each spring and paraded around the temple ground. Thousands of people from all over Japan come to see and participate in this huge festival. This is done to commemorate a major event. The story is about two brothers who in 628 AD were fishing along that bands of the Sumida river. During their fishing trip they accidentally discovered a beautiful statue of the Goddess of Mercy Kanon. It is said that a gold dragon flew up out of the river and into the sky once the discovery was made as a way to celebrate the wonderful finding.

In both Buddhist and Taoist religious traditions the dragon is seen to also represent the hardships that a spiritual pilgrim will have to face in their journey towards enlightenment.

The dragon can also be foudn throughout Japans great literary works and is a prevalent image. For example there is the famous tale of Yamata-No-Orochi (an eight headed serpent) and Susanoo (the man). Yamata-No-Orochi is an eveil beast that devours young women whole. Until Susanoo is able to trick the serpent. He gets the serpent drunk and then is able to successfully kill him.

As you can see form above the dragon is prevalent throughout the Japanese culture and their are many examples of this mythical beast in the art and architecture. The dragon can also be found throughout many of the more traditional tattoo designs. Thus gives you a wide variety of options to choose from and can help in getting the perfect tattoo you want. The most common location for a large dragon tattoo of course is the back. This makes a great back piece and the design can be done very large and therefore with a lot of detail. However you are not locked into only getting a back tattoo. If you want something a little smaller or for whatever reason don’t want a back piece a dragon can easily be done on your shoulder, calf, and even a sleeve tattoo design.

The Celtic people were and still are today known for there wonderfully deep and symbolic culture. They were very connected to the nature world and many of their myths, legends and beliefs, came from the earth and environment around them. Many of these nature based myths and legends are stories that are still very popular and alive to today and there is a definite fascination with Celtic artwork and legends. In fact the popularity of their designs have carried over in a huge way into the world of tattoos and tattoo designs. One of the most popular Celtic tattoo designs for women is the Celtic butterfly tattoos.

One of the most famous legends of the Celtic people was the Legend of Etain. This story features love, magic, betrayal and butterflies play a major role. This story is essentially about a king that was a married man. However, he fell in love with this beautiful young princess named Etain. He tried hard to win her affection and his wife the Queen found out what he was doing. She became jealous of the competition and she therefore casted a spell upon Etain and turns her into a butterfly. The queen is then able to simply blow the butterfly (Etain) away. Etain lives her life as a butterfly for years. Then one day she fell in the wine bottle of another queen. The queen drank the wine not knowing that a butterfly was stuck inside of it. Then the Queen gave birth to Etain as a lady and she is then able to marry the High King.

Celtic Butterfly Symbolism The Celtic people lived very close to nature and had many beliefs, legends and symbolism for many natural elements. They believed that the butterfly symbolized rebirth and transformation. They also believed that butterflies had souls and when they accidentally became eaten by a female they would impregnate the female and be born as a human.

Of course there are a variety of different locations that you can decide to get a Celtic butterfly tattoo. One of the most common and favored spots it he lower back. However, this seems to almost be too common these days and many women are looking for other spots to get tattoos of. Some for the other choices might be a full back tattoo if you are looking for a rather large design. If you want something smaller then a hip, ankle or foot tattoo can also work well with a Celtic butterfly design.

Once you are sure that you really want a Celtic butterfly tattoo then you know it is time to start making the finally decisions about the design. Of course there are the color, size and placement considerations that have to occur. After you have figured these things out or at least have some rough ideas then it is time to find a design to match what you are looking for. There are really two ways to go with the design. You can try to save money and find some flash that would work. Flash is a pre drawn set of tattoos that can be copied onto your body and then tattooed in color. They are typically what is found hanging in tattoo shops. It is the cheapest way to go and the quickest. However, if you can not find what you are looking for this way or want something more unique then you might want to work with a professional tattoo artist to have the design custom drawn. This will cost more money but often it is well worth the extra price.

Been searching for the right tattoo design for months? Many people go through this and it is part of the process. After all you don’t want to rush into getting a tattoo design and end up later regretting it. However, it can be frustrating and if you really want a tattoo it can feel like you will never really find it. If you are thinking about something feminine and cute then you might want to try a flower and butterfly tattoo. These are great tattoos with brilliant color and very flexible design options. Read this article to find out more about flower and butterfly tattoos.

The Best Things About Flower And Butterfly Tattoos There are a variety of things about these tattoo that make them so great. First of all they are very flexible. That means they can go in a variety of different places on your body and the design can be sized and shaped to fit perfectly just about anywhere on the body. They make exceptional tattoos for upper and lower back designs and also can work well on your thigh or hip area. They are also full of symbolism. There is the symbolism behind the butterfly which goes through a beautiful transformation in life and then these often is symbolism behind the flower part of the design also.

Where To Get That Tattoo - These tattoo look great in a variety of places on your body. Of course there is the lower back tattoo design that many women are getting these days. However, if you want something a little more unique or original you can go with a full back or even an upper back design. These tattoos can easily be sized down to fit on the top of a foot, place on an ankle or wrist tattoo design and even work great on the hip and thigh. Whatever location you choose the tattoo can easily be designed to fit well.

Cost - This can really vary a great deal. A small hip tattoo might only fun $50 bucks but a large full back or even a big upper back tattoo could easily run $500 dollars. Some other things to consider when establishing the price for a tattoo other then location and size is the reputation of the artist. If you want a top quality professional artist doing the design then you are going to have to pay top dollar. However you will be wearing this tattoo for the rest of your life so it is not exactly the best time to comparison shop for the cheapest tattoo artist. Find someone who you like there work and someone you can talk with.

It is always important to remember to have fun with the process of getting a tattoo. Often people want to just get it and be done and they rush the process so much and then end up hating the tattoo in a few years. Instead realize that working on the tattoo design takes time and finding the ideal tattoo for you might not be easy. However, the more you work on finding the design and refining it to what you want the more happy you will be with the end result. It is important to try and find a tattoo artist that will listen to your ideas and then create the design.

Thinking about getting a foot tattoo? If you are then you might feel stuck trying to find out more details about foot tattoos. Finding the ideal design for your tattoo and information about the cost, pain level and other important information on foot tattoos can be difficult online. Well, no worries as this article will help give you some great information about the cost, pain level and even some ideas to get your design started.

Great Things About Foot Tattoos - Foot tattoo are a great tattoo to get. First of all are very sexy and seem well suited for female tattoo designs. The intricate design of flowers with vines, butterflies, and fairies all work well on the top of the foot. Another nice benefit about foot tattoos is they can easily be covered up by just wearing shoes which is helpful for work. Yet they can also easily be shown off with a great pair of high heels that reveal the top of the foot or even a cute pair of sandals on your day at the beach. Feet are a very sexy part on a women’s body and accentuating them with some beautiful feminine body art just makes them even more so.

Popular Themes For Foot Tattoos - There are many popular themes that work very well for a foot tattoo design. You have to first really consider what you want for yourself. Ideally every tattoo you get would be about expressing yourself through the tattoo. Therefore picking a tattoo on the spur of the moment is not a good combination. Instead if you can think ahead and come up with a design that speaks to you in an important way then go for it. Some of the more common designs include butterflies, fairies, stars and angels.

Cost and Pain Level - The pain level of any tattoo is really dependent on the person and how they respond to pain. Each person responds differently to pain and therefore the experience of a foot tattoo will be different. However the foot has very little fatty tissue between the skin and the bone. Thus makes the tattoo more painful then in other area where there is more fatty tissue. Typically the pain is a little bit of a surprise when the tattoo first gets started but after 10 minutes or so you get used to it. The cost of a tattoo can vary depending on the artist, how busy the store is and the detail and size of the tattoo. The more detailed it is, the more famous the artist and the busier the store the more expensive that tattoo will be. Typically foot tattoo run from about $50 up to $100.

If you have been thinking about getting a foot tattoo then take a little time and plan the design out first. Then find a professional tattoo artist and have him refine your basic concept. Take your time and don’t fret if you don’t find the design you want right away. Remember that it is all part of the process.