Tattoo-marks on the hands of Loo Chooan Women

are traditional

tattoo A tattoo is a form of body modification made by inserting tattoo ink, dyes, and/or pigments, either indelible or temporary, into the dermis layer of the skin to form a design. Tattoo artists create these designs using several tattooing proc ...

s worn on the hands of Ryukyuan (mainly Okinawan) women.

History

The custom was first recorded in the 16th century but is believed to date back much further. The tattoos could represent pride in being a woman, beauty, and protection. They were associated with rites of passage for women and could indicate marital status. The motifs and shapes varied from island to island. Among some peoples it was believed that women who lacked ''hajichi'' would risk suffering in the afterlife.

After annexation

The tattoos were banned by the

Meiji government The was the government that was formed by politicians of the Satsuma Domain and Chōshū Domain in the 1860s. The Meiji government was the early government of the Empire of Japan. Politicians of the Meiji government were known as the Meiji ...

in 1899, but the practice continued for many years. The ban was mainly to crack down on independent Ryukyuan culture because it was deemed "primitive" by ethnic Yamato people. American servicemen during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

were taught that one could distinguish between some Okinawan women and mainland Japanese women through ''hajichi''. Nonetheless the practise became less and less common over time and by the 1950s most young women in Okinawa rejected getting the traditional tattoos. By the early 21st century, tattoos were stigmatized in Japanese culture, and many Japanese associated them with the

Yakuza , also known as , are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police and media, by request of the police, call them , while the ''yakuza'' call themselves . The English equivalent for the ter ...

. However, there was a movement to revive the practice as a symbol of female empowerment and of their Ryukyuan cultural heritage. Some people, concerned about the professional ramifications of permanent tattoos on their hands, turned to temporary Hajichi made using fruit-based inks. However, some traditionalists object to these practices. In 2020, an exhibition featuring pictures taken of hajichi was organized in Japan.

Techniques

Traditional techniques included hand-poking the skin with bamboo needles.

Gallery

References

External links