Yep, looks like a tattoo of a psychedelic watch that says 今 ('now') in a calligraphic style.

By the by... it's generally understood that tattoos are taboo in Japan. While it's true that Japan has a rich history of exquisitely beautiful tattoo art, that art is also - at least in recent decades - closely associated with organized crime. The stereotype is that only Yakuza have tattoos, and many Japanese actually believe it. This creates a certain prejudice against tattoos which many learners of Japanese share.

While it's true that the stereotype is not -entirely- true and that the tattoo culture is changing... it's still very brazen to introduce yourself proudly with your tattoo in any environment with any relationship to Japanese.

While I don't mind, you are going to meet with hostile reactions sooner or later. If you go to Japan, be prepared to hide your tattoo.

Well he could always hide it by investing in a large wrist watch

I didn't immediately recognise it as 今. Is it some archaic version or something?

Well, I'm not an expert in cursive writing, but it looks to me like the 'umbrella' shape at the top of 今, and then the brush is clearly picked up and placed down again. After that, the remainder of the character is drawn without fully detaching the brush from the paper. The apparently horizontal stroke in computer graphics is drawn diagonally of course, and then there's a thin line that isn't there in 'proper' pencil kanji or computer graphics because the brush isn't lifted in cursive before the final '>' shape (or clock-hands if you will) is drawn.

(Hmmm, the 'clock-hands' is a bit 了 like I suppose, but I don't see anything like the extra strokes in 令 or 命 , and I've seen both of those in cursive form before which is nothing like this example.
By which, I should add, although it's hard to describe, but the last stroke of 令 should be clearly detached and trail from upper-left to lower-right. Well, in hand writing I've seen... there are two or more schools of calligraphy in Japan and this is supposedly Chinese calligraphy... anyway, I don't see a stroke no. 5)

Last edited by SomeCallMeChris (2011 December 08, 3:59 am)

i've never said this before about a kanji tattoo, but, cool tattoo!!!

Why'd you get it in such a conspicuous spot?

You won't be able to go to public baths or pools. I found this out the hard way over the summer, but I'm able to cover mine even in the nude with a small bandage.

JimmySeal wrote:

If the character were really a correctly drawn 今, it would end in a 左払い, but the final stroke here is a vertical とめ.

Ahhh, I see, those pictures make it pretty clear. You're right, it's 令 and now I know a tiny bit more about brush styles.

The time is not now. Time is an illusion just like all things.

...is what you should meditate on.

nadiatims wrote:

Is there any evidence that it's actually 今 and not 令 though? I have never seen 今 written like that with 5 strokes before. Is it actually a recognised old form?

Yes it is. Here's an old version that looks identical:

http://www.dingjiatea.com/blog/post/108.html

Here's an entire page showing variants of 今.

http://www.nipic.com/show/3/85/69cc0fb4180edf11.html

Both 166_55 and 166_79 show joined up forms similar to this tattoo.

To be honest I just google-image-searched for "今 書法". I've never seen that before either

But doesn't surprise me that it's valid; you can take serious liberties when writing traditional hanzi joined up (seriously, you should see my Taiwanese doctor's handwriting!)

One year ago I decided I want a watch with NOW instead of the numbers.
In october I made a visit to Tattoo Temple in Hong Kong (btw, they have the only designer in the world who does big brush style kanji tattoos, Joey Pang* < the waitlist is like 18 months now. For my designer - Wang - you need to wait 1-2 months).


Wang said the area is too small for the watch parts and also who knows what kind of watches people will wear in 10-15 years. I liked his idea , old brush kanji.

I live in Macao now and most chinese people recognize the sign as "order" (as a general giving orders). Another said it means today. But the first japanese I asked said "now" and I'm happy about that.

I remember the designer showing 3 signs for my idea, but we had space only for one and we both choosed this.

Cheers

*Joey Pang







Jarvik7, one of my inspirations (E Tolle - Power of now):

"Imagine the Eath devoid of human life, inahbited only by plants and animals.
Would it still have a past and a future? Could we still speak of time in any meaningful way?
The question "What time is it?" or "What's the date today?" - if anybody were there to ask it - would be quite meaningless. The oak tree or the eagle would be bemused by such a question.
"What time?" they would ask, "Well, of course, it's now. The time is now. What else is there?"

Last edited by Gaijinme (2011 December 09, 3:24 am)

Gaijinme wrote:

Jarvik7, one of my inspirations (E Tolle - Power of now):

"Imagine the Eath devoid of human life, inahbited only by plants and animals.
Would it still have a past and a future? Could we still speak of time in any meaningful way?
The question "What time is it?" or "What's the date today?" - if anybody were there to ask it - would be quite meaningless. The oak tree or the eagle would be bemused by such a question.
"What time?" they would ask, "Well, of course, it's now. The time is now. What else is there?"

That is almost worse!

Ignorance of time -> The time is now
Surface awareness of time -> The time is 3:30
Understanding of the illusory nature of time -> There is no time

(Note: I am not actually a believer. I am more of a nihilist than Buddhist.)