A fashion, that of the tattoo, which spreads mainly from the mid-twentieth century onwards in the West, modifying the use that Asians made of the tattoo, always seen in a negative way.
In China , for example, it was the hallmark of criminal clans, in Japan it was used as a pillory, tattooing on the skin the crime a man had stained himself with.
Today , tattoos are within everyone’s reach and are a totally positive fashion, which expresses messages of strength, beauty and faith.
But to wear an oriental tattoo well and proudly you need to be well informed and convinced.
Japanese or Chinese tattoo?
Is a Chinese tattoo better than a Japanese one?
Basically, both cultures express the same messages : courage, strength, generosity, elegance.
Chinese tattoos are perhaps the most discreet, made up of small symbols that stand out on your body, while Japanese ones tend to be larger and more colorful, ultimately more invasive.
A figure in common to the two tattoo schools and the dragon , which indicates courage and strength.
The tiger is Chinese, and it also indicates courage. Chinese and also the Yin and Yang, which symbolizes wisdom and humanity. If, on the other hand, you want to express elegance, go to the Japanese geisha , or to the branch of a cherry tree in bloom , or to the figure of the bird that is common to both oriental cultures.
So as you can see, there are many symbols, figures, characters that can be tattooed on your skin. The choice of tattoo will therefore be dictated by your personal tastes, by what you want to communicate with the tattoo and again on the basis of gender.
Let’s go now to give some advice depending on whether you are men or women, on the tattoo that can best suit you.
Tattoo for him and her: advice on what to tattoo based on gender
What to get tattooed if you are a man?
The recommended tattoos for men are typically larger ones, which can cover the chest or back. In these cases , the dragon, the Chinese tiger, the Japanese samurai, are some of the most requested choices by customers, and also the best.
Alternatively, a series of ideograms along the spine, or on the arm, or across the chest.
What if you are a woman instead?
The recommended tattoos for a woman, on the other hand , are to be found in the smallest symbols to be imprinted on the nape, shoulder, ankles or hands.
If you love large back tattoos, the Japanese cherry blossom is ideal, as well as the Chinese dragon and butterfly . Chinese zodiac symbols are also good – mouse, monkey, horse, pig, and so on.
Yin and Yang is good for both genders, being a unisex tattoo.
Japanese ideograms are perhaps a little more elegant and therefore suitable for a woman.
What not to ever get tattooed: our tips to avoid getting a tattoo wrong
As already said several times, avoid making mistakes that turn your tattoo into an indelible mistake, as you know, removing a tattoo requires several sessions and in many cases a conspicuous scar remains.
What advice do you give in this case? Here are some tips.
First of all, never get an oriental script tattooed without first having it translated by experts. You must know what you will bring written to the eyes of the whole world.
Do not customize oriental tattoos too much, not so much for artistic reasons as to avoid losing the meaning you wanted to give them. If Yin and Yang originates in black and white, for example, don’t do it in pink and blue!
Do not confuse Japanese and Chinese symbols . The war between the two countries is long over and you don’t risk anything (except for a few disapproving glances from some tourists), but confusing the two cultures and their meanings makes the tattoo mediocre.
Don’t rely on the first tattoo artist that happens . Oriental tattoos are difficult and require special skills that only experts possess. Go to the best tattoo artists on the square.
