A Cherry Blossom Tattoo

 If you are considering a tattoo, doing some research first is a good step.  You will be much happier with, and much less likely to regret, your choice if it is made with some planning and forethought.  Regardless of the tattoo you eventually get, make it one of conscious choice, not one that you get just because your friends got one and you decided to go along.

I have seen roses and butterflies worn by men, and swords with skulls worn by women.  These are not as common, though.  In particular, the cherry blossom tattoo is favored almost exclusively by women, and is gaining in popularity.  The cherry blossom tattoo is linked culturally to both China and Japan.  Before figuring out what it means to you, it makes sense to understand what it means to these cultures.

For the Chinese, the cherry blossom tattoo is a symbol of feminine beauty and sexuality.  It represents the idea of female dominance, and in herbal medicine is seen as the symbol of love.  For the Japanese, the cherry blossom tattoo is a delicate flower that blooms only for a very short period of time.  In this sense, it represents the Buddhist teachings that our life is short and we should not be overly attached to any particular thing or outcome, as all will pass in time.  On the cosmic scale, this time is very short.

The cherry blossom is represented in both cultures, yet both cultures have a very different take on the meaning of the cherry blossom.  These are great starting points.  Does your personal philosophy more closely align with feminine power, or with the transience of our existence on earth?  You do not actually have to pick one over the other, as the tattoo can symbolize both at the same time. 

While it is important to understand the symbolism of any tattoo before having it done, ultimately it is up to the wearer to both pick a tattoo appropriate for them, and to determine what that tattoo’s

symbolism means to them. Wearers tend to be happier with more philosophical tattoos because these ideas are life guiding principles, and a tattoo can become a reminder of the mores that the wearer strives to live up to or achieve. So, what does the cherry blossom tattoo mean to you? It can very well mean a reminder of how to live your life.