Tattoo — meaning and sketches for girls and men

Sakura is one of the most tender subjects that came to Europeans from the Land of the Rising Sun. Over time, the sakura tattoo has changed its meaning, but the history of the flower goes back to ancient times. And its flowering during the Hanami festival attracts millions of viewers from all over the planet.

The first tattoos.

Initially, the sketch of the sakura tattoo could only be present on titled male persons. Japanese princes depicted a cherry branch on their backs as a sign of loyalty to their native country. Then a similar tattoo was allowed to be done by the governors who wanted to express their loyalty to the owner. Later, the symbolism of the flower changed under the influence of philosophical views and ancient legends.

One of the legends tells how a cruel landowner ordered the children of a peasant who dared to complain about him to the prince to be hung on the branches of a Japanese cherry tree. As a punishment, the children were flogged to death, and sakura remained forever in the memory of the Japanese as a symbol of innocence and corruption of life.

The meaning of the tattoo.

The meaning of a tattoo largely depends on the gender, age of the owner and the features of the sketch. Men rarely use this flower, but in general, today a sakura branch on a man's body still means loyalty to the country or to his own beliefs.

The beautiful half of humanity chooses sakura quite often. On more mature ladies, Japanese cherry blossoms speak of a bright and fleeting youth. Young ladies, choosing sakura, focus on the short-term nature of life.

The Japanese give a special meaning to even minor details of the tattoo: the thickness of the branch, the number of flowers and so on. For example, flowers of a faded, almost white color can symbolize death, and pink, on the contrary, speak of the flowering of vital forces.

Light flying petals will tell about the grief for the deceased, and dark pink ones about the lost love. The sketch of the sakura tattoo with one branch speaks of a desire to retire from worldly worries, and only the budding buds indicate a desire to start life anew.

Europeans do not take into account such subtleties and are accustomed to perceive the sakura tattoo as an integral element. In European culture, such a tattoo is a symbol:

life cycle (sakura blooms from several hours to several days);
short-lived relationships in love;

However, no matter what meaning the carrier puts in it, sakura always attracts the attention of others. At the same time, any style solutions will look spectacular.

What style should I choose?

The classic sakura branch tattoo is most often performed in the Japanese style. Each thin line is clearly drawn, the image comes out as realistic as possible. Stylized images of this plot are not typical for this subculture.

You can also use such style directions as watercolor, new school or realism. Less common are variants made in the style of trash-polka.

Sakura is depicted as an independent picture, less often the background or additional elements are drawn. For example, a branch of the Japanese cherry in combination with tiger symbolizes the power and influence of a person.

A place for a tattoo.

If desired, a small sakura flower tattoo can be placed even on the wrist, ankle or chin. But, most often, the Japanese cherry is depicted in full-scale versions. Sakura looks great on back, taking up space from lower back to shoulder blades. I fill the image slightly obliquely, which gives the tattoo a certain dynamics.

There are flower tattoos on side: from the pelvis to the armpit. But, it should be taken into account that such tattoos are one of the most painful. Another common option is forearm. You can also fill a tattoo with the image of sakura as a sleeve.

Men's tattoos are better placed on the back, shoulder blade or forearm. Adding elements such as tiger, cross or skull.