Japanese Half Sleeve Tattoos – For Venus and Mars!

Half sleeve tattoos have suddenly caught the market by storm! The unexpected rise in the number of sleeve tattoos can be partly attributed to the continuous increase in the size of tattoos – after all, what better place to get a large tattoo than the sleeve. And the lifting of the disapproval that the society used to hold for tattoos hasn’t been too bad either.

The designs hold a lot of choices – tribal, skull, flower etc. The list is endless. However, Japanese sleeve tattoos seem to have risen much beyond the normal fame, be it half, full or even a quarter of a design. The best part is there are options for both the sexes.
The cause for the mounting popularity of the Japanese designs is the history behind them – Japan has had tattoos much before any other culture and hence they’ve developed the art well beyond the other countries and cultures – after all, nothing beats an indigenous product. At its earliest, tattoos were only for the Yakuza gang members – and were used to indicate membership and were granted only after tests of courage and strength. Obviously, in this case, bigger was better and so full body tattoos were soon a norm and that helped develop the art form greatly. The contributions from talented artists who have dedicated their life to the art form have been immense. This also means that the western audience have learnt to adopt and popularize this custom, all the more so for the hidden religious symbolisms and historic aura.
Themes for males:
Some of the most popular Japanese themes that have gotten popular over time for males include
Samurais – Historically, the warrior class of feudal Japan, they were also the pinnacle of morality. The west, however perceives them as the zenith of power.
Gods – The gods of Japanese history are also a popular option, mainly because their angry depiction was supposed to ward off evil spirits and hence herald good luck.

Dragons – While dragons are popular the world over, the Japanese versions have a mysterious aura about them. This is the basic reason why Japanese dragon tattoos are such a rage.
Geisha – The geishas were not merely prostitutes. It is a much more powerful symbol of elegant beauty and sexuality. They were extremely talented and exceedingly good artists. In the west, however, they are the Japanese counterparts of celebrity models.
Themes for females:
It is surprising how many great designs now exist for girls in the realm of tattoos considering their late entry into the domain. This can be said because few, if any, Japanese women wore tattoos. But, the richness of the imagery cannot and will not fade. The familiar designs include:
Geisha – As mentioned above, the entertainers were trained in the classical arts of Japan and hence could enthral a room full of with their witty dialogue. Hence they were perceived as mysterious and often powerful in any social scenario – and these are attributes we still admire and yearn for.

Lotus – The lotus flower stands for change and illumination. And the fact that its beauty increases with its maturity causes the women to seek out this design as a basis for their tattoos.
Cherry Blossom – As is well known, even in the west, the Cherry Blossom is the perfect allegory for life. It signifies the short duration and the delicate balance that is life. It means that one can die at any given instance and hence one should enjoy life to the fullest – live each day like it’s your last. While some may perceive the attitude to be rather negative, because the design can serve as a reminder of death, it is, more appropriately, the reminder to enjoy life as it comes to you.
Koi Fish – This design is almost equally popular among men and women. It defines strength, power and individuality. Legend has it that the Koi fish would swim upstream against the current and transform into dragons. What this implies is that going against conventional customs and being innovative is rewarding. This explains the equivalence of the design’s popularity among males and females.
Quite obviously, we’ve only scratched the surface of an iceberg. The sleeve tattoos can be highly adaptable and profoundly evocative. However, if you do decide on getting a Japanese tattoo, it is vital that you choose a reliable artist and that you research the design you zero-in on before you commit to it. Only use the best design sources for dependable data. The warning comes in light of the large number of Japanese tattoos which have been done backwards or as mirror images or that the writing or the style is erroneous. This obviously destroys the inherent beauty and the historical implications these designs carry.