Japanese art and meaning.

Note that the Japanese language uses the same word (taka) for both falcons and hawks.  The visual difference is that falcons have a notched beak, while hawks do not. Taka are strong, with a piercing gaze.  This explains why the bird has long been a symbol of the samurai , and the bird of prey is a common design on men's kimono.  In irezumi, the bird of prey is paired with snakes, with the taka either swooping down to seize the snake in its beak, or with the reptile wrapped around its body.  It's a depiction of killing or being killed.  Thematically, the motifs is much deeper.   The taka represents power, and the snake is longevity . The bird is also auspicious .  Dreaming of a taka, Mount Fuji, and an eggplant on the first day of a new year is considered lucky.  In the dream, the taka represents strength, power, and the ability to fly high .

 In irezumi, the most popular seasons are spring and autumn.  During these wonderfully bright and colorful in-between times, everything is in flux and either coming to life or beginning to wither.   Capturing these fleeting, ephemeral moments makes them all the more powerful . In Japan, nothing sums up the country's concept of beauty - or the country itself - better than the cherry blossom, or sakura in Japanese.  Cherry trees bloom for a few days, and then the blossoms fall to the ground or are washed away in a sudden spring rain.  The entire country holds picnics called ohana-mi (literally "flower viewing"), a tradition that stems from an eighth-century aristocratic pastime.  People eat, drink, and make merry with friends while soaking up the pink-and-white landscape.  Other venerable spring rituals include picking and preparing flowers to by eaten so their power is transferred into the body.  In a way, tattoos of spring flowers are an ...