Donald Richie

In his book The Japanese Tattoo, writer Donald Richie examines the significance of tattoos in relation to the collective psychology of Japanese society. The author greatly emphasizes the role tattoos play in providing communal identity. While tattoos are usually viewed as symbols of individuality in the West, they often serve in Japan as marks of initiation, candidacy, and membership in a person's chosen group. Although a tattoo solidifies a Japanese man's cultural identity, explains Richie, wearers do ascribe certain mythic and aesthetic qualities to their designs.

THE REASONS FOR BEING TATTOOED ARE AS VARious as are the tattoo designs themselves. Yet, like the designs, the reasons can also be codified. The resultant categories overlap and, to a certain extent, even disagree-and there are doubtless additional reasons not touched on here. In the main, however, those that...