JAPANESE TATTOO CULTURE

So there I am at Nice airport, feeling like I've just stepped out of an action movie. My flight to Munich has been delayed for several hours and I'm more stressed than one of the giant seagulls that have found a human to throw them crumbs of bread. All on the food! But this feeling must be me. In reality, it's pretty chilled out here at Nice airport: most people seem to be preparing for their appearance in Cannes or Saint-Tropez, with exalted dresses, broad grins and lots of bare skin everywhere. That's how I felt when I arrived a week ago. But now it's my return flight and I'm not relaxed. A couple next to me are gazing into each other's eyes and enjoying croissants as if they were in a romantic Parisian café. I, on the other hand, am walking around the airport. I come across a group of travelers trying out yoga poses, as if the airport were the ideal setting for relaxation. I join the group, but almost sprain my leg in an attempt to touch my toes. Obviously I'm not cut out for this Zen stuff. Or am I? On Maps I see that the Museum of Asian Art is located at the airport, a few hundred meters away. Wouldn't a little bit of Asia do me good, at least an Asia without the contortions? Yes, it's like a little excursion without leaving the airport. So I venture into the museum, ready to immerse myself in the world of Far Eastern art.

As soon as I enter the museum, I feel like a tourist in Tokyo. I see works of art everywhere, traditional clothing and, surprise surprise, a special exhibition on Japanese tattoos! Yes, you heard right, tattoos - and in a museum! For the roving reporter from Tattoo Anansi Munich, it's like a gift from the immersive heavens in Nice.I take a look at the exhibition and learn that tattoos have a long tradition in Japan. Hypotheses assume a prehistoric origin of Japanese tattooing, recognizing body ornaments in markings found on terracotta statuettes from the end of the Jōmon period (ca. 13,000-400 BC). The oldest textual source that mentions ornamental tattoos in Japan dates back to the 2nd half of the 3rd century and comes from China. The chronicles of the Wei dynasty actually contain a chapter on the "barbarians of the East", in which decorations on the faces and bodies of the Wa people, i.e. the Japanese, are mentioned - so much for international understanding. A few hours later, on the plane to Munich, I read in the newspaper that the Chinese government is considering banning tattoos and inappropriate clothing. Not funny at all! The Chinese officials would benefit from a trip to Saint-Tropez, where joie de vivre is visible everywhere on the body. In the colorful exhibition, I realize once again how much art, body and joie de vivre have to do with each other, and how important this is for people's happiness. That tattoos are always a sign of happiness and freedom for each individual and oppressed groups! As a pillar of silent protest, the body becomes an expression of strength and courage for ordinary people. This social phenomenon then became part of the culture of Japanese tattoos. This also applies to female power: Japanese women had the custom of having other women tattoo the outlines of their lips or eyebrows, as well as the forearms and backs of their hands. This ancient tattoo style has a geometric aesthetic, and includes complex pattern combinations, especially on the female hands, and the art, precision and stories behind the tattoos are fascinating. Now I definitely want an authentic Japanese tattoo.As I stroll through the exhibition, I have to laugh at my previous self, sitting at Nice airport, fretting about being late.Eventually I return to the airport, still grinning about my unexpected cultural journey. And maybe the cherry blossom tree in the painting had a little smile in the wind when it heard that my flight to Munich could leave in fifteen minutes. Sometimes even a delay brings something good - like an unexpected trip into the world of cherry blossoms, kimonos and tattoos.

Text: Julian BachmannGraphics: Jonas Bachmann