Japanese tattoos

Recently I started to learn about Japanese Tattoos. I want to get one.

Around the 300-600 AD most of tattoos became a mark of punishment. Instead of being used for ritual or status purposes, tattoos were used to tag slaves. So that everyone will recognize their status in case they were running from their master.Similar habit was discovered in Rome as well.

Some ceremonial designs have been recorded which were used when lovers were joining hands but I was more like trend. There are records but it has no continuity.
It was only in the Edo Period (1600-1868 AD) that the ornamental tattooing began to develop into the amazing art form that is known as today.
What’s very interesting is that the art of tattooing was enriched by the art of woodblock printing. The release of the popular Chinese novel Shuihu Zhuan, in japanese Suikoden, a tale of courage and rebellion illustrated with woodblock prints showing fighters in heroic scenes.


here you can see some cool galleries too