Japanese tattoo art has several names - irezumi or horimono in the Japanese language. Irezumi
is the word for the traditional visible tattoo that covers large parts of the body like the back. Japanese tattoo art has a very long history.
Since the influence of Confucianism and Buddhism on the Japanese culture, tattoo art has a negative connotation for the majority of the Japanese people. In the eyes of an average Japanese a tattoo is considered a mark of a yakuza - a member of the Japanese mafia - or a macho symbol of members of the lower classes.
One of Japanese Tattoos is a Tamatori Heme. The legend tells that Tamatori Hime once stole the king of the underwater world who was an enormous dragon his most valuable possession, a precious bead. In order to swim faster on her escape, Tamatori Hime cut herself and hid the bead in her own body. Although she found her way ashore, she died on her injuries becoming a victim of her own greed.
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