History and Origin of Japanese Tattoos
Japanese tattoos is said to be as old as 5th century BC. However, it
got a cult status only recently. In the ancient times, these were stamps
used on the foreheads of criminals, slaves and untouchables in Japan for
the purpose of reprimanding them. The trend continued for a very long
time and not much positive evidence about tattoos were recorded in these
many years. Even during the Edo Period in the 15th and 16th century,
tattoos were used by prostitutes as well as bandits to make a
self-identification mark on their bodies.
Setting the stage
It was only in the late 18th century that tattoos started to gain some
prominence in the Japanese society. Many people, especially those who
belonged to the higher strata of the society started to see it as an
embellishment. Many of them started to acquire this art form secretly,
as they believed that exhibiting it publicly would bring ill fate in
their lives. Experts believe that a very popular Chinese novel called
‘Suikoden’ written on the significance of tattoos inspired the Japanese
community to develop a certain level of interest on tattoos. This novel
was painted on woodblocks. It had depiction of warriors who designed
large tattoos on their bodies as a mark of tolerance and brevity. These
motifs include animals, flowers, fish, plants and other symbolic
elements. These large tattoos that covered the whole body canvas were
known as “horimono”.
Winds of change
Gradually, a growing number of Japanese people became enthralled with
horimono designs. Although Chinese woodblock painters were aware of the
design techniques, they were not sure how to apply those on human
bodies. As a result, a number of Japanese artists got involved in the
process of tattooing. They started introducing new design and concepts
for the masses.
In the early 19th century when tattoos were just about to gain
popularity in the Japanese society, the government decided to put a ban
on them. It was for the first time the country started trading with the
western nations. Kings and high officials in Japan started to fear that
this ‘weird’ form of art may give wrong impression to the other
countries and in turn affect their business with the rest of the world.
However, the ban did not last for a long time. This is because the
western society got thrilled by the intricacy of the new art form. They
not only started to deck themselves up with tattoos, but also started
popularising the concept of tattooing in different parts of the world.
Much in vogue
Today, tattooing has become fashionable in many parts of the world. Many
view tattoos as talismans that ward off all danger and keep one healthy.
Some acquire it as a style statement. In many places in the West,
Japanese tebori masters are employed to perform this art form. The
growing interest in Japanese culture all over the world is also making
tattoo designs much more popular.
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