Things to think about for your next Kanji tatoo

1. Making sense You would not believe how many phoney Japanese tattoos are out there. An iconic example is Superdry. 極度乾燥(しなさい). Superdry. is a UK-founded apparel high-end brand where it sells Japanese and Chinese that are mistakenly written. It’s common for Japanese and Chinese tourists who go to the UK and see people wearing weird spells or phrases that make no sense. While it’s probably a marketing strategy to intentionally write mistaken Japanese, Chinese, and something that doesn’t look like any language at all for people to remember the brand, the consumer probably has no idea. They probably don’t know that they’re even the talk of the town when a Japanese or Chinese person sees them walking downtown. Here’s (https://www.isi-ryugaku.com/ryugakublog/34357), a Japanese blog that roasts Superdry. and its clothes, too. I cannot explain every tattoo fail, but rest assured there’s a millennium of ways to screw up your ink. If you’re thinking of getting inked and want to avoid looking like a clown, do your research and choose a reputable native Japanese so you can make sure you understand the design and meaning you’re getting.

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2. Multiple meanings The Japanese language has multiple meanings for words. This is done to give the speaker more options when speaking. For example, the popular Japanese character, Ie (家) is commonly translated as “family”, but it’s actually wrong (not entirely, but…wrong). Family is written Kazoku (家族) or Katei (家庭), not Ie (家), which means the literal “house” you live in. It’s easy to make mistakes because you can say (Your Surname)+Ie（家） and change the meaning from house to family. For instance, if your name is Alex Dover, you can say Dover家 (Dover-ke) to illustrate the Dover family. Another famous mistake is Ariana Grande’s Seven Ring (七輪) tattoo which became an internet sensation, meme and clown. Here’s (https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/ariana-grande-7-rings-tattoo), an article that even Vogue confirms. Shichirin (七輪) is a small BBQ grill in Japan, not Seven Rings, while you can technically write it that way. Just like this, one meaning can be correct, but you have to acknowledge the other meanings as well as the whole context and tone. In simple words, Google Translate can’t guarantee whether the other meanings fit perfectly with what you want to say. Don’t make the rookie mistake, and follow the path of the cringe tattoo gang.

3. Spacing Be careful with the spacing when you try to do Kanji tattoos because the wrong spacing could mess up the whole tattoo. The Japanese writing system values spacing more than English. We usually have a 1-by-1 box for each character, and you can only go over or tighten that spacing if you know what you are doing. Every Japanese practice their spacing using notes and books that looks like the image below. You can see how it’s more strict than the English writing textbooks that only have three horizontal straight lines. A tattoo needs perfect spacing so the kanji can be easily read without difficulties and focus more on the aesthetic itself.

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4. Font Font can be crucial for a tattoo to be cool, cringe, or lame. Each character and idioms have its connotation, and the font needs to be aligned with it. For example, if the tattoo phrase is Bushido (武士道), the Samurai’s code of chivalry/conduct, the font should express strength rather than round, Kawaii/cute fonts. Usually, it’s shown best when the font is in Japanese calligraphy (毛筆調のもの). I’ve seen Kanji tattoos that say 質実剛健 (Having simplicity, being loyal, and pursuing well-being as a quality person) but with a very “cute” font. While the English meaning seems very down-to-earth, its connotation is supposed to be more firm and disciplined. It’s hard to know the tone and vibe beforehand, and that’s why you need a native Japanese adviser for you to pick the tattoo that fits your idea perfectly.