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Kanji for Tattoos

Are you looking for a Japanese tattoo or want to have Japanese characters on your T-shirt, but are afraid of being tricked into getting characters that has obscene or stupid meanings? Look no further. Here's a great list of kanji for tattoos.

I have no idea of why we Westerners have such a fascination for Eastern characters. Maybe because it's a fragrance of the mystical east, maybe it's the beauty of the characters, or simply just a way to make a word more complicated than it has to be.

いれずみ (Tattoos) in Japan

As it has been in many Western countries in the past, there are still some pretty strong opinions on いれずみ (tattoos) in Japan. It is very uncommon to see people with いれずみ in Japan, and many people think that only criminals have tattoos.

There are actually places that ban いれずみ. I have seen it on the door of いざかや (izakaya), and I have heard people with いれずみ are often not welcome in せんとう (sentou) either. This is often connected with the establishments not wanting to have the やくざ (Japanese mafia) as customers. やくざ often have extensive tattoos.

いれずみ = tattoo
やくざ = japanese mafia
居酒屋 / いざかや = japanese pub
銭湯 / せんとう = bath-house, public bath

As some of you may know, it has in recent years actually been popular to do the opposite in Japan, to use Western characters and words on clothes, in commercials and even when giving names to your children.

But anyway, here's our list of characters that will make up great いれずみ. Additionally, you can of course look up more words by yourself in the dictionary on this site. If you make a いれずみ from this list, please share with us. Send us a picture to the forum!

General

一番	ichiban	the best
健康	kenkou	health
平和	heiwa	peace
金	kane	money
愛	ai	love
美	bi	beauty
音楽	ongaku	music

Near and Dear

友達	tomodachi	friend
家族	kazoku	family
恋人	koibito	lover
母	haha	mother
父	chichi	father
兄	ani	older brother
弟	otouto	younger brother
姉	ane	older sister
妹	imouto	younger sister
兄弟	kyoudai	brothers, siblings
姉妹	shimai	sisters

Emotions and Spirituality

神	kami	god
気	ki	spirit, mood
和	wa	peace, harmony, sum
禅	zen	zen (buddhism)
悟り	satori	enlightenment (in buddhism)
尊敬	sonkei	respect, (esteem, honor)
希望	kibou	hope
信念	shinnen	belief, faith, conviction
勇	yuu	bravery, heroism
欲望	yokubou	desire, (appetite)
幸福	koufuku	happiness
自由	jiyuu	freedom
名誉	meiyo	honor, (credit, prestige)
夢	yume	dream
完全	kanzen	perfect
約束	yakusoku	promise
秘密	himitsu	secret
知恵	chie	wisdom (sagasity, sense, intelligence)

Martial Arts and History

空手	karate	karate
合気道	aikido	aikido
柔道	judo	judo
剣道	kendo	kendo
相撲	sumou	sumo wrestling
侍	samurai	samurai
武士道	bushidou	the way of the warrior (samurai code)
王	oo	king
刀	katana	sword, blade
忍者	ninja	ninja
手裏剣	shuriken	throwing star
浪人	rounin	lordless samurai
将軍	shougun	feudal lord

Directions and Nature

北	kita	north
東	higashi	east
西	nishi	west
南	minami	south
天	ten	heaven
天使	tenshi	angel
雪	yuki	snow
風	kaze	wind
台風	taifu	typhoon
津波	tsunami	tsunami
太陽	taiyou	sun, solar
日	hi	sun
月	tsuki	moon
海	umi	sea
星	hoshi	star
森	mori	forest
山	yama	mountain
富士山	fujisan	Mt. Fuji
木	ki	tree
花	hana	flower
桜	sakura	cherry blossom
自然	shizen	nature

Animals etc

犬	inu	dog
猫	neko	cat
魚	sakana	fish
馬	uma	horse
虎	tora	tiger
龍	ryuu	dragon (complex)
竜	ryuu	dragon (simple)

Links

If you want to read more about kanji for tatoos, follow any of these links.

http://www.bmezine.com/tattoo/kanji001.html

Comments (3)

Can't wait.
Written by shibby999955, on 07-09-2008 08:27
I can't wait to get "Ongaku" tattooed on my hand near my thumb.

And the question marks are caused by no fonts for Kanji. Just google it and download a patch?

question marks?
Written by johan, on 03-09-2008 08:27
Hi, the Japanese characters work well for me.

Does it work at all on this site for you? Please have a look at this page to read more about character support.
http://www.studyjapanese.org/content/view/25/41/

????
Written by erikaiozsa, on 03-09-2008 07:05
I wonder if it is just me or there are actually question marks instead of the Japanese characters? :sigh