32. yakuza tattoo sleeve. koi fish represents strength and bravery. what is the meaning of the yakuza tattoo? in the japanese culture, yakuza tattoos are considered as a symbol of status. for instance, wives, girlfriends, and mistresses of yakuza members obtain irezumi in order to prove their loyalty to the yakuza.. Many yakuza have full-body tattoos (including their genitalia). these tattoos, known as irezumi in japan, are still often "hand-poked", that is, the ink is inserted beneath the skin using non-electrical, hand-made and handheld tools with needles of sharpened bamboo or steel.. A yakuza tattoo that depicts a geisha figure. the hand poking method of tattooing is painful and the process is slow, meaning that each yakuza tattoo design costs not only money, but time and pain too..
But an irezumi isn't just a yakuza tattoo, it's the mark of a complex japanese tradition that has been a part of the nation’s history for some 12,000 years. and across 12,000 years of history since, tattoos have been a part of japanese life. the styles, the meanings, and the purposes may have changed, but tattoos have always been there. The people who get yakuza tattoos do put the time in to make sure every inch of their tattoos have significant meaning since they often have to expose these tats in front of other people in the organization.. 16 fascinating yakuza tattoos and their hidden symbolic meaning. some represent protection, others represent an individual’s life. by. alvin albaciete. the foo dog is a very popular tattoo design in the yakuza, representing protection against evil and danger. #11. the severed head..
