The Edo period was between 1603 and 1868. Edo, current day Tokyo, was an emerging new culture of bourgeoisie indulgence. “The solitary, contemplative world of aristocratic culture gave way in Edo to the gregarious, hilarious, colour craving of the young, brash, middle class (Turk 1966:43).” Part of Edo’s culture was the Yoshiwara, otherwise known as the floating world. The Yoshiwara held the same status as current day Las Vegas. Prostitution was legal. Actions weren’t closely monitored. Idle samuri, newly rich merchants, actors, artists, and some of the dangerous ronin (samuri without an overlord), all frequented its brothels, tea houses and streets (Turk : 1966: 135). This place of extravagance also lent its

Other working class people had tattoo designs based on folklore. Popular images consisted of dragons, snakes and Chinese snow lions (Shimada 1998: 1). “The artists who carries out the tattooing tended to be ukiyo-e woodblock carvers who simple exchanged their wood carving blades for long sharp needles (Shimada 1998:1)”

The Edo government modeled itself on Confucian doctrines. Confucianism was not in favor of tattoo. The Confucian doctrine of Kung fu-tze reads, “Body hair and skin we have received from our father and mother, not to injure them is the beginning of filial piety. To preserve ones body is to revere god.”

Full body tattoos were not the mainstream, nor do they continue to be in Japan. Rather, they part of a small subculture rich in tradition. Tattoos were not encouraged by the religion, philosophy, or the government of Edo. In 1720 tattoo was used as a punishment for criminals. (This was the same year the firefighting brigades started.) In 1870 it was abolished leaving tattoos with a negative connotation of criminals. Ordinary citizens must have been hesitant around those who were tattooed, just as an encounter with a criminal wearing a house arrest cuff might spark extra caution today.

Different types of tattoos develop

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