+107 JAPANESE TATTOO ideas 【Meaning for Men and Women】

Table of Contents

If you are wanting to do a japanese tattoo then you came to the right place because I am going to show you the great variety of designs that exist for both men and women of art and oriental style that so many people are attracted to.

You will be able to find the different parts of the body where you can get a Japanese tattoo and also the designs that are most sought after for tattooing by people who live in the west or east of the planet.

Chinese tattoos as Japanese style have that mystery in their designs as well as their ancient history that captivates many for its culture and what they convey that each meaning which is one of the drawings when it comes to tattooing preferred by most who use their body as a canvas to demonstrate a work of art.

They have the characteristic of being very colorful but above all of being able to transmit a meaning with a lot of depth which is something that attracts human beings a lot because of the mystery it contains in their styles.

I’m going to start with the Body parts most used to get this type of tattoos that transmit authority, tradition and oriental culture.

Small Japanese tattoos

I really like small tattoos for the simple fact that they can be added and tattooed on any part of the body without having to think about where to put it depending on the area of the body.

But they have the characteristic of those who tattoo it, they must be very careful with the details, especially in drawings that have many lines, so when making tiny tattoos, you must pay close attention to the dimensions and transfer to the expected size.

Wave and sea tattoo depicting the calm of Japanese culture

Small Koi Fish Tattoo on Wrist

You can find japanese letters accompanied by flowers that are very common in Chinese and Japanese culture such as lotus flowers or cherry blossoms.

Another good idea is to make a small Koi fish which is so characteristic of oriental culture if you want to make a small fish tattoo.

Generally, women bet that it will be a subtle and discreet tattoo without being very noticeable if they are our first designs, unlike men who often get more complete and large tattoos covering the body part with greater length.

Cats and tigers are also animals that are worshiped among those preferred by the Orientals but mythology is never outside the designs, that’s why dragons and fire are something that will never be lacking when choosing something that symbolizes what it is desired with strength and protection.

Japanese letters surrounded by flowers

Small tattoo to use as a bracelet

Tattoo of a Japanese demon with dragon teeth

This tattoo is a classic to use on the nape since it is small and can be covered with the hair by writing the Chinese or Japanese letters

For you to have a good idea, you also have the classic tattoo drawing of the geisha that you like so much, representing how helpful you can be with your loved one.

Japanese tattoos on the arm

This is one of the areas of the body that are most used to tattoo different types of animals that symbolize from luck to wisdom and one of them is the snake that is highly revered by monks as a fighter who makes his strategic movements against the opponent.

So each of the tattoos can be different according to the tattooed who wants to have an oriental meaning and symbolism.

japanese tattoos on the arm women geisha

Geisha tattoo with fan and hairstyle gathered with flowers

Full sleeve Japanese wrist-to-shoulder tattoo with a pop of red

Red and black ink are very characteristic in oriental tattoos

This design of an anime style geisha is very nice for a colorful but especially oriental tattoo

Snake and Dragon two animals that can never be missing in this traditional art

Skull type samurai warrior highlighting the red flowers to give the touch of color

Another one is Tiger It is so important for Japanese and Chinese culture where its claws can often be seen in the arms of girls and boys regardless of gender.

Both claws and fangs stand out within the drawings that are tattooed demonstrating strength and concentration to intimidate many times and others to demonstrate a strong and temperamental personality.

Japanese forearm tattoos

Other parts of the body that tattooists know a lot and that medium-sized tattoos are generally made where they are chosen from the traditional koi fish that not every tattoo artist knows how to do it especially for its colors that must be very well combined when putting the ink on the skin and its shadows.

very nice and delicate cartoon type geisha tattoo

This type of tattoo with Japanese characters have high lighting characteristics for the arm

Discreet as if it were just another arm accessory with the symbolic fish from Japan

Demons are highly marked in the culture and mystique of Japanese stories

A Japanese work of art that combines flowers, butterflies and a combination of colored inks

The dimensions have to be calculated very well previously with a sketch since the forearms can be different is not the same in a woman as in a man who is generally wider and must be the symbol chosen best calculated by its size.

He dragon and the Phoenix They are other mythological animals that can be found as the most requested for tattooing, having the advantage that there are many models and designs to choose from, although many times the tattoo artist makes a recommendation according to the skin tone of whoever wants to tattoo.

Japanese tattoos on the leg

Getting a tattoo on the leg is very special for different reasons, but especially in women, they try not to cover all the legs since they often wear skirts or shorts in the summer and they want to show off, that’s why they try to make medium to small.

Instead men are encouraged and go for more without caring so much about what the design covers.

They can be found from drawings of temples where shadows and natural settings from the Middle East can be the basis of the drawing.

The flowers are also an outline that are used a lot for these tattoos because they help to give more enhancement and color to the main element, which is why the inks that are used for the Japanese tattoos are very striking for their intensity.

There are women who dare to tattoo their entire leg with Japanese symbols, such as a samurai warrior from Japan or some god of a temple who likes to wear it on their skin.

That is why you have to be very clear that this type of tattoos are very colorful unlike other styles and you have to be very clear about this type of theme since not every tattoo artist knows how to interpret it.

If you are a romantic person who likes oriental literature, then water can reflect the peace it takes to be able to pass through this life and love is a great main point to symbolically interpret what you want to transmit.

A snake That arises from the ankle to the knee or if you want up to your hips, it can be a played tattoo that takes many sessions and hours to perform where it will first start with a sketch to test how it is on the client’s leg and then take the corresponding measures the outline will be made with black ink to make the main paths.

In another session with your tattoo artist they must choose the filling colors and this will be the key point to then apply the shading.

Japanese half sleeve tattoos

The half sleeve tattoo is becoming increasingly popular among those interested in having ink on their arm from part of the shoulder to approximately the middle of the elbow.

They are tattoos that cover the entire skin where it is done, so you have to look for a very particular design, where it usually has to be original and with a lot of its own authorship since it has to be adapted depending on the requirements and tastes of who do it to him.

In this case, based on Chinese tattoos and characters or symbols of Japan, colorful flowers such as the lotus flower in different versions of red, orange and its different ranges.

Dragons are also very characteristic for the half sleeve since they cover quite a part of the body and it has the particularity that depending on the imagination of the tattoo artist and the different examples that it presents, they can change colors making each chosen design that represents the characteristic spirit of the force that is imposed by just seeing his image.

Another option that you can choose is to get the full sleeve that goes from the wrist without tattooing the hand to the shoulder. These types of tattoos take longer and you have to plan them very well for reasons of space in the arm and if you want it to have any sense with your other arm since many times when half sleeve or full sleeve are made in both arms.

Snakes, tigers and samurai can be surrounded by traditional Japanese flowers that represent what characteristic symbols mixed giving it the meaning that each of the tattooed wants to give it.

It represents the traditional feeling of turning into the skin for an artist who has experience in this type of designs that are highly sought after by both men and women.

Japanese Black and White Tattoos

As I mentioned before the japanese tattoos They are characterized by having a lot of color and using colorful inks when tattooing.

But there are also those made of black and white that are widely used when you do not like the color that is so popular today and want to do within the range of grays, whites and blacks.

The fundamental characteristic of this type of tattoos is that they are implemented a lot in half sleeves as if it were part of your body on the skin, that’s why fashion and style influence a lot to select this type of color because it really combines with everything, in addition to giving one meaning.

Owls, tigers, skulls, female figures, temples of samurai or monks, are very characteristic of this type of tattoo.

Japanese flower tattoos

One of the favorite flowers are the lotus flower for characteristic tattoos of Japan but also the nandina, the cherry blossom and the wisteria flowers.

Japanese dragon tattoos

There is a wide variety in both colors and grays depending on the taste of how you want to expose and it is suitable for medium and large tattoos due to its size and magnitude.

The red color is very present and the level of detail has to be the maximum, that’s why we always look for experienced tattoo artists for this type of artistic design.

Japanese carp tattoos

Japanese samurai tattoos

They are Japanese tattoos for men that are generally done and are preferred by them, very rarely does a woman make this type of sketches, but they can give it a more feminine detail in which they are colors and armor.

Japanese Lettering Tattoos

Japanese mask tattoos

Meaning of Japanese style tattoos

In this image you can find the 14 symbols that are used for good luck tattoos or that have a positive emotional charge for whoever does it.

You can find from Butterflies, Carp Fish, the cherry blossom, chrysanthemums, the bird the crane, dragonfly, frog, nandina, flowers peonies, pines, spider, swallows, turtles, wisteria.

As you will see each plant, flower and animal have a meaning for the Japanese and it is for this reason that people get so much tattooed with one of these symbols that one can then give it the meaning they want in their lives.

Japanese tattoos with meanings

✅ Butterflies: Symbol of the longevity of joy.

✅ Carp: Symbol of perseverance.

✅ Cherry Blossom: the transience of life.

✅ Chrysanthemums: Symbolizes integrity and resistance to problems.

✅ Cranes: means longevity and good fortune.

✅ Dragon-fly: Some memories of late summer and early fall that you want to highlight.

✅ Frog: means that you will have good fortune throughout your life.

✅ Nandina: symbolizes longevity.

✅ Peonies: its meaning is related to good fortune, honor always keep it high and the spring season that fulfills an importance in your life such as your birthday or the birth of a child.

✅ Pine trees: they symbolize the desire about something dreamed.

✅ Spider: the same meaning as the pines but with an animal like the spider.

✅ Swallows: Symbolizes fidelity in marriage, good luck and fertility.

✅ Turtles: longevity.

✅ Wisteria: Related to art and doll making is its meaning.

The same is true for Chinese and Japanese letters that have a meaning and are mainly tattooed on women, being ideal for small and discreet tattoos.

Tattoos Japanese letters names that can be used depending on their meaning as well as Japanese type letters for alphabet style tattoos.

They are also widely used when looking for Chinese tattoos and letters that represent what you want to convey.