Guerillaneedles Posted August 13, 2016 Share Posted August 13, 2016 Hi, I'm absolutely desperate to learn more about the stories and reference behind Japanese tattooing. I'm obviously interested in picture books, but more than that I'd like to learn the tales so I can better understand the imagery. If anyone has any recommendations (books or websites) if be grateful. I've tried searching with no luck. Thanks in advance. Oiocha 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oiocha Posted August 13, 2016 Share Posted August 13, 2016 I hadn't realized I wanted this until I read your post. Horitomo's MonMon Cats book actually does go into detail about the imagery's symbolism and history but, the book is short and meant for flash and the history is more of like a plaque under an exhibit. Its background to improve appreciation of the picture. But I too would love more websites and books. Gingerninja and Guerillaneedles 2 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-128746 Share on other sites More sharing options...
spb420 Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 Quote check out http://gominekobooks.com/ . She has everything... Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-128747 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 3 hours ago, Guerillaneedles said: Hi, I'm absolutely desperate to learn more about the stories and reference behind Japanese tattooing. I'm obviously interested in picture books, but more than that I'd like to learn the tales so I can better understand the imagery. If anyone has any recommendations (books or websites) if be grateful. I've tried searching with no luck. Thanks in advance. Retailer wise, Gomineko is a book seller that focusses on tattoo references. She's an excellent resource for purchasing books but depending on where you are at, it can take several months for books to arrive and there are no notifications of shipping/tracking. Also she is more expensive than other resources. Some people love her due to her inventory, while others not so much due to the price, lag or non-delivery. If you are fortunate enough live near a Kinokuniya book store, their books in their tattoo/woodblock section can range from decent to pretty good. They're a Japanese book retailer and have a few shops across the US. They sell the same books as Gomineko but are cheaper. They can also order books for you if you know exactly what you are looking for. That said, actual material wise, for general symbolism,"Bushido" and "Tattoos of the Floating World" by Takahiro Kitamura are excellent resources. I don't know the name of it but it looks like Horibenny just came out with a new book that at glance appears to be decent for introductory info on motifs too. Check out Amazon for all. For myths, study the source material. Read books on Japanese mythology and books on Woodblock print artists. There will often be descriptions about the scenes in woodblock prints. That can often give you enough information to research further about a subject on your own. Regarding mythology, read the "Kojiki" and the "Taiheiki". Both are translated in english and chronicle stories of the origin of/early Japan and medieval Japan. Another book I've found is called "Japanese Mythology" by Michael Ashkenazi. These books tell stories about deities and ancient heroes that are often subjects in Japanese motifs. I wish I had read the "Kojiki" sooner. Not regretting what I have but I feel I may have chosen different subjects if I had. Things I had written off earlier, I gained new appreciation for after reading more about them. There are tons of information out there. I feel it's much easier to learn about now, than it was even a few years ago. Hope this helps. Guerillaneedles, Gingerninja, Graeme and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-128755 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guerillaneedles Posted August 14, 2016 Author Share Posted August 14, 2016 6 hours ago, Lance said: Retailer wise, Gomineko is a book seller that focusses on tattoo references. She's an excellent resource for purchasing books but depending on where you are at, it can take several months for books to arrive and there are no notifications of shipping/tracking. Also she is more expensive than other resources. Some people love her due to her inventory, while others not so much due to the price, lag or non-delivery. If you are fortunate enough live near a Kinokuniya book store, their books in their tattoo/woodblock section can range from decent to pretty good. They're a Japanese book retailer and have a few shops across the US. They sell the same books as Gomineko but are cheaper. They can also order books for you if you know exactly what you are looking for. That said, actual material wise, for general symbolism,"Bushido" and "Tattoos of the Floating World" by Takahiro Kitamura are excellent resources. I don't know the name of it but it looks like Horibenny just came out with a new book that at glance appears to be decent for introductory info on motifs too. Check out Amazon for all. For myths, study the source material. Read books on Japanese mythology and books on Woodblock print artists. There will often be descriptions about the scenes in woodblock prints. That can often give you enough information to research further about a subject on your own. Regarding mythology, read the "Kojiki" and the "Taiheiki". Both are translated in english and chronicle stories of the origin of/early Japan and medieval Japan. Another book I've found is called "Japanese Mythology" by Michael Ashkenazi. These books tell stories about deities and ancient heroes that are often subjects in Japanese motifs. I wish I had read the "Kojiki" sooner. Not regretting what I have but I feel I may have chosen different subjects if I had. Things I had written off earlier, I gained new appreciation for after reading more about them. There are tons of information out there. I feel it's much easier to learn about now, than it was even a few years ago. Hope this helps. This is a great start thanks. I've ordered from crystal before and I'm trying to avoid it now as it's always such a pain! My last order was over 6 months to get to me. I'll go and try and find those other books now. I'm in the UK so fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-128766 Share on other sites More sharing options...
rufio Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 Dont know how and where exactly i found this instagram, maybe on this site. Theres an english man who finds scrolls and paintings and i dont know what for reference for tattoo artist. why am i still babbling? https://www.instagram.com/caliseowin/ . a_beukeveld and Guerillaneedles 2 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-128819 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guerillaneedles Posted August 17, 2016 Author Share Posted August 17, 2016 I started the Kojiki - wow! I'm a bit sad I can't read Japanese because I definitely feel that the names of the deities (of which there are many) lose something in translation. Plus the book I have has about an inch of actual translation of the text then the rest of the page is footnotes on phonetics and translation. Very dense reading but I'm going to stick with it. a_beukeveld 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-128852 Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_beukeveld Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 This thread is great. Ive ordered over 20 books in the last few months in search of information and it can be difficult to find. If I could read Japanese It'd be much less difficult! I have just ordered Kojiki and Japanese Mythology. As far as books I own that have useless information, I dont have much. Mostly picture books of tattoos and Ukiyo-e. Most of my information comes from tattooers or the internet. Id be cool if we could start a Last Sparrow refference club and discuss/recommend books /documentaries/images with each other. My library is a decent size and I feel I have enough obscure books/refference to be able to add something to the conversation. Im not sure how much intrest there would be in that, tho. Guerillaneedles 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-128861 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guerillaneedles Posted August 17, 2016 Author Share Posted August 17, 2016 (edited) Been chatting to a colleague who's a big fan of Japanese. He suggested looking at esoteric Buddhism for some more recognisable deities (personally I'm enjoying reading about a deity whose private parts set on fire because she gave birth to so many islands/other deities). He also suggested looking at Chinese Buddhism as I believe there's a lot of crossover /pollination between the two cultures. Edited August 17, 2016 by Guerillaneedles Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-128868 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 (edited) On August 17, 2016 at 1:15 AM, Guerillaneedles said: I started the Kojiki - wow! I'm a bit sad I can't read Japanese because I definitely feel that the names of the deities (of which there are many) lose something in translation. Plus the book I have has about an inch of actual translation of the text then the rest of the page is footnotes on phonetics and translation. Very dense reading but I'm going to stick with it. I forgot to mention the version translated by Gustav Heldt. A thinner book than others so it's probably missing many nuances but it's a much much easier read. Also I mentioned the Taheiki previously, but I also meant the Nihon Shoki or Nihongi. Also esoteric buddhism as your friend mentioned would be good too. Good luck on that one. I've never been very good at figuring the Dieties out and understanding all the various gestures and such. Edited August 22, 2016 by Lance a_beukeveld 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-128951 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SStu Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Here's a nice link with references for Japanese mythical creatures . . . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_legendary_creatures_from_Japan a_beukeveld and Guerillaneedles 2 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-130745 Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_beukeveld Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 I picked up the two books recommended, the Kojiki and Japanese Mythology. The Kojiki is some heavy reading for sure, like most ancient texts. Got a few pages in before putting it down. The Japanese Mythology book on the other hand is fantastic. Its a glossary of a bunch of Japanese characters and myths, and has a introductory section about 100 pages long explaining the context of Japanese culture, history and religion. It outlines the Kojiki and the other "official" ancient myth books. Great buy. I should pick up the Kojiki again some time soon. Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-130746 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guerillaneedles Posted October 28, 2016 Author Share Posted October 28, 2016 On Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at 6:07 PM, a_beukeveld said: I picked up the two books recommended, the Kojiki and Japanese Mythology. The Kojiki is some heavy reading for sure, like most ancient texts. Got a few pages in before putting it down. The Japanese Mythology book on the other hand is fantastic. Its a glossary of a bunch of Japanese characters and myths, and has a introductory section about 100 pages long explaining the context of Japanese culture, history and religion. It outlines the Kojiki and the other "official" ancient myth books. Great buy. I should pick up the Kojiki again some time soon. I'll have to check out the Japanese mythology one. The Kojiki is on my bedside table, I can make it through a few pages at a time! Haha Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-130958 Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyg Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 this site is fantastic: http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/buddhism.shtml DJDeepFried 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-131262 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 (edited) 7 hours ago, Nata said: ....................................................... Edited November 17, 2016 by Dan Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-131266 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machcekborrach Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 (edited) I kinda got lazy and skimmed thru some of the links don't know if i overlooked it, but has anyone found any info about those dragons with elephant trunks? I love the way they look! Edited November 20, 2016 by Machcekborrach Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-131328 Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyg Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 @Machcekborrach do you mean baku? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baku_(spirit) http://irebokuro.tumblr.com/search/baku Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-131352 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machcekborrach Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 @scottyg I like those too, but no the ones i seen were dragons with elephants tusks and trunk. I have only seen 2 pics Lehi did a print of one, Ed Hardy did a painting of one, and i think Horiyoshi 3 has Tattooed one in one of his books, not 100 percent sure tho. Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-131354 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlaryMilberg Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 I opted for the elephant style dragon mouth because I thought it looked powerful. I asked Horitomo the difference and he said that the elephant style mouth is just older and less preferred now. I could be wrong, we aren't the best with understanding each other. Machcekborrach 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-131355 Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyg Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 @Machcekborrach @GlaryMilberg that's cool; I've never seen it before. Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-131357 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machcekborrach Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 @GlaryMilberg That's awesome, They do look powerful I'm thinking about going the same route, do you have any older references? Like I said I've only seen a few drawings, I would love to find pics of really older paintings. Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-131359 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 Shunga happens to translate, rarely, to Americana through some odd deets on the East Coast. Sang Bleu would be a good place to start. I don't usually call it heaven and hell to be a bearer of bad news, but these things are so well protected that I have very little information to give. Does the Chinese Japanese translation work towards that? I'd just start learning every rule that you can. Rules are the best. Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-131410 Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyg Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 @Guerillaneedles this is another great site, but hasn't been updated in a year or so, unfortunately: http://irebokuro.tumblr.com/ Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/7209-japanese-mythology-reference/#findComment-131447 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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