Let's begin. The dragon has long been an important symbol in Japanese mythology. The Japanese dragon is a fascinating creature with the head of a camel, eyes of a hare, horns of a deer, scales of a carp, paws of a tiger, and claws of an eagle. Additionally, Japanese dragons also commonly have long whiskers and a jewel under its chin.
Many people are attracted to the allure of these mystical creatures, but few people truly know what they symbolize. Japanese dragons, like their Chinese counterparts, are distinct from Western dragons. Whereas in Western culture they are depicted as evil and malevolent, dragons in Japanese Mythology are viewed as guardians of the imperial families. For this reason, many people chose the Japanese dragon to serve as a guardian and protector. In Japan, a dragon is normally called "Ryu" (You might recall Ryu from Street Fighter). These mythical beasts command a high level of respect since it is believed that the first emperor of Japan was descended from a dragon. In Japan, these creatures are also viewed as gods of lighting and thunder.
Popular locations for Japanese dragon tattoos include full back and upper arm designs. For upper arm designs, the dragon typically wraps around the arm, with the head extending onto the chest or back region. This however should not limit your decision on where to place this tattoo. The style and location of your design should be personal and unique, as these factors will ultimately determine the meaning of your tattoo.
The Japanese Dragon Tattoo is a very beautiful and colorful tattoo design and very symbolic, with its origins in myths and folklore. It is also very mystical, adding to the appeal of the Japanese dragon tattoo. Over the ages, from Egyptian times the dragon has represented good and also represented evil. However, the attraction of the Japanese dragon, apart from its stunning beauty is that it represents good luck and the source of wealth. The Japanese dragon also represents the meaning of freedom and being fearless, both very attractive qualities.
In the Greek language, dragon is sourced from draca, which means serpent.
Like the angel, the Japanese Dragon also has the meaning of guardianship, providing a protective force over those it was associated with. Other meanings associated with the Japanese dragon is strength and power. In Japanese culture the dragon is associated with supernatural powers, and amazing wisdom.
There are six forms of the Japanese Dragon. They are:
Sui-Riu is the king Dragon and is in control of the rain. Therefore in this day and age of drought he is all powerful!
Han-Riu has many stripes on his body and is up to forty feet in length. One of the biggest dragons.
Ri-Riu dragon is a rare breed that is not well understood. However, it is known that they have amazing eye sight.
Ka-Riu is a brilliant red color, and a petite dragon in comparison with the others.
Fuku-Riu is a favorite dragon of many people as it is the dragon of luck.
Hai-Riyo is known as the dragon bird, and the most advanced form of dragon. It evolved out of Chinese mythology.
The colors of the dragons have special significance, which are based on their parents. For example a dragon with a black color means their parents are very old and wise. Green dragons are smaller than average, but are representative of life and of the earth. Gold colored dragons are special because they have many special attributes such as wisdom, kindness and the ability to face challenges head on.
Yellow dragons represent the east. They are great companions when you need a hand, but can be self absorbed at times. Blue dragons are from the west. They are forgiving and compassionate, but on the negative side can be lazy and uncaring when it suits them.
Finding the right Japanese Tattoo Design for you can be quite daunting. Check out all the free sites on the net to get as many ideas as you can. Just remember that many other people have done the same thing to get ideas. For example, last month, over 41,000 people searched for dragon tattoo designs on Yahoo. Apparently, roughly 8 times that amount check out Google for the same search term. Then there is MSN and the other search engines. So a huge amount of people see the same free designs as you. If you want original Japanese Dragon tattoo designs, it is recommended that you check out books or other sources of tattoo designs that are not freely available. I have checked out three Japanese dragon tattoo galleries on the internet that have from 3,500 to 6000 different designs, so you will have no trouble finding what you want.