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Art of the Yakuza: Japan's Tattooed Men & Women


Color my underworld... tattoo photo of Yakuza membersColor my underworld... tattoo photo of Yakuza members
Centuries ago in the days of the Shogun, Japan's authorities would mark criminals with tattoos to distinguish them from the rest of the population.

These highly visible tattoos usually took the form of a black ring around the arm; with rings added as convictions increased.

These marked men were usually discriminated against so they tended to stick together, eventually forming the organized, mafia-style gangs now known as "Yakuza". Worn proudly as symbols of status and dedication, Yakuza tattoos have evolved into magnificent, multicolored full-body masterpieces.

 

 


Original painted lady... tattoo photo from early 20th centuryOriginal painted lady... tattoo photo from early 20th century

Today's many Yakuza factions are patriarchal in nature but women are integral parts of Japan's gangland society. Wives, mistresses and girlfriends of top Yakuza figures often undergo extensive tattooing.

 


The illustrated mistress... an exquisite tattoo photoThe illustrated mistress... an exquisite tattoo photo

Sometimes these women use tattoos to demonstrate their affiliation with the gang lifestyle; in other cases it's done to show loyalty and obedience to the Yakuza member they are involved with.

 


"Yakuza Moon", by Shoko Tendo"Yakuza Moon", by Shoko Tendo

One prominent - and prominently tattooed - woman with Yakuza ties is Shoko Tendo. Author of the best-selling book "Yakuza Moon: Memoirs of a Gangster's Daughter" , Tendo had herself tattooed in traditional Yakuza style using traditional Japanese motifs and brilliant colors.

 


Tattoo photo of adolescent imageryTattoo photo of adolescent imagery

Japanese society is slowly losing its prejudice against tattoos, tattooing and those who are tattooed. Young people are embracing tattoos as a form of pure body art with no Yakuza connotations and the influence of Western celebrities, who have no historical bias against tattooing, tends to make tattoos more acceptable.



Sign of the timesSign of the times

Still, many public baths and hot spring resorts post signs banning bathers with tattoos - though who's going to raise the issue when the Yakuza comes a-knocking?




Steve Levenstein
Japanese Innovations Writer
InventorSpot.com

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Comments

Useful tattoos?

What a waste.

 Why don't people get useful tattoos........ could be useful for recording things like your blood type and allergies or other information useful for medical personnel  in case of an accident........ or maybe just a delivery address so that you are assured of making it home if you are really drunk..........

Function really is the most artistic form/\ 


useful tattoos

a lot of marines have their dog tags tattooed on them. I think that would fall under the useful category.


ID tats

Steve Levenstein's picture

Absolutely - this is a longstanding tradition. Long ago, Japanese samurai would tattoo themselves so that if they died in battle and their clothes & armor were looted afterwards, there would still be some means of identification. Can't get more practical than that, i'd say.


Azazelo

Research showed that 75% of people boring or hate their new inked tattoo just after 3 week after get inked with it. Are you falling in this group of people? And the result show that most of them regret of buying a tattoo design that they don’t even like it, but have get inked with it think of it very Clear.

Four Ways to Avoid Doing the Stupid Mistakes on Buying Tattoo Designs.


tatoo

oolas

aka yo soy de chile

y si alguien tiene tatuajes estilo japones k me mande unas fotos pliss


MORE INK ! THIS IS ME !!!! dantethirteen@yahoo

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


o yea!

dick!


..... This is irrelevant to

.....

This is irrelevant to most people, as it should be. Keep your information in your wallet. BANG! Was that so hard?


Personally, I like tattoos

though I firmly believe one should be at least of legal drinking age (21 and over) and you should spend a LOT of time thinking about why you want the tattoo, what you want it to represent, and how you're going to feel about it when you're 80 and your skin is saggy. And place tattoos accordingly.

I have two... got them both when I was past 30, and they are 10 years apart, and I love them more every day, and want a third... and after these beautiful pictures I just might...


It's like street art, There

It's like street art, There is a right place and a wrong place, In the right place it brings colour and originality to the world, keep inkin!!

 ...oooO..............
...(....).....Oooo...
....\..(.......(...)....
.....\_).......)../.....
...............(_/......
... I WAS ............
.......... HERE ......


1 of many reasons 2 get tatt'd

only get the tattoo if u will love it 4evr and never regret it and it has special meaning 2 u.

im only gunna get the tats that mean sumthing... sumthing tru, and wen i die ppl will look at me and my tats and know wut i wuz all about

[PEACE]


Sure but...

How many of those people got tattooed in a drunken binge? People make stupid mistakes... I once heard a guy bitch that he loved his hummer, but it got crappy gas mileage... No??? REALLY???

So the fact is, people pick crappy tats and then regret it. Some goes for people picking dogs, TVs, Computers, WIVES (and Husbands I guess). Buyer's remorse is very common, especially for things not easily gotten rid of.


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