The Art and Beauty of Japanese Tattoos

Whether you're into tattoos or not, there is no way you can deny the skillful art and beauty of Japanese tattoos.

Continuing since about the 3rd century, tattooing in Japan is a tradition that has been developed over a long period of history. Popular themes include: carps, tigers, mythical animals such as dragons and phoenixes, flowers such as Japanese cherry and chrysanthemum, and the Buddhist motifs like Amitabha Tathagata, bodhisattva and Siddham script (bonji).

In Japan, the choice to adorn your body with ink is not without stigma. For example, you're not allowed to enter a public bath (onsen) in Japan if you have tattoos.

If you're looking for a cool new coffee table book, you can find more of these breathtaking images from the book,Tattoo in Japan. The large format photo book is divided into four chapters dedicated to different geographic regions: Tokyo, Chubu, Kyoto, and Osaka. Each area is known for a distinct style of ink art.