Japanese Fish Tattoos

The koi fish is a popular breed of fish in Japan. Equally popular are tattoo designs inspired by this colorful species. The Japanese library of koi fish tattoos showcases a wide variety of tattoo designs in which the fish is used in combination with splashing water, lotus flowers and cherry blossoms.

 

The non-Japanese may better understand what the koi fish is when it is referred to as carp. The word koi is the Japanese replacement of carp. The most strikingly appealing thing about the koi fish is the spectrum of brilliant colors in which they are to be found. The Japanese have inbred the species in order to produce precious gem like marvelously radiant creatures in the water.

As far as the symbolism with the koi fish tattoo is concerned it is supposed to act as a good luck charm. The particular meaning attached to the koi fish is relative to the environment in which it is found. The koi fish in the wild generates a different feeling than the ones in the pond. Their Chinese counterparts on the other hand have a very generalized interpretation regarding the image of the koi fish.

The Japanese word koi does not only translate as carp which is the actual name of the breed of fish rather it also means love. This inadvertently gives the symbol of love to the breed of fish. The particular love which the koi fish stands for is the one with the opposite sex, not so much the love one has for parents.

Contrary to popular assumptions the symbol of the colorful koi fish is regarded to be very masculine in Japan. It is however common to find both men and women stamped with koi tattoos in today’s times.

The library of koi fish tattoo designs is full of energetic designs that depict the koi fish in bright colors and movement. For your information the koi fish is considered to be an extremely powerful fish in reality as it has the ability to fight the currents of the river and actually swim against the stream.

Koi fish are very popular among women but many man are getting them also now. In Japanese mythology Koi are typically thought to swim up stream against the current. They are therefore often associated with perseverance in adversity and can make a great tattoo with a very deep meaning. Yet a delicate and beautiful design.

Men tend to get koi fish tattoos on their back, shoulders, calf or upper thigh most typically. In fact large koi tattoos that take up the entire back are a style that many men are starting to get. They can also make a great full sleeve design with the water and koi twisting around the arm or leg.

Women tend to get koi tattoos on arms, thighs, and even on the side of their stomachs. Koi can make a beautiful tattoo with lots of bright color and large splashes of blue water that can become a very flowing and artistic tattoo.

Typically koi fish tattoos feature a large blue, splashing water background with the fish jumping out of the water and playfully splashing in it. Traditional designs often include either Japanese maple leaves or lotus flowers in combination with the design.