Japanese tattoo ideas

839 photos and flash · Upper arm most common

What will it cost? Try the tattoo cost calculator
Colourful Japanese-style half sleeve on an upper arm and shoulder, showing a blue VW camper van among grey waves, purple plumeria and red clouds.
VW camper van and flowers on an upper arm
Red cherry blossom branch tattoo with black linework curving across the side of the ribs, with a hand resting on the skin.
Cherry blossom branch on the ribs
Four-panel photo of a Japanese style forearm sleeve with a grey koi fish, pagoda, waves and red maple leaves.
Koi, waves and pagoda forearm sleeve
Japanese style flash design of three yellow chrysanthemums with green leaves set against black and grey clouds, with no body placement shown.
Yellow chrysanthemums on clouds
Pencil drawing of a Japanese-style dragon coiling above chrysanthemum flowers, with wind lines, designed as a tattoo piece.
Japanese dragon with chrysanthemums
Black and grey line drawing of a kokeshi style doll with a cat face, surrounded by cherry blossoms and petals, in a Japanese style tattoo design with dotwork shading.
Kokeshi doll with cherry blossoms
Two black and grey tattoos: a fine line wave on an upper arm and a dotwork palm tree within a dotted circle on a forearm.
Wave and palm tree tattoos on arms
Colourful Japanese-style full sleeve tattoo of pink peonies and orange chrysanthemums with teal leaves and grey clouds, covering the shoulder, upper arm and forearm.
Full sleeve of peonies and chrysanthemums
Black line drawing of two koi fish swimming in a circle among sakura blossoms and water ripples, a Japanese-style tattoo design with no body placement shown.
Two koi fish with sakura flowers
Black and white photo of a shirtless man kneeling on a bed, showing a large black and grey Japanese-style tiger tattoo across his back and tattooed upper arm.
Tiger back tattoo on a kneeling man, black and grey
Colour tattoo of two birds perched on a cherry blossom branch, spreading across the upper arm and shoulder.
Two birds on a cherry blossom branch
Black and grey Japanese hannya mask tattoo with swirling smoke clouds on a forearm, shown from the side.
Hannya mask on a forearm
Colour tattoo of a koi fish and pink lotus flower with teal waves across the upper back and shoulder, in a Japanese style.
Koi fish and lotus on a shoulder
Neo-trad tattoo of a goat skull with curved horns and an orange chrysanthemum on the forearm, set against an orange sun.
Goat skull and chrysanthemum on a forearm
Colour Japanese-style full sleeve tattoo of peonies and shaded foliage on an upper arm and forearm, with a white vest visible beside it.
Peony full sleeve on an upper arm
Black, grey and muted green swallow in flight with a rust-red throat, tattooed on a leg in a soft, wash-style Japanese manner.
Swallow in flight on a leg
Pink and purple peony tattoo with black and grey feather detail across a thigh and hip, in a bold Japanese-influenced style.
Peonies and feathers on a thigh
Black ink tattoo of two koi fish swimming in a circle on the inner wrist, in a brushed Japanese style.
Two koi forming a circle on a wrist
Colour koi fish and flower tattoo with black linework on a man's left forearm and upper arm, beside a black t-shirt with a white mask print.
Koi and flowers on a forearm sleeve
Black brush-stroke ensō circle with a small dot and ink splatters on the left ribs, in a Japanese style.
Black ensō circle tattoo on the ribs
Colour Japanese style tattoo of a red foo dog with green swirling clouds and a skull on a forearm, shown in two side-by-side photos.
Foo dog and skull on a forearm
Black geometric line and dot tattoo covering the back of a hand, with a black and grey wave sleeve on the forearm above it.
Geometric line and dot pattern on the back of a hand
Drawn koi fish tattoo design in a Japanese style, with black scales, orange-gold fins and a red gill, beside the headline The Meaning Behind Koi Fish Tattoos.
Koi fish tattoo design with headline
Black and grey Japanese style koi fish tattoo with wave linework on a person's upper back and shoulder blade.
Koi fish and waves on upper back
Black and grey Japanese style tattoo design of a koi fish swimming among stylised waves, lotus flowers and maple leaves.
Koi fish with lotus flowers and waves
Colour Japanese-style dragon tattoo across the chest, shoulder and upper arm, set against black and grey clouds.
Red dragon across chest and shoulder
Japanese style dragon tattoo in red, orange and cream over dark green-black scale ground, across a hip and thigh with a white cloth wrapped around the waist.
Red and green dragon on hip and thigh
Black kanji character inside a white and blue circle, framed by a red torn-skin effect, tattooed on a man's chest.
Kanji symbol with torn skin on chest
Colour tattoo of a large pink and red peony with green leaves and black outlines, in a Japanese-inspired neo-traditional style, on the forearm.
Pink peony on a forearm
Japanese style tattoo covering the chest, ribs and both arms, with pink cherry blossoms, an eagle and koi fish on a dark cloud background.
Japanese torso and sleeves with blossom and eagle
Pencil drawing of a feathered phoenix-dragon hybrid wrapped around swirling cloud scrolls, in a Japanese-influenced tattoo design style.
Phoenix and dragon with cloud scrolls
A woman seated on a beach, seen from behind, showing a large colourful Japanese-style tattoo across her back with a peony, feathered bird and green scales.
Colourful Japanese back piece with peony and feathers
Black and grey Japanese style dragon tattoo covering a man's shoulder, upper arm and chest, photographed in black and white.
Black and grey dragon on shoulder and chest
Black and grey Japanese style tattoo covering a torso and upper arm, with a pagoda, an oni demon holding prayer beads, clouds and a dragon on the sleeve.
Pagoda and oni demon torso and sleeve
Black and grey Japanese full sleeve tattoo on an upper arm and shoulder, with cherry blossoms, waves, chrysanthemums and a sun motif.
Japanese sleeve with cherry blossoms and waves
Green pencil sketch of a geisha with cherry blossom branches, a large moon, hair pins and a kimono patterned with clouds, with waves at the sides, as a Japanese style flash design.
Geisha with cherry blossom and waves sketch
Close-up of a Japanese-style tattoo of a black cat with yellow eyes, surrounded by grey clouds and red and orange patterns, on a forearm.
Black cat and clouds on a forearm
Colour tattoo of a smiling maneki-neko cat holding a red daruma doll, with a pink flower and petal, in Japanese style on the inner wrist.
Maneki-neko cat and daruma on the inner wrist
Close view of a large red phoenix tattoo with feathers running across the back and side of a person with dark hair, in a Japanese-influenced style.
Red phoenix tattoo across back and side
Colourful Japanese style tattoo of a yellow chrysanthemum and a pink flower with grey waves across the upper arm and shoulder.
Chrysanthemum and pink flower on upper arm
Japanese full sleeve tattoo with a samurai mask, koi, lotus flowers, a green dragon and waves, shown on an upper arm next to its flash design.
Samurai, koi and dragon Japanese full sleeve
Colour tattoo of a red Chinese guardian lion with a gold-patterned ball and blue bell on the upper arm, in a realistic Japanese style.
Red guardian lion on upper arm
Japanese style flash design of a grey hannya demon mask and a red and white kabuki mask, framed by cherry blossoms and clouds.
Hannya and kabuki masks with cherry blossom
Japanese-style tattoo covering a torso and both arms, with a large koi fish, peonies, clouds and a moon on the chest and a colour peony sleeve on each arm.
Japanese koi, peony and cloud torso and sleeves
Colour tattoo on the top of a foot showing a white cartoon cat in a red bow and red collar, holding a gold coin, with bold black outlines.
Hello Kitty as a lucky cat on a foot
Colour Japanese style tattoo of a red spotted mythical beast with turquoise mane and flames across a full back, set against dark grey clouds.
Red spotted mythical beast across a full back
Black and grey Japanese style tattoo of a seated woman with long hair holding a katana, with red lips and a red sword tassel, on the upper thigh.
Woman with katana in Japanese style
Colour Japanese-style dragon tattoo with green scales and white whiskers, set among red clouds, on a forearm.
Green dragon with red clouds on an arm