Tattoo Japan is an ancient oriental style that has deep roots and a rich history. Japanese tattoo artists have long been held in high esteem not only in their homeland, but throughout the world. Influential people and even monarchs wore drawings by Japanese masters. Traditionally, tattoos from the Land of the Rising Sun depict dragons, fish, tigers, demon masks, flowers and ornaments.
The Japanese are considered a people who keep their traditions. In the old days, each element of the picture carried a certain meaning. Any detail of the tattoo had to be done in accordance with the canon. Today, in times of globalization, when mentioning Japan tattoos, people no longer mean the old classical school of ancient masters, but also new directions. Many masters around the world studied the art of Japanese tattooing and transformed the old style, adapted it to the present, introduced new creative elements into it.
History of Japanese Tattoo
Traditionally, Japanese tattoos were applied with a special bamboo tebori stick. The application process took many hours. Japanese tattoos in most cases, voluminous, these are large tattoo sleeves or a tattoo suit that covers most of the body. The process of training a tattoo artist in Japan was long and difficult. The master first of all had to learn patience, so he was allowed to work only after a few years.
Interesting Facts
AT Japanese tradition the tattoo is closely associated with the mafia. Modern authorities still have a negative attitude towards tattoos. People with tattoos often fall under the disgrace of the authorities, they can be kicked out of the pool or any other public place. Therefore, the Japanese do not make tattoos in prominent places and do not show them in society.
Japanese Tattoos - Main Plots
Japanese Carp Tattooone of the most popular stories. The symbol of the carp became popular thanks to the legend of Makatsuge, a fish that, through its perseverance, reached the Dragon Gate and turned into a dragon fish. In the legend, this fish was a carp. Carps (or as they are called in their homeland - Koi) symbolize perseverance, the ability to swim against the current. Traditionally, a carp tattoo is considered masculine, and embodies masculine energy.
Turtle Tattooamong eastern peoples it symbolizes wisdom and the ability to predict the future.
dragon tattoo- a symbol of the sun, good luck and longevity. The Japanese depicted dragons with three fingers on their paws. According to legend, the dragon is considered a sacred guardian spirit and is revered by people.
Tiger Tattoo- a symbol of courage, strength, courage and nobility. The Japanese believe that tigers are able to ward off evil spirits.
snake tattoo- protection from misfortunes and failures, snakes have superpowers that help people avoid troubles. The image of a snake curled up at the hammer brings good luck, wealth and prosperity.
Chania mask tattoois an image of an ancient spirit into which a jealous girl has turned. According to one version, this image symbolizes the embodiment of wisdom, and according to another, it reminds people of how destructive it is to succumb to negative feelings.
Men's Tattoos Japan - Japanese Style Tattoos for Men
The Japanese tattoo style is chosen by men more often than women. The first reason is the volume of the drawing. Japanese tattoos are almost always very large and bright, it is easier for a man to decide on such a bold step. Tattoo - a suit or sleeves in the Japanese style is a sign of reverence for Eastern culture, their ancient traditions and symbols. The Japanese Carp Tattoo is considered a traditional male tattoo.
Japan Women Tattoos - Japanese Style Tattoos for Girls
Girls do not often decide on a Japanese-style tattoo, but there are also brave lovers of bright symbolic oriental style. Tattoos with chrysanthemums, peonies and can often be found among women. Girls cannot always decide on sleeves or large drawing on the back, but small tattoo stylized as a traditional Japanese tattoo brings a special style and flavor to the image of a girl.
Instruction
Japanese tattoos have a long and rich history. The first evidence of Japanese tattoos can be seen on 5,000-year-old figurines found in tombs. In addition, texts dating back to the 3rd century CE say that Japanese men decorated their faces and bodies with mi. Centuries later, mainly due to the powerful cultural influence of China, tattoos became taboo and were used mainly for criminals. An integral part of the traditional Japanese tattoo was a complex system of symbols that was used to reveal a person's character. It was believed that a tattoo could even change it.
Sakura is a symbol of resilience. Beauty lies in the strength she possesses to survive in the harsh. Blooming means the cycle of human life: birth, flowering, death. The Japanese see this as a direct representation of how life should be. They believe that each day should be lived to the fullest and that the awareness of death should only make us stronger.
The brightly colored carp have a special symbolism in Japanese culture, and their image can even be seen in many temples. The myth says that if a carp can swim upstream to the gates of heaven, it will turn into an a. The image of a carp symbolizes luck, strength, ambition and individuality. Therefore, if you are looking for a tattoo that symbolizes struggle and perseverance, then the Koi carp is the perfect choice.
mythical dragon is what Japan is usually associated with. Dragons occupy an important place in Japanese culture. A dragon tattoo has many meanings, such as freedom, courage, wisdom, power, strength, and even supernatural abilities. The colors used in the image of the dragon are of great importance, so you need to choose them very carefully.
Ask the first person you meet: "What Japanese monsters do you know?". In most cases, you will hear: "Godzilla, Pikachu and Tamagotchi." This is still a good result, because Russian fairy-tale creatures, through the eyes of the average Japanese, are a cross between a matryoshka, Cheburashka and a drunken polar bear. But Russian and Japanese cultures can boast of such ancient menageries that some American Paul Bunyan never even dreamed of.
"The World of Fantasy" has already taken a walk along the unknown paths of Slavic myths, having studied the traces of unseen animals. Today we will be transported to the opposite side of the planet and see what bizarre creatures live under the rays of the rising sun.
Spirited Away
You can't understand Japanese folklore without a bottle of sake. It was formed thanks to the centuries-old "cooperation" of Chinese Buddhism and national Shintoism - a unique process during which the principles of one religion were supplemented by the precepts of another.
Such syncretism gave rise to an amazing interweaving of myths: Buddhist deities preached Shintoism, and primitive Shinto magic did not contradict the complex Buddhist picture of the world. To understand the exclusivity of this phenomenon, it is enough to imagine the idol of Perun in the altar of a modern Orthodox church.
Features of the national worldview, multiplied by Buddhist mysticism and the remnants of primitive beliefs, made Japanese monsters completely different from their Western "colleagues". Ghosts settled next to people and animals under the red sun - something like fairies in their classical European sense, but unlike each other and successfully replacing all the chimeras invented by mankind.
Japanese ghosts are not restless souls of the dead or clots of protoplasm from parallel worlds. The concept of obake, formed from the verb bakeru - to transform, to transform, is most often applied to them. Obake may well be creatures of flesh and blood. The main thing about them is that these "ghosts" turn from one thing to another, changing symbols and meanings, as well as disrupting the natural course of things.
Yokai and Samurai (Artist Aotoshi Matsui).
Supernatural horror in Japanese culture is not focused on some otherworldly objects, but on the irrational modification of familiar forms. A skeleton in a white shroud, burning eyes in the dark and a terrible howl in a cemetery will frighten a Japanese much less than a crumpled paper lantern or strange television interference. The basis for such fears is a simple (if not primitive) picture of the world. Similar "horror stories" about a black hand or a white sheet were once in great demand in the Ogonyok magazine.
From obake, an independent class of ghosts is sometimes distinguished - yokai (Japanese folklore terminology is very confusing and there is simply no single classification). Their main feature is extraordinary appearance(one eye, long neck, etc.). Yokai resemble Russian brownies or goblin. These creatures live in a certain area and do not seek a meeting with a person. Youkai can be both friendly and mischievous. They are associated with fire and the northeast. In winter, encounters with evil spirits are rare.
In the vastness of Japan, you can also meet quite normal yurei ghosts - souls deprived of peace. Shintoism teaches that after death, the soul waits for the necessary rituals to be performed on the body, after which it safely departs for another world. The deceased spirit can meet with living relatives once a year - in July, during the Bon holiday.
But if a person died a violent death, committed suicide, or if the rites over his body were performed incorrectly, the soul turns into a yurei and gets the opportunity to penetrate the world of the living. Yurei can be found at the place of his death, but you should not strive for this, because the main occupation of the restless ghosts is revenge.
Most yurei are women who have suffered from love. Initially, the Japanese believed that their appearance was indistinguishable from life, but soon traditions began to change, and instead of a face, a ghostly lady could have a huge eye.
Today, the look of yurei is standardized. They are dressed in a white funeral kimono. The hair is jet black, long (it was supposed to grow after death) and falling over the face. Hands hang down helplessly, instead of legs there is a gaping void (in the kabuki theater, actors are hung on ropes), and otherworldly lights curl next to the ghost.
Sadako ("Call") 
Kayako ("Spite")
The most famous yurei in the West are Sadako ("Call") and Kayako ("Spite").
In the animal world
As far as ordinary animals are concerned, Japanese fairy tales are very similar to European ones. “Don't kill me, I'll be useful to you,” said the animals in different parts of the world. The universal commandment "Thou shalt not kill" was especially relevant for Buddhism. As a reward for mercy to animals, the protagonist received wealth or magical abilities. Little frogs rushed to the aid of their rescuers, orphaned ducks persuaded the evil hunter to give up his craft - it is not known who he will be reborn into in his next life.
In the shade of sakura
Azuki arai. In Asia, adzuki beans have always been boiled with sugar and have been a kind of candy.
abumi-guchi: when a warrior died in battle, the stirrups from his horse sometimes remained on the battlefield. There they came to life, turning into a strange fluffy creature, forever looking for their missing master.
Abura-akago: the souls of merchants who, during their lifetimes, sold oil stolen from lamps at wayside shrines. They fly into the room in clumps of fire and turn into a baby who sucks all the oil out of the lamp, after which they fly away.
: a little old man or old woman washing beans in mountain streams. Sings threatening songs ("Should I wash the beans or eat someone?"), but is actually shy and harmless.
Aka-name: "licking dirt" appears in those baths where there has not been cleaning for a long time. As its name suggests, it feeds on unsanitary conditions. His appearance quickly instills in people the habit of cleaning up after themselves in the washing rooms. His relative - the long-legged tenyo-name - licks the dirty ceilings.
Aka-name. The tongue will bring you to the bathroom.
Ama-no-zako: born from the fury of the thunder god Susanoo. Ugly, has strong teeth that bite through steel. Able to fly quickly over long distances.
Ama no zaku: An ancient demon of stubbornness and vice. He reads people's thoughts, makes them act in such a way that their plans are made exactly the opposite. In one of the tales, he ate the princess, put on her skin and tried to get married in this form, but was exposed and killed.
Ame furi kozo: rain spirit. Appears as a child covered with an old umbrella and carrying a paper lantern in his hands. Likes to splash in puddles. Harmless.
Ami-kiri: There are a lot of mosquitoes and ghosts in Japan in summer. One of them, looking like a cross between a bird, a snake and a lobster, loves to tear mosquito nets, as well as fishing tackle and drying laundry.
ao andon: In the Edo period, people often gathered in a room, lit a large blue lantern with a hundred candles, and began to tell each other horror stories. At the end of each of them, one candle was extinguished. After the hundredth story, the light faded completely and ao-andon appeared.
Ao-bozu: a short cyclops who lives in young wheat and drags children there.
ao niobo: An ogre who lives in the ruins of the imperial palace. During her lifetime, she was a lady-in-waiting. Distinguished by black teeth and shaved eyebrows.
Ao-sagi-bi: an analogue of the Firebird: a heron with fiery eyes and white luminous feathers.
Asi Magari: ghostly raccoon dog. At night, it wraps its tail around the legs of travelers. Her fur feels like raw cotton to the touch.
Ayakashi: a sea serpent about two kilometers long. Sometimes it swims over boats, forming an arch with its body. This can last for several days, during which the people in the boat are busy scooping up the mucus that oozes profusely from the monster.
Baku: Chinese chimera with the body of a bear, the trunk of an elephant, the eyes of a rhinoceros, the tail of a cow, paws of a tiger and spotted skin. Feeds on dreams. If you see a bad dream, you should appeal to the tank, and he will swallow it along with all the foreshadowed troubles.
Bake-zori: an old sandal that is poorly cared for. Runs around the house and sings stupid songs.
Bake-kujira: The skeleton of a whale accompanied by strange fish and sinister birds. Invulnerable to harpoons.
Bake-neko: if a cat is fed in the same place for 13 years, it will turn into a bloodthirsty werewolf. Bake-neko can be so huge that they will not fit into the house, but instead will rummage around with their paws, looking for people like mice in a hole. Sometimes a werewolf takes the form of a human.
There is a story about how a cat disappeared in one house. At the same time, the behavior of the mother of the family began to change: she avoided people and ate, closing herself in the room. When the household decided to spy on her, they discovered a creepy humanoid monster. The owner of the house killed him, and a day later she again turned into a missing cat. Under the tatami on the floor, the bones of the mother were found, gnawed clean.
Cats in Japan were associated with death. Therefore, people were very suspicious of the cats of the deceased owners. These animals could become kasa, stealing corpses, or two-tailed neko-mata, playing with dead bodies like dolls. To avoid such a disaster, kittens need to dock their tails (so that they do not fork), and the dead cat should be securely locked up.
The image of a cat was far from always gloomy. Porcelain maneki-neko figurines bring success to shop owners. During a thunderstorm, the cat took the rich man away from the tree, which was supposed to be struck by lightning, after which he began to patronize the temple. A geisha's cat would not let her mistress into the lavatory where a snake hid. Finally, cats often took the form of people and became the wives of single men or the children of childless couples.
Basan. Found in present-day Yehime Prefecture.
Basan: overgrown rooster. At night, he walks the streets and makes a strange noise - something like "bass-bass". People look out of the houses, but they don't find anyone. Can breathe fire, but is generally harmless.
Betobeto-san: when you are walking down the street at night and you hear footsteps behind you, but there is no one behind you, say: “Betobeto-san, please come in!”. The ghost will leave and will no longer stomp behind your back.
Gyuki (yushi-oni): bull-like chimera living in waterfalls and ponds. Attacks people by drinking their shadows. After that, the victims begin to get sick and soon die. Gyuka's footsteps are silent. Having outlined the victim, he will pursue it to the ends of the Earth. There is only one way to get rid of the monster - by repeating the paradoxical phrase: "Leaves are sinking, stones are floating, cows are neighing, horses are mooing." Sometimes gyuki takes the form of a beautiful woman.
Jore-gumo: Looks like a pretty girl during the day, but at night it turns into a spider-like monster that spreads nets on people.
Jubocco: Trees growing on battlefields soon become accustomed to human blood, becoming predators. They catch travelers with branches and suck them dry.
Doro-ta-bo: the ghost of a peasant who has been cultivating his piece of land all his life. After the death of the owner, the lazy son abandoned the site, and he was soon sold. The spirit of the father regularly rises from the earth and demands that the field be returned to him.
inu-gami: if you tie a hungry dog, put a bowl of food in front of it so that it cannot reach it, and when the animal reaches the highest point of frenzy, cut off its head, you get inu-gami - a cruel spirit that can be set on your enemies. Inu-gami is very dangerous and can pounce on its owner.
Inu-gami. In one of the legends, a dog's head was sawn off with a blunt bamboo saw.
Ippon-datara: Spirit of a blacksmith with one leg and one eye.Isonade: giant fish. Tail knocks sailors into the water and devours them.
Ittan-momen: At first glance, it looks like a long piece of white matter floating in the night sky. Things may not come to a second glance, since this spirit likes to silently fall on a person, wrap itself around his neck and strangle him.
Itsumaden: when a person dies of hunger, he turns into a huge fire-breathing bird with a snake tail. This spirit haunts those who denied him food during his lifetime.
Kama-itachi: if you got into a storm, and then found strange cuts on your body - this is the work of kama-itachi, a storm ermine with long claws.
Kamaeosa: An old sake bottle that magically produces alcohol.
kami-kiri: A clawed spirit that attacks people in bathrooms and cuts off their hair at the root. Sometimes in this way he tries to prevent the marriage of a person with an animal or spirit.
Kappa (casambo): one of the most common Japanese perfumes. It has many faces, but always has a recess with water on its head, where all its magical power is hidden. People often deceive the kappa by bowing and forcing him to bow back, spilling water. Lives in water, loves cucumbers. It is recommended not to eat them before bathing, otherwise the kappa may smell the treat and drag you to the bottom. Naughty children are taught to bow under the pretext that it is protection from a kappa.
Kijimuna: good tree spirits. There is only one thing to piss them off - an octopus.
Kirin: sacred dragon. It differs from the Chinese chi-lin only in that it has three fingers instead of five on its paws.
kitsune: a werewolf fox, a popular character in romantic fairy tales. Often turns into a girl and starts families with people. Likes to steal and cheat. With age, foxes grow additional tails (their number can reach up to nine). Kitsune magic does not work on Taoist monks.
You can identify a kitsune by its shadow - it always has the shape of a fox.
- The Japanese believe that a cat has the greatest chance of becoming a werewolf. That is why she should not be allowed to dance, thus manifesting magical power.
- The highest chance of encountering a ghost in Japan is between 2 and 3 am in the summer, when the line between the world of the living and the dead is thinnest.
- "Kitsune" means either "always red" or "come to the bedroom". Foxes' favorite food is bean curd tofu. A person who has got rid of the obsession with the fox (penetrating him under the nails or through the chest) will have a lifelong disgust for tofu.
- Rain falling in bright sunshine is called "kitsune wedding" in Japan.
co-lady: the spirit of the old tree. Likes to repeat human words. It is because of the ko-lady that an echo appears in the forest.
Ko-dama (anime "Princess Mononoke").
konaki doji: Small child crying in the forest. If someone picks it up, the konaki-diji begins to rapidly gain weight and crushes its savior.Karakara-she: an ugly mockingbird who chases people and torments them with her laughter.
Lidara-elbows: a giant of incredible size. His footprints became lakes. Often rearranged from place to place mountains.
Namahage- "Santa Claus is the opposite." Each New Year he goes from house to house and asks if there are any naughty children. Little Japanese people who believe in Namahage panic and hide, and their parents convince the demon that their children are good, after which they pour him a hundred grams of sake.
Ningyo: Japanese mermaid - a hybrid of monkey and carp. The meat is very tasty. Having tasted it, you can extend your life for many hundreds of years. If a ningyo cries, it will turn into a human.
Noppera-bo (noperapon): A faceless spirit that frightens people.
Nuri-botoke: if you take care of the home Buddhist altar poorly, then a ghost will start up in it, similar to a black Buddha with a fish tail and protruding eyes. Every time a negligent believer wants to pray, he will be met by this monster.
They are(emphasis on o): colorful demons are something like European trolls or ogres. Aggressive and evil. They fight with iron clubs. They are scared away by the smell of burnt sardines, but today in Japan it is customary to toss beans (which they hate for some reason), saying: "They - go away, happiness - come!").
Raiden's animal. Represents ball lightning. He likes to hide in people's navels, so the superstitious Japanese sleep on their stomachs during a thunderstorm.
Rokuro Kubi: ordinary women who, for some reason, underwent a partial ghostly transformation. At night, their necks begin to grow and their heads crawl around the house, doing all sorts of nasty things. Rokuro-kubi is unlucky in love - after all, men are very nervous about such night walks.
Sagari: a horse's head rattling the branches of trees. Meeting her, one could get sick (probably stuttering).
Sazae-oni: old snails turned into evil spirits. They can turn into beautiful women. There is a famous story when pirates rescued a drowning beauty. She gladly gave herself to each of them. It was soon discovered that the scrotums of the men had disappeared. Sazae-oni offered a deal: the pirates give her all their gold, and the snail returns their scrotums to them (the Japanese sometimes call this organ "golden balls", so the exchange was equivalent).
Shirime: exhibitionist ghost. He catches up with people, takes off his pants and turns his back to them. From there, an eye protrudes, after which the audience usually faints.
Soyo: funny alcoholic ghosts. Harmless.
Sune-kosuri: furry animals that throw themselves at the feet of people in a hurry and make them stumble.
Ta-naga: long-armed people of Japan, who entered into symbiosis with asi-naga(long-legged people). The first sat on the shoulders of the second and began to live together as a single organism. You won't see these giants anymore.
tanuki: werewolves-badgers (or raccoon dogs), bringing happiness. The amount of happiness is directly proportional to the size of the badger's scrotum. Tanuki are able to inflate it to an incredible size (sleep on it, take cover from the rain with it), or even turn this part of the body into a house. The only way to verify the authenticity of a badger's dwelling is to drop a burning ember on the floor. True, after this act you will no longer see happiness.
Tengu: winged werewolf people. Despite the comical, like Pinocchio, nose, they are extremely powerful and dangerous. A long time ago people were taught martial arts. If a person suffering from amnesia comes out of the forest, it means that he was kidnapped by tengu.
Futa-kushi-onna: The ever-hungry ghost of a woman with an extra mouth at the back of her head, the Japanese variant of Tantalum. The second mouth exudes profanity and uses the hair as tentacles to steal food from the woman. According to one legend, this curse was imposed on the evil stepmother, who deprived adopted children of food.
Haku-taku (bai-ze): a wise and kind creature with nine eyes and six horns. Owns human speech. Once a bai-ze was captured by the great emperor Huang Di and, in exchange for freedom, gave him all the ins and outs about his relatives (11,520 types of magical creatures). The emperor ordered the testimony to be recorded, but this bestiary, unfortunately, has not reached our time.
Hari-onago: a cannibal with a powerful shock of "live" hair, each of which ends in a sharp hook. Lives on roads. Having met a traveler, he laughs merrily. If someone laughs back, the hari-onago uses his hair.
Hito lady: particles of a person's soul that leave his body shortly before death in the form of flame clots. They fly away and fall to the ground, leaving a slimy trail.
Hitotsume-kozo: a ghost in the form of a small ten-year-old boy - bald and one-eyed. Harmless, but playful. Likes to scare people. Sometimes it can send diseases. To brave this spirit, you need to hang a basket near the door. Seeing many holes in it, the little cyclops will take them for the eyes and run away, ashamed that he has only one.
hoko: the spirit of camphor wood. Looks like a dog with a human face. Ancient chronicles claim that if a camphor tree is cut down, hoko will come out of its trunk, which can be roasted and eaten. Its meat is very tasty. Eating ghosts is a unique feature of Japanese mythology.
Yuki-she: « The Snow Queen» Japan is a pale lady who lives in the snow and freezes people with her icy breath. In erotic stories, yuki-she freezes people with a kiss, or even through the most interesting place.
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The rules of "ghost etiquette" in Japan are simple: do not keep old things at home, otherwise they will take on a soul of their own, do not travel on summer nights, do not accept anything from strangers you meet, do not laugh at them, do not be rude, and always be careful when choosing a spouse - it is quite possible that she is not the woman of your dreams, but a cunning fox or an evil fury. Even if ghosts do not exist and you live in Russia, these simple rules can still save you from unnecessary trouble.
In this collection, we have collected photos of forty Japanese mythical creatures with their detailed descriptions. It also presents the popular mystical animals of Japan, some of which we have never heard of. We hope you will find it as interesting to learn about them as it was to the editors who prepared this “photo essay”.
Japan is an amazing country of contrasts, where high-tech achievements coexist perfectly with centuries-old traditions, and magical gardens and temples - with skyscrapers, from the site of which one glance takes your breath away. They say that in order to know Japan, it is not enough whole life. The unpredictability of the elements, geographical location and national character have formed a kind of mythology with their own, sometimes so awkward, creatures, whose image and purpose are paradoxical for the understanding of Europeans. Let's look together at what monsters live in Japanese mythology!
1) Yuki-onna
Some legends claim that yuki-onna, associated with winter and unbearable cold, is the spirit of a girl who has disappeared forever in the snow. Her name means "snow woman" in Japanese. Yuki-onna appears on snowy nights as a tall, statuesque maiden in a white kimono with long black hair. She can hardly be seen against the backdrop of snow due to inhumanly pale, almost transparent skin. Despite their ephemeral beauty, the yuki-onna's eyes strike fear into mortals. She swims through the snow without leaving a trail, and can transform into a mist cloud or snow site. According to some beliefs, she has no legs, and this is a feature of many Japanese ghosts.
The nature of the yuki-onna varies from tale to tale. Sometimes she is simply content to see her victim die. More often, she brutally kills men for their blood and vitality, sometimes she acts as a succubus. In many stories, the yuki-onna appears when travelers wander in a snowstorm. After her icy, like death itself, breath or kiss, travelers are left to lie lifeless, stiffened corpses. Other legends endow the yuki-onna with an even more bloodthirsty and cruel character. She sometimes invades houses by blowing on the door with the force of a storm to kill all the inhabitants of the house in a dream, however, some legends say that she will only be able to enter the house and harm people if she is invited inside as a guest.
2) Kappa
A species of water, the incarnation of the deity of Water. Their external appearance is very specific - a cross between a frog and a turtle: frog skin, instead of a nose - a beak, fingers and toes connected by swimming membranes, short hair on the head. The body exudes a fishy smell. The kappa has a saucer on top of its head that gives it supernatural strength. It must always be filled with water or the kappa will lose its power or even die. The two arms of the kappa are connected to each other in the region of the shoulder blades; if you pull on one, the other will shrink or even fall out.
Approximately one third of all images are kappa, similar to monkeys: the whole body is covered with hair, there are fangs in the mouth, the nose is almost invisible, there are thumb, on the legs - the calcaneus. Unlike the usual kappa, instead of a saucer on the head, there is a recess in the shape of an oval saucer; tortoise shell may not be. Kappa is a fan of the sumo wrestling site and loves cucumbers, fish and fruits. It is believed that if you catch a kappa, then he will fulfill any desire. was considered in Japan a very dangerous creature that hunted by luring by cunning or dragging people and animals into the water by force.
3) Yorogumo
A spider ghost that takes the form of a seductive woman. According to legend, the yorogumo plays the lute in an abandoned hut in the forest to attract the attention of a potential victim passing by. While a person is fascinated by listening to enchanting music, yorogumo wraps his web around him to provide food for himself and his offspring. According to some beliefs, after the spider has lived in the world for 400 years, it acquires magical powers. In many stories, the yorogumo, in the form of a beauty, asks the samurai to marry her, or, to inspire trust and sympathy, takes the form of a young woman with a child in her arms, which is actually a spider masonry site. Ancient Japanese drawings and prints depict the yorogumo as half woman, half surrounded by her children.
4) Kitsune - a mystical cat from Japanese myths
The image of a werewolf fox, a spirit fox, is quite widespread in Asia. But outside the Japanese islands, they almost always act as sharply negative and unsympathetic characters. In China and Korea, the fox is usually only interested in human blood. In the Land of the Rising Sun, the image of a werewolf fox is much more multifaceted. Integral characters of Japanese folklore and literature, Japanese kitsune have the features of an elf, vampire and werewolf. They can act both as carriers of pure evil and as messengers of divine powers. Their patroness is the goddess Inari, in whose temples statues of foxes are certainly present. Some sources indicate that Inari is the highest kitsune. She is usually accompanied by two snow-white foxes with nine tails. The Japanese treat kitsune with a mixture of apprehension and sympathy.
The question of the origin of kitsune is complex and poorly defined. Most sources agree that kitsune become after death some people who did not lead the most righteous, secretive and incomprehensible lifestyle to others. Gradually, kitsune grows and gains strength, reaching adulthood from 50-100 years old, at the same time he acquires the ability to change shape. The power level of a werefox depends on age and rank, which is determined by the number of tails and the color of the skin. With age, foxes acquire new ranks - with three, five, seven and nine tails. The Nine-Tails are the elite kitsune, at least 1000 years old, and have silver, white, or golden skins.
Being werewolves, kitsune are able to change the forms of man and animal. However, they are not tied to moon phases and are capable of much deeper transformations than. According to some legends, kitsune are capable of changing gender and age when necessary, presenting either a young girl or a gray-haired old man. Like vampires, kitsune sometimes drink human blood and kill people, often, however, starting a romantic relationship with them. Moreover, children from marriages of foxes and people inherit magical abilities and many talents.
5) Tanuki
Traditional Japanese werebeasts symbolizing happiness and prosperity, usually looking like raccoon dogs. The second most popular werewolf after kitsune. Unlike kitsune, the image of a tanuki is practically devoid of negative connotations. It is believed that tanuki are big drinkers of sake. Therefore, without his presence, good sake cannot be made. For the same reason, tanuki figurines, sometimes very large, are the decoration of many drinking establishments. They portray the tanuki as a fat, kind-hearted man with a noticeable paunch.
There is a belief that if you wrap a piece of gold in a tanuki skin and beat it, it will increase in size. Thanks to this, the tanuki is revered not only as the site of the patron of drinking establishments, but also as the patron of trade. A particularly large number of stories about tanuki can be found on the island of Shikoku, due to the absence of foxes on this island. A folk legend explains this by the fact that in the past all foxes were expelled from the island.
6) Bakeneko - a cat in Japanese mythology
Magic cat, the third most popular Japanese werewolf after kitsune and tanuki. There are several ways for a cat to become a bakeneko: reach a certain age, grow to a certain size, or have a long tail that subsequently forks. can become bakeneko if she either lives for more than thirteen years, or weighs 1 kan (3.75 kg), or has a long tail, which then splits into two.
Bakeneko can create ghostly fireballs, walk on its hind legs; she can eat her master and assume his form. It was also believed that if such a site a cat jumped over a fresh corpse, then it would revive it. Like the kitsune, the bakeneko mostly takes on a female form. However, most often bakeneko turns out to be the spirit of a deceased woman, who uses cat magic in order to take revenge on her husband, through whose fault she died, or another offender.
7) Nue
A chimera with the head of a monkey, the body of a tanuki, the paws of a tiger, and a snake instead of a tail. Nue can turn into a black cloud and fly. They bring bad luck and sickness. One of the legends tells that the emperor of Japan fell ill after the Nue settled on the roof of his palace in 1153. After the samurai killed the Nue, the emperor recovered.
8) Nure-onna
An amphibious monster with the head of a woman and the body of a snake. Although descriptions of her appearance vary slightly from story to story, she is described as being up to 300 meters long, with snake eyes, long claws site and fangs. She is usually seen on the shore combing her beautiful long hair. The exact nature of the Nure-Onn's behavior and intentions is unknown. According to some legends, this is a cruel monster that feeds on people and is so strong that its tail crushes trees.
She carries around a small, baby-like package that she uses to attract potential victims. If someone offers Nure-onna their help to hold the child, she willingly allows them to do this, but the bag becomes heavier and prevents the person from escaping. Nure-onna uses its long, snake-like, forked tongue to suck all the blood out of the human body. In other stories, the nure-onna simply seeks solitude and is unhappy when her peace is interrupted.
The Possessed, whose name means "woman with two mouths", one is normal, and the second is hidden on the back of the head under the hair. There, the skull splits apart, forming the lips, teeth, and tongue of a completely complete second mouth. In futakuchi-onna legends, they hide their supernatural nature until the last minute.
The origin of the second mouth is often related to how often and how much the future futakuchi onna eats. In most stories, she is married to a miser and eats sparingly and rarely. To counteract this, a second mouth magically appears on the back of the head, which behaves hostilely towards its owner: it swears, threatens and demands food, causing her severe pain if she refuses. The woman's hair begins to move like a pair of snakes, delivering food to the second mouth, which is so voracious that it consumes twice as much food as the woman eats through the first.
In some stories, an extra mouth is formed when a husband accidentally hits his stingy wife in the head with an ax while chopping wood, the site and this wound never heals, transforming over time into a mouth. According to another version, a stepmother becomes obsessed, who starves her stepson or stepdaughter, while her own child eats plenty. The spirit of a child who has died of hunger is possessed by the stepmother, or a starving stepdaughter becomes a futakuchi-onna.
10) Rokurokubi
A werewolf demon with a snake neck. During the day, rokurokubi look like normal humans, but at night they gain the ability to stretch their necks to an enormous length, and can also change their faces to better scare mortals. In terms of their role in Japanese legends, rokurokubi are close to rogue characters who scare people, spy on them and arrange all sorts of cruel jokes, for which they sometimes pretend to be fools, drunk, blind, and so on.
Sometimes they are portrayed as very vicious: they seek to scare the death or even attack people in order to kill and drink their blood. According to Japanese lore, some rokurokubi in ordinary life often live inconspicuously, they can have human spouses. Some of them make desperate efforts not to turn into demons at night, some, on the contrary, like it, and some do not know about their second nature at all. Some stories describe that rokurokubi are born as ordinary people, but turn into demons by changing their karma due to a serious violation of any precepts or doctrines of Buddhism.
Shown is an old Japanese print depicting Chojun. This engraving served as a model for the creation of many tattoos depicting this literary hero.
Zhang Shun, known in Japan as Rorihakuto Chojun (張順), is a character in the Chinese novel Suikoden, one of the 108 characters, an excellent swimmer, and a pearl diver. Often, like Kintaro, he is shown fighting a huge carp. Unlike Kintaro, Chojun is a young man armed with a dagger, which he often holds in his mouth. The tattoo denotes a strong spirit, and excellent possession of cold weapons.
Kyumonryu Shishin
Japanese tattoo and vintage engravings with the hero of the novel Suikoden Kyumonryu Shishin
Kyumonryu Shishin. One of the more popular characters featured in the novel 108 Heroes Suikoden, he is an excellent master of the pole. The body of Kyumonryu Shishin was decorated with the image of nine dragons fighting among themselves. Depicted half naked young man ferocious appearance, with fluttering lush hair. There are many engravings of the Edo period with images of it, from which many tattoos are made. Symbolizes fearlessness, resourcefulness and excellent command of improvised weapons.
Roshi Ensei
The engraving shows Ensei cracking down on a robber with a log.
Roshi Ensei. He also appears in the novel The Backwaters (Suikoden) under the name Yan Qing. It is known about this martial artist that he tricked his way into the service of the famous martial artist Lu, who refused to accept students. For three years, he spied on Lou's training, adopting a style known as the "sacred fist" from him. However, he failed to keep his cunning secret when he dealt with a gang of robbers using Master Lu's ways. When he found out about this, he not only did not drive away the cunning servant, but, on the contrary, made him his official student.
Kwatsuemura Gonzosity
In the engraving, Kwatsuemura is covered with a tiger skin from a flurry of arrows.
Kwatsuemura Gonzoshichi, one of the 108 heroes of the Suikoden. An agile warrior who caught arrows on the fly.
Kayoso Rotishin
Tattoos depicting Kayoso Rochishin
Rotisin. Another of the 108 characters in the Suikoden novel, which was a Japanese adaptation of the Chinese novel Shui Huzhuan (River Backwaters). Kayoso Rotishin (Chinese version - Lu Zhi - Shen) is a noble robber of enormous stature who became a monk. His tattoo depicts cherry blossoms flying in the wind.
In one of the episodes, he fights on poles with Kyumonryu Shishin.
Hitentaisei Rikon
Tattoo and engraving depicting Hitentaisei Rikon
Hitentaisei Rikon. One of the 108 heroes of Suikoden, in the Chinese version, Li Gun. Engraving by Kiniyoshi and irezumi based on it. All the heroes of this work, immortalized in a series of magnificent engravings by Japanese artists, have found their embodiment in tattoos.
Shintunagon Tomomori
An engraving and sketch of a tattoo showing how Shintunagon Tomomori-no is about to end his life by tying a heavy anchor to his legs
Shintunagon (Taira-no) Tomomori. An active participant in the Gempei War (the internecine war of the Taira and Minamoto clans), a commander who won a number of victories. The engraving and sketch of the tattoo shows the episode when he is about to commit suicide after the devastating battle of Dannoura, where the troops of the Taira clan were finally defeated. Tying a heavy anchor to his feet, he threw himself into the raging sea.
Spirits of dead samurai
Among the plots of irezumi there are images of the spirits of dead samurai - Akugenta and Taira no Tomomori
Japanese tattoo. Avenging Spirit Taira no Tomomori
Taira no Tomomori became an avenging spirit after he, wounded by arrows, committed suicide by tying himself to an anchor and throwing himself into the sea. He can be recognized by the horns on his headband and the arrows that pierce his armor.
Japanese tattoo Spirit demon Minamoto no Yoshihara
Minamoto no Yoshihara (also known as Akugenta Yoshihara), who was the elder brother of Minamoto no Yoshitsune (commander of the Minamoto clan), who defeated Tomomori at the Battle of Dan No Ura. Yoshihara himself died 20 to 30 years earlier, during the Heiji Rebellion against the emperor and the Taira clan, being captured and executed. It is said that the body of the executed person turned into a demon or the incarnation of the thunder god Raijin, who struck the executioner with lightning. After that, he destroyed Kyoto with a hurricane.
Kabuki theater character Rybnik Dancity
Japanese engraving and tattoo showing the episode where Dancity washes away blood and dirt from himself with water from a well
The character of the play of the Kabuki theater is the fishmonger Dancity. The famous episode is shown where he washes away blood and dirt from himself with water from the well, after he killed, in a fit of rage, his vile father-in-law Giheiji, who provoked him. Despite the murder, he was acquitted, as he stood up for the honor of his wife, taken from him by his evil father-in-law.
Tokubei kabuki character
Engraving by Utagawa Kuniyoshi depicting the magician Tokubei and sketch of a tattoo
Tokubei. The prototype of the magician Tokubei, a popular character in many plays of the Kabuki theater, was a real person who lived in the 17th century - the merchant Tenjiku Tokubei. He made a successful voyage to India, visiting many other countries, and returned to his homeland a rich man. Here he wrote a book about his travels - "Report on the voyage to India". However, in kabuki performances, he appears as a great magician who has learned overseas magic, including “frog magic”. At his call, fire-breathing huge toads appear, on which he can fly and kill enemies. According to the plot, this magician is going to seize power in Japan, but after a failure, he commits suicide. In an engraving by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, he is shown sitting on a huge toad.
Valiant Warrior Minamoto no Raiko
Engraving by Utagawa Kuniyoshi depicting the samurai Raiko and the monster Shutendoji and Irezumi depicting the samurai Raiko and the monster Shutendoji
Raiko. According to legend, the valiant warrior Minamoto no Raiko, also known as Yorimitsu (948-1021), commanding four samurai, managed to defeat the terrible monster Shutendoji (“Drunkard”), which kidnapped and ate the girls of Kyoto. Utagawa Kuniyoshi's engraving and tattoo shows the moment when the monster's severed head clings to Raiko's helmet.
Japanese Serpent Fighter Tattoos
Serpent Fighters. A certain part of the tattoos shows the heroes of Japanese legends and Kabuki theater performances, who fight with a huge snake. The Japanese have a belief that jealous and rejected women can turn into snakes, and they especially annoy the monks. The theme of snake fighting is devoted to many engravings, on the basis of which tattoos are often created. Tattoos depicting Kayoso Rotishin, who killed a huge snake in one of his feats, are popular. Another snake fighter hero was Saginoike Heikuro, shown in tattoos tearing the snake's mouth. You can also point to Chusenko Teitokuson, who defeated the monster, but died from its poison, Egara no Heita (aka Wada no Heida Tanenaga), as well as Jiraiya and his sister Tsunade, who defeated the werewolf snake Orochimaru.
Sketch of Irezumi - Kayoso Rochishin (Lu Zhishen) - Suikoden Character
Saginoike Heikuro in engraving and sketch
Chūsenko Teitokuson engraved by Kuniyoshi and irezumi
Hickashi
Japanese tattoo. A depiction of Hikeshi, the valiant firefighters of the Edo period, who is shown with his unit's standard.
Hickashi. This was the name of the city fire brigades, usually created in each quarter from samurai and townspeople, during the Edo period (1600-1868). Japanese cities often burned because the houses were built of wood and paper, so the shoguns began to create similar squads to prevent and extinguish fires. Many firefighters got tattoos for themselves, as they often had to be naked, which was reprehensible. The full-body tattoo served as a hypothetical clothing replacement. Each of the 48 fire brigades of the Edo period had a distinctive banner set up at the fire extinguishing site. The image of a hickashi in a tattoo symbolizes a strong and brave person who consciously takes a mortal risk in the name of fulfilling his duty.
Kiyohime
Japanese Kiyohime tattoo
Kiyohime (Japanese for “pure princess”) or simply Kiyo is a character in Japanese legend and kabuki theater performances based on it. A young widow (according to other sources, the daughter of a village headman) falls in love with a wandering monk, but he rejects her love (in other versions, he promises to return to her, but deceives). In anger, the woman turns into a huge fire-breathing snake and rushes in pursuit of the monk, and overtakes him in the Dojoji temple. The monastic brethren hide the unfortunate monk inside a huge bell, but the monstrous Kiyohime finds him there and kills him, turning the bell into a red-hot furnace with fiery poison. After that, she commits suicide, and the souls of the monk and the rejected woman become husband and wife. However, the monk's soul, not wanting to remain on earth in the form of an evil ghost, asks to pray for himself and his killer, and after a religious ceremony they go to heaven (though in different places). The symbolism of the tattoo is simple - you can not reject the love of a woman and deceive her in order to avoid such a fate. In women, this tattoo symbolizes the ability to achieve goals at any cost.
Princess Tachibana
Japanese Tachibana Princess Tattoo
Tachibana - Hime (Princess Tachibana) - the heroine of ancient Japanese legends, the wife of the legendary Prince Yamato - Takeru. She voluntarily threw herself into the raging sea, sacrificing herself to Watatsumi - no kami - the sea god in the form of a dragon who wanted to destroy the ship on which her husband was sailing. On tattoos, she is depicted as a girl fighting a huge dragon. A symbol of self-sacrifice for the sake of a loved one, and all-conquering love.
Images of women in traditional Japanese style
The images of beautiful women in the traditional Japanese style - oiran (courtesans) and geisha, the heroines of novels and engravings of the old masters, are widely represented in irezumi. Most often they are purely decorative, without carrying an additional semantic load - just admiring beauty, grace and youth. But among the images, several specific characters can be distinguished.
Tattoo depicting courtesan Jigokudai
Oiran (Courtesan) Jigokudai. Jigokudayu is a famous courtesan from the Muromachi period. She was the daughter of a noble samurai, who was captured by enemies and sold to a brothel. Zen - the Buddhist monk Ikkyu instructed her on the path of truth, and allowed her to free herself from the fate that befell her. She took the name Jigokudai, which means "Infernal courtesan"), believing that the misfortune that befell her is a karmic punishment for an unrighteous life in previous incarnations. She is often depicted surrounded by the skeletons and spirits of other courtesans and cursed people, and her kimono has scenes of hellish torment and demons, and she is accompanied by cherry blossoms. All these are symbols of the illusory nature and transience of life in the Buddhist sense. Realizing all this, Dzigokurai achieved enlightenment and wisdom, becoming the protector of all those who stumbled in this life.
Princess Tsunade tattoo
Tsunade-hime ("hime" - princess) is the heroine of the Japanese "Tale of the Valiant Jiraiya", on the basis of which the play for the Kabuki theater was written. There she acts as a sorceress who owns the magic of snails, whom the main character, Jiraiya, marries. This image became known and popular after the creation of the manga and anime "Naruto", where Tsunade and Jiraiya are bred into ninjas who take revenge on their enemies. On tattoos, Tsunade is depicted as a woman in traditional Japanese attire, armed with a naginata - a terrible bladed weapon in the form of a curved sword on a very long handle.
Princess Tamatori
Japanese Tattoo and Sketches of Princess Tamatori Princess Tamatori (Tamatori-hime) or Ama. According to legend, the gift of the Chinese emperor - a magical pearl, which he sent to his in-laws from the Fujiwara clan, was stolen by the king of sea dragons during a storm. Fujiwara no Fuhito decided to return this treasure to the family. During his search, he met a beautiful diver named Ama (also called Princess Tamatori in other versions of the legend) and married her. Ama wanted to help her husband recover the pearl, so she stole it from the dragon king. Fleeing from the persecution of sea monsters, she cut her chest (according to other versions - her stomach), where she hid the jewel. The gushing blood hid her from her pursuers, but after getting ashore, Ama died from her wound. Thus, she managed to prove her loyalty to the clan and her husband, from whom she gave birth to a son who continued the glorious family of Fujiwara. In honor of her, the Japanese pearl divers began to be called ama.
Over time, the legend has acquired details that are very piquant. So, for example, there were versions where Ame, in order to get into the dragon's palace, had to surrender to the octopuses carrying his guard. In Japanese art, with further transformations of the legend, many erotic images of divers girls entering into a love affair with octopuses appeared.
About scenes from Kabuki and No theater performances
A Japanese tattoo showing an actor as a hanya. The plots of many tattoos are associated with traditional Japanese Kabuki and Noh theaters, and irezumi reproduce magnificent engravings showing scenes from performances or actors portraying certain characters.
Women's roles in these performances in the past were played by men, which was due to a government ban, but after the Second World War, this ban was lifted, and the actresses were also able to participate in period plays. On tattoos, although they are made according to old engravings and posters, and show men in the role of women, one should still see beautiful girls with the attributes of their role.
An old poster showing an actor as a hanya and a sketch of a tattoo showing an actor or actress as a kitsune werewolf fox.
