Japanese Dragon Tattoos

Japanese dragons make for very beautiful and colorful tattoo designs and are symbolic with their origin in the myths and the folklore attached to them. It is the mysticism attached to these tattoo designs which is very appealing. In a number of cultures, dragons have represented good as well as evil. However, in the Japanese culture, the dragon stands for good luck and is also seen as a source of wealth.

Japanese Dragon Tattoo Meaning

There are many meanings attached to Japanese dragon designs. One of the meanings of a Japanese dragon tattoo is freedom and being fearless. Both these qualities are very attractive for most people. A Japanese dragon figure also stands for a guardian, just like a guardian angel, who provides protection to people who are associated with it. Strength and power are the other meanings which are represented by these tattoo designs. In Japanese culture, dragons are also said to symbolize supernatural powers as well as amazing wisdom. There are six main types of Japanese dragons and each one of them stands for something special.

• There is a King Dragon, who is said to control the rain. Hence, he is the most powerful dragon.
• The Han-Riu Dragon is one of the biggest dragons and is up to forty feet in length. This dragon has stripes on its body.
• Ri-Riu Dragon is said to have amazing eyesight, although there are not many attributes known about this dragon.
• If you like the color red and want to get yourself a brilliant red colored tattoo which is also petite, then you can opt for the Ka-Riu Dragon.
• If you are looking for good luck, then the Fuku-Riu Dragon is the right dragon for you.
• For people who are fond of birds and want to get a dragon tattoo, then they can opt for the Hai-Riyo Dragon tattoo. It is an advanced dragon, which has evolved from Chinese mythology.

Japanese Dragon Designs

There are a number of traditional Japanese dragon tattoo designs. Some of the tattoo designs are depicted as wingless, heavily scaled, snake-like creatures with small, clawed legs. They can also be depicted as having either horned or antlered camel heads. The dragon is often associated with sea, clouds or the heavens. You can have clouds, fire or rain along with the Japanese dragon, as the breath of the Japanese dragon changes into clouds from which come either rain or fire. The tattoo can appear with sea wave or clouds or pearls.

You will have to differentiate between Japanese and Chinese dragon tattoo designs. The Japanese dragons are often more slender and fly less as compared to their Chinese counterparts. The other difference between Chinese and Japanese dragons is that Japanese dragons have only three claws, while Chinese dragons have five claws.

These tattoos can be made as a full-back or half-sleeve design. They are also made to cover the shoulders and/or the chest. Some people also choose to wrap the entire tattoo design around their torso and flatter the contours of the body. A tribal dragon wrapped around the upper arm is also a very popular tattoo design. In this tattoo design, you can have the dragon head extend out to the chest, just above the heart. Since the dragon is long in shape, it can also be made on the arms or legs. The tattoos can either be made black and white like tribal tattoos or also can be colorful. These days colorful dragon tattoos are in rage.

It is recommended that you talk to your tattoo artist before you decide upon any of these Japanese dragon motifs. If you know how to draw Japanese dragons, you can also ensure the tattoo you design is a unique one. A word of caution though - tattoos are permanent marks on the body and much thought should go into choosing the design and the anatomical location before actually getting one.