How are Americans with stretched ears treated in Japan?
I am a 26 year old male from the US that would like to take a vacation in Japan. I've heard a lot about the sites seeing that they have there, but heard nothing about how they treat americans in a subculture. I have my ears stretched to 1 and 1/2 inches, also visible tattoos on my arms. I have a bit of social anxiety in large places because of people staring. I just want to know how the Japanese see modified americans because I would really love to go there. I know I'll stick out like a sore thumb, but how sore is this thumb going to be?
Why do American tattoo artists add wind bars to Japanese tattoos after the main artwork is finished? From my experience living in Asia, Asian artists tattoo the main artwork and the background before shading or adding color.
Different areas of the world, different cultures, different tattooing practices/styles. The way artists learn to tattoo in one place will vary from how another is taught elsewhere.I'm not sure that it makes one approach any better than the other, only different. I have never spent time in Asia but from what I've learned from books and other sources, depending on which part of Asia you're in, tattooing practices and cultures will vary. Korea has made tattooing illegal and Japan was known for the bodysuits donned by gangsters. I'm sure in America most tattooers are doing an American version of an Asian tattoo…japanese style is one way of saying it here.Not sure if this is the answer you were looking for but about all I have. I figure as long as it's a good clean tattoo, no matter where you in the world, and the client is happy then you've successfully completed the job.
If cultural appropriation is so bad, what tattoos can a white American get without offending others?
Any action you take may offend someone. You have no control over the responses of other people.Tattoos are, with limited exceptions, permanent. As such, you should choose things that are real and important to you. Tattoos should not be as easy or as lightly done as changing your wardrobe.Tattoos, in my view, should reflect the person with the tattoo: what inspires them, what they love, what they believe in, what they stand for, etc.Cultural symbols come with a great depth of meaning to the cultures which created them. This meaning should be respected: if you get a tattoo that includes a cultural symbol, you should know what that symbol means.With that understood, in my view cultural appropriation is an issue when you take from a group something that does not represent you.The color of your skin is irrelevant-the key question is: is this something that reflects you, or is it something you borrowed but which does not reflect you?I have a Viking tattoo (as you put it). It is a religious symbol. Does my right to wear this tattoo rest on my blood ties to various Scandinavian groups? No. My right to wear it comes from my faith, which ties me to the people that first created that symbol. It comes from my acceptance of what that symbol means, and the serious price that comes from wearing it. It comes from the life experiences that led to me getting that tattoo (see; Edward Conway's answer to What was your life's most meaningful religious experience?).If a tattoo genuinely reflects who you are, then you have every right to wear it. If it does not, then it is inappropriate, regardless of the color of your skin.Respect the symbols, the cultures, and their meaning, and learn these. Then ask yourself: Does this reflect the real you? If so, then it doesn’t matter who this offends. If not, then it doesn’t matter who approves.
How painful are Japanese traditional tattoos compared to normal tattoos?
I'm an American, but have lived in Japan for 2 years. I've travelled around, tried to learn the language and am actually taking a Japanese class soon. I want to get my 1st tattoo, and being how I'm in Japan, I only thought it would be right to get a traditional Japanese tattoo done. It's done with bamboo and what not. I did also hear that a real Japanese tattoo is quite a bit more painful. The plan for the tattoo is, 2 Kanji symbols, about palm size, starting at the triceps and going down. I want it to look like it was painted on. Ya, Japanese symbols are a little clique, but given my living situation and current lifestyle, I find it suitable. I can see myself at a bar, 10 years from now and someone is dogging on me for having Japanese symbols, but Oh! Mine were done traditionally, in Japan. So what kind of pain am I talking about? I've never had a tattoo, but I'm avoiding any bone, and trying to stay on the meaty part of the triceps. My arms are pretty big (I'm a big boy, haha). Any advice would be very helpful.
Is it weird to have traditional American old school tattoos/navy tattoos like swallow tats/panther tats/etc if you're Japanese?
Not at all. They’re really cool :)
How are tattoos viewed in Asian (Taiwan/China) culture?
I was interested in knowing about the stance in which the Asian culture views tattoos. Specifically Taiwan because I plan on teaching English at a school there. I have a complete right sleeve done and nothing of which that can be taken as obscene or inappropriate at all. That is the only visible tattoos I have when wearing a short sleeved shirt. If I have a dress shirt on you would never know I had any at all. Thanks
Chinese vs. Japanese tattoos?
Maybe the characters are just more appealing. For example, they want to get the word "love" which in Japanese looks like this: http://wzus1.ask.com/r?t=a&d=us&s=a&c=p&... Whereas in Chinese it looks like this: http://www.symynet.com/tao_te_ching/imag... Maybe they just like one over the other. Why not look up the symbol in both and see which one you like most? Best of luck! ☺
Do kanji tattoos offend Japanese people?
We giggle more often than getting offended.Obviously there are certain phrase probably offend certain group of Japanese people, and it is probably up to individual to put that on their skin permanently.But, in my experience with those people who put foreign character / word with ink… well, if you asked those to native people after you made rush decision, it is often face palm worthy one.I am pretty open minded, but I could not stop giggle on some of unfortunate spelling error or misshaped tattoo I was asked to photograph of individual in the past.So, I would not suggest to go to your neighborhood tattoo parlor to get some ink on skin if neither tattoo artist or you do not understand things google translate spitted out as translation of word. They are often incorrect, or have meaning that is not intended.Update:Few people send me text over recent major tattoo fail of Ariana Grande, and what I think.And my response would be exactly same as my answer, I would chuckle/giggle. I mean, it is pretty difficult to respond other way around. There were obvious fail from the fact neither she or tattoo artist did not understand language.Ariana Grande intentions was probably good one, and I do not take it as some appropriations. Unfortunately for her, she like many others I have seen, did it wrong way, and thus became source of joke. But I assure you I have seen lot worse tattoo fail in NYC bar scene.