Illustrating about animals is a demonstration of the pursuit for
a sincere attitude towards life and the Japanese’s strong belief
in the unknown and powerful force. Any being can have their
body and soul cleansed through purification or by achieving a
divine existence. Which is why these mythical beings are the
manifestation of an individual’s morals, and a visual story teller
of the state of their inner essences, their Kami.
At one point, Kami was reserved solely for those who made an
important mark in history and their culture. Amaterasu is
believed to be the ancestor to the descendant of emperors in
Japan. Inari the rice producer, whose creation led the country to
prosperity. Japanese people put a lot into their studies, almost
every child goes to cram school in hope to get into big
companies in the future. Before exams, they often go to shrines
and pay their respect to the kami of education, Tenjin, which
was actually derived from a Japanese scholar called Sugawara
no Michizane. People worship those that exists in their minds
because of their achievement, it also tells them
that they could do great thing as well.
Everything around us has a purpose and these
spirits acknowledge it by responding to the
people who seek out for them. To uphold the
existence of the holy being that watches over
them and their guidance in life, Japanese tattoos
have taken on the role to honor its culture and
the endless possibilities that a single motif can
be interpreted into.
supernatural, or a fear of the unknown. Tattooing is a process that
allows a person to achieve tranquility.
A NEW ‘YOU’
Arose from the “basic human desire to belong, to be appreciated,
and to go through some initiation process that gains an altered
state of mind that says, ‘I am who I am.’”(Myer, 2012) Irezumi
signifies one’s movement beyond their daily existence to another
plane of reality, an inward journey to knowing why they think in a
certain way or choose to accept it. Most would think religion as
the reaching towards god, and spirituality as the awakening of
immanent qualities that haven’t been disclosed. The thing is,
Buddhism and Shintoism harmonizes with each other for their
compatible values. Tattoos can erase the lingering distinction.
“Just as art has always conjoined the spiritual and the religious,
tattoos can combine the inward and outward expressions of a
spiritual or significant experience, literally, as art on the body.”
Individualism VS Community
People might often interpret these spiritual
beliefs as a superstition for inanimate objects.
However, tattoos or any other art form abides in
the same manner. Honestly speaking, they are
only an image on a flat surface, yet they speak
loud volumes of cultural habits of a nation. They
are related to an individual’s conscious belief,
even though some might argue that these
spiritual values are came from the teachings of
their parents, chances are, a majority still follows
with it. They could have neglected such beliefs
but they choose to do so.
While it offers a communal belief, it allows the
release of an individual in this tightly packed
community. When you get an Irezumi, it’s hard
to shake off the experience. It sets you apart
from everyone else in the community, even if you
hide it underneath layers of clothing, there is
still the lingering thought of its existence and
the meaning it carries within the depths of your
consciousness.
It is the celebration of an individual as tattoo
designs offer their own unique interpretation
and a greater control over themselves. While it is
important to stick with the community,
sometimes, we just need to strain away from the
masses and find back ourselves. That includes
whether it's believing in the existence of the
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