Cherry Blossom Sleeve Tattoos

Another popular theme used throughout history for sleeve tattoos is that of the cherry blossom tree. The cherry blossom tree has a very important significance in the Japanese culture and has been featured in many different forms of art. The tree flowers only once a year and the flowers soon fall to the ground after living a colorful life for a very short period of time.

Cherry blossom tattoo designs are associated with the Samurai class of ancient times. It seemed to reflect the lifestyle of the samurai who needed to be prepared for death as he could meet his fate at any point during a battle. For some people cherry blossom sleeve tattoos seem to symbolize the very short lived nature of this life.

The dragon is by far the most commonly featured creature on Japanese sleeve tattoos. The imaginary creature has been part of the Japanese traditional arts since long ago and has been predominantly featured in tattoo art. But naturally the Japanese have a deep symbolic tie with the image of a dragon. Over time the Japanese artists have created many intricate designs using the image of dragons which have served as sleeve tattoos.

The collection of traditional Japanese sleeve tattoos is extensive. The above mentioned examples are only the most popular themes that have been used in history. The complete list is extensive enough to form an encyclopedia in its own right