Japanese Traditional
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What is Wabori?

Wabori is a style of tattooing that uses traditional Japanese motifs and techniques.

As an art form deeply reflecting Japanese history, culture, and beliefs, it developed significantly during the Edo period and remains a famous and popular tattoo design today.

Some say it has existed since the Jomon period, but it especially flourished in the Edo period, influenced by "Suikoden" (The Water Margin), where full-back, colorful tattoos became a symbol of masculinity and courage.

Unique features of wabori include bold outlines, shading, and traditional techniques such as "gaku" (framing), with many uniquely Japanese designs like dragons, tigers, koi, phoenixes, peonies, and chrysanthemums.

In recent years, while preserving tradition, new styles of wabori incorporating modern interpretations have emerged, attracting tattoo enthusiasts from all over the world.

Differences Between Wabori and Tattoos

Wabori and tattoos differ significantly in technique, design, and cultural background.

Wabori is a traditional technique rooted in Japanese history and culture, while "tattoos" refer to a wide variety of styles found worldwide, especially in the West.

Wabori is traditionally done by hand, carefully inserting color stitch by stitch, requiring advanced skills and experience.

Tattoos are generally done with a tattoo machine, allowing for fine gradations and small one-point designs, and can be completed in a relatively short time.

Wabori Tattoo Designs & Meanings

Wabori is a traditional Japanese tattoo style, characterized by bold linework and beautiful shading techniques that utilize the depth of sumi (ink).

Designs often feature motifs rooted in Japanese traditional culture, such as dragons, tigers, and flowers, each with deep symbolic meanings.

Here, we introduce the designs and meanings of wabori tattoos.

Dragon Wabori Design & Meaning

The dragon is one of the most popular wabori designs, revered as a sacred creature in both Japan and China since ancient times.

Dragon designs symbolize "success," "achievement," and "growth." In particular, the ascending dragon, climbing toward the heavens, is believed to bring great advancement and the realization of dreams.

Type	Main Meaning
Cloud Dragon	Freedom, strength
Ascending Dragon	Success, rising fortune
Descending Dragon	Blessings, abundance
Twin Dragons	Harmony, cooperation, marital bliss

People often choose dragon tattoos to express their desire to forge their own path or reach greater heights.

Flower Wabori Design & Meaning

Flower designs in wabori are popular not only for their beauty of color and form, but also for their symbolic meanings and traditional background.

Representative flower designs include roses, cherry blossoms, peonies, chrysanthemums, and maple leaves.

Roses symbolize "beauty" and "love," cherry blossoms represent "spiritual beauty" and "graceful women," and peonies convey "nobility," "wealth," and "manliness."

The meaning can change depending on the type, number, and color of the flowers, allowing for delicate expression of personal feelings and wishes—this is the unique charm of floral tattoos.

Tiger Wabori Design & Meaning

The tiger is as popular as the dragon in wabori, symbolizing "bravery," "martial prowess," "strength," "authority," and "good fortune."

There are various types of tiger poses, including standing, sitting, and lying down.

Type of Tiger	Meaning
Standing Tiger	Courage and fighting spirit
Sitting Tiger	Calmness and composure
Lying Tiger	Constant vigilance

Tigers are popular among those who want a masculine and powerful expression, as they convey a sense of physical strength and presence.

They are also cherished as symbols of protection and family guardianship, and when combined with other wabori designs, can carry even deeper meanings.

[By Body Part] Wabori Tattoo Designs & Meanings

The meaning of wabori tattoos can vary depending on the body part where they are placed.

Here, we explain in detail the designs and meanings of wabori tattoos for each representative body part.

Wabori Designs & Meanings on the Back

The back, having the largest surface area, is a popular and bold location for tattoos.

Powerful designs such as dragons and koi are often used, symbolizing dignity, success, and protection.

A large tattoo covering the entire back can express the person's determination and view on life. Adding backgrounds like waves or clouds with the "gaku" technique creates a sense of unity and narrative throughout the piece.

Utilizing wabori’s unique linework and shading techniques, the design can be finished with a three-dimensional and deep appearance.

Wabori Designs & Meanings on the Arm

Arms are often exposed, making them a location where wabori can be more assertive.

Wabori on the arm symbolizes success, courage, and strength. A large tattoo covering the entire arm gives a three-dimensional and impactful look.

The right arm represents practical actions, assertiveness, and self-expression, while the left arm symbolizes inner feelings, personal wishes, and beliefs.

Wabori Designs & Meanings on the Shoulder

Wabori on the shoulder symbolizes responsibility and protection, often featuring powerful animal designs like tigers and dragons.

Since the shoulder has long been considered the part that "bears burdens," it carries meanings of life's weight, determination, and the desire to protect family and friends.

In traditional cultures such as Polynesian and Maori, shoulder tattoos have been important symbols of rites of passage and respect for ancestors.

With beautiful ink gradations from traditional wabori techniques and creative backgrounds using "gaku," the art can be finished as a unified piece extending from the shoulder to the arm.