BIG OF TATTOOS

Then there is the Bodhi tree; A tree under which Buddha sat for years and meditated. He finally got his enlightenment under this tree. People who firmly believe in the teachings of Buddha have Bodhi tree tattoo pictures. Very few in today's world who firmly believes and follows his teachings may get one!!

Then there is the acorn which grows to mighty oak tree. Acorn has so many different meanings in different cultures. It varies from strength to fertility. Even in tattoo pictures it differs in the way it's drawn. Then there are other trees as well.

First off, a sexy tattoo, no matter where it is placed or what the design, will only be as sexy as the person wearing it. The attitude of the person wearing the sexy tattoo is very important. How does that person carry themselves? If they project a sexy air about them that definitely helps make the tattoo sexy. So remember, half the battle is with you. If you want that tat to be sexy you have to be sexy too.

Something else you may not be aware of is that may tattoo artists will refuse to place the name of the person you are in a relationship with in a private place of your body. Tattoo artists know something you do not-the relationship that is working so well right now may not last forever. When the relationship ends you will have tattoo regret and come back and want that tattoo in the private place removed. Also, there is a karma thing in the tattoo world that says if you do have a partners name tattooed on you it tempts fate and is likely to bring about an untimely ruin of the relationship. Bad karma-not a good thing.

Be sure to think forward with that sexy tattoo in terms of where you will have it placed on your body. Think about how that area of your body might change over the years. If it is placed in a area that might grow from pregnancy, or sag with old age-it won't be sexy when that happens. Remember tattoos are forever, the shape of your body is not.

Some great areas for a sexy tattoo include: lower waist area just above the pelvic region in the front, and the small of the lower back. These areas are very suggestive and are not likely to change in shape as you age.

If you choose to have a tattoo placed in the lower back region-go for something small. A small design will be considered sexier that a big design that spreads over your whole waist line-that could be considered a tramp stamp.

Any place that is considered a private part of your body is generally a good place for a sexy tattoo. The fact that it is private and only for certain people to see, makes it sexy.

Other areas that are more visible that can make for a sexy tattoo are just above the bikini line. Especially a well designed tattoo that points from above the bikini line toward the pelvic region can be very sexy. A shooting star tattoo design that trails down can very sexy.

Bath Girls and Tattoo

Tattoos and sensuality are often connected. Nakano (1988) in her book titled Irezumishi no onnatachi (the wives of tattooists) states that tattoos have sex appeal, uncovering the practice of tattooing among Japanese women involved with the sex industry. "Soapland" is a place which men come in and choose a bath girl to have sexual pleasure with. "Soap" refers to a bathtub or bathroom. "Soapland" refers to the bathhouse with the brothel. However, technically, sex activities are not involved with this business. If the soap jo, bath girl of the soapland had tattoos, she would have been regarded as a "defective" product (Nakano, 1988). However, the number of tattooed girl-lovers has increased recently in order to satisfy their desire. The tattooed soap jos are becoming popular (Nakano, 1988). Some soap jos want to be covered with tattoos for their job.

The Yakuza and Tattooing

The yakuza are notorious Japanese syndicate members. Their history dates back over 300 years. Their origin can be traced back to the Edo period (Kaplan and Dupro, 1986). The ancestors of the modern yakuza used tattooing as a mark of status.

Tattoos are the greatest trademark of the yakuza. When we go to see a yakuza movie, for instance, the tattooed yakuza often show up. Rome (1975) refers to the modern yakuza as the title "The Tattooed Men," and describes a typical scene in a yakuza movie: There is a gambling scene where somebody cheats, is discovered, the kimonos are dropped from the shoulders revealing tattoos (cheers from the audience), swords appear and blood is spilled." (p.213)

Kaplan and Dupro (1986) state that approximately 73 percent of the yakuza have tattoos. Among the yakuza, undergoing tattooing was a test to show their strength. The traditional Japanese tattoo takes a long time to complete. To wear the full body tattoo, one needs patience to endure the time and pain. For some yakuza, tattoos are a proof of strength, courage, toughness and masculinity. Besides, wearing tattoos makes them feel a sense of solidarity as a member of the organization. Such tattoos mean loyalty or faithfulness towards the organization.

Although the yakuza began to accept tattoos as their custom in the Edo period, it was not an outstanding figure in those days. Following Japan's economic growth, the yakuza population rapidly increased, and became more often involved in criminal activities. Because of the outlaws' path, we are likely to associate tattooing with the yakuza, and eventually the fixed notion that tattooing has a criminal aspects was built up.

However, in recent years the number of the yakuza with tattoos has been decreasing. Because of increased law enforcement, the yakuza have lost many their sources of income. Moreover, Kaplan and Dupro (1986) point out that the nature of the yakuza has been changing. Although devoting one's life to the organization was the way to survive in the yakuza world, today's young yakuza become less obedient at each step. The younger yakuza are forsaking the full-body pictorial tattoos. They opt instead for a simple line drawing or phrase on their upper arm, more similar to the tattoos of Western youths. The reason, says researcher Hoshino, is not a change in aesthetics: the old-style tattoos cost a fortune, and are simply no longer worth either the physical or financial stress (Kaplan and

Dupro, 1986: 273).

Since the Act for Prevention of Unlawful Activities by Boryokudan (syndicate) members was passed in 1992, the influence of the yakuza has weakened. According to recent reports (Asahi shinbun, 1997), many yakuza try to remove their tattoos and have operations to replace missing fingers in order to return to mainstream society. Moreover, an article in a current magazine (Vollmann, 1999) tells that one yakuza continued to be untattooed. When he was young, his boss had forbidden him to be tattooed on the grounds that fashions change (p.77). Thus, even the yakuza themselves admit that their tattoos are not acceptable. People with tattoos are likely to be stigmatized and regarded as misfits in Japanese society. There is another interesting response about tattoos by the yakuza boss (Vollmann, 1999). The interviewer asks if the yakuza wear certain types of tattoos. The yakuza boss replies: "No, you can't tell. We're not a tribe." (Vollmann, 1999: 78).

To be tattooed in Japan is to abandon conventional society and go into the underworld. It is true that some yakuza tend not to have tattoos. Tattooing is no longer used as either a test of strength or a sign of solidarity among the yakuza.

Sexy Japanese Body Tattoo