Japanese Butterfly Tattoo

Japanese Butterfly tattoos are regaining their popularity again amongst the middle classes. Ironically young Japanese people are going for Butterfly tattoo designs that can be completed in one sitting such as the traditional American style butterfly tattoos or tribal butterfly tattoos. Traditional butterfly tattoo is still done by specialist tattooists. Because Japanese butterfly tattoos are so detailed they are also very time intensive and expensive.

Butterfly tattoos are referred to in Japanese as butterfly tattoo which literally means the insertion of ink under the skin leaving a permanent mark or tattoo design. Butterfly Tattooing in Japan is thought to extend back to at least 10,000 years. The Ainu people, the indigenous people of Japan, are known to have used butterfly tattoos for decorative and social purposes for many thousands of years.