Yakuza Fish Tattoo Meaning

Koi fish are prominent in the work of japanese tattoo artists because of a long standing legend of how the fish become dragons.

Yakuza fish tattoo meaning. Another common element that can be found in some of the best japanese tattoos koi fish are considered good luck. In japanese folklore it s said koi can climb waterfalls working against a heavy current. In japanese culture yakuza tattoos are considered as a symbol of status. All of this applies to black koi.

Japanese samurai also obtained yakuza tattoos as a form of identification. After the banning of the samurai they began working at the service of criminal gangs creating the yakuza. For instance wives girlfriends and mistresses of yakuza members obtain irezumi in order to prove their loyalty to the yakuza. Gold dragons on the other hand represent value.

According to legend any koi that is able to scale the waterfall known as dragon s gate will be transformed into a dragon. All of this pertains to black koi. In medieval times the japanese king would punish the prisoners by giving them a bokkei tattoo. For the yakuza this creature means wisdom strength and bravery among many others.

The koi fish is a common yakuza tattoo that generally relates to good luck and fortune. Thus koi exemplify resolution and are often used to mean that a person has made it through unfortunate events. For instance black dragons represent experience while the green dragons are associated with nature. Most of the meaning and symbolism behind the fish stems from this ancient legend.

In japan tattoos and the yakuza often seem. The history of japanese yakuza tattoo culture or more popularly known as irezumi is full of sacred art that made its impact on the whole world. There are a variety of meanings that can be assigned to these fish. The fish is closely connected to the dragon because there s a legend about koi swimming up the yellow river in china passing through the rapids known as the dragon s gate and turning into a dragon.

However there are different versions of these dragons. But let s take a brief look at some of yakuza s characters and their ink. In this way the use of tattoos as in other types of mafias is interpreted as a symbol. The koi symbolizes strength and bravery.

Thus koi represent perseverance and are often used to indicate that a person has made it through tough times. In japanese legends it s said that a koi can surmount waterfalls moving against a heavy tide. The meaning of yakuza s tattoos. In the upper right of dojima s koi fish tattoo there is a tattooer s seal for the artist to sign the work.

The direction the koi fish swim color and number of fish can all change the meaning of a koi tattoo.