Hajichi

Hajichi are traditional tattoos worn on the hands of Ryukyuan (mainly Okinawan) women.[1][2]

Tattoo-marks on the hands of a Ryukyuan woman

History

The custom was first recorded in the 16th century but is believed to date back much further. The tattoos were associated with rites of passage for women and could indicate her marital status. The motifs and shapes varied from island to island. Among some peoples it was believed that women who lacked hachiji would risk suffering in the afterlife.[3]

After annexation

The tattoos were banned by the Meiji government in the 1899, but the practice continued for many years.[4] The ban was mainly to crack down on independent Ryukyuan culture and because it was deemed "primitive" by Japanese Yamato people.[5] American servicemen during World War II were taught that many Okinawan women and mainland Japanese women could be distinguished due to the tattoos. Nonetheless the practise became less and less common over time and by the 1950s most young women rejected to have the traditional tattoos.[6] In 2020, an exhibition featuring pictures taken of hajichi was organized in Japan.[7]

  • Hajichi from Okinawa
  • Two types of Hajichi

See also

References
  1. "Exhibition traces history of Okinawa tattoo tradition that became a mark of shame". The Japan Times. September 20, 2019.
  2. "Hajichi: The Powerful Female Tattooing Tradition of the Ryukyus – KANASA". www.kanasa.co.uk.
  3. ""Irezumi": The Japanese Tattoo Unveiled". nippon.com. January 30, 2017.
  4. "Photos show in prewar Okinawa, women earned for their families". The Asahi Shimbun.
  5. Shimabukuro, Mira (February 18, 2020). "Okinawan Princess reclaims the power of a forbidden cultural practice in Okinawan culture".
  6. McClellan, Lex (March 1, 2016). "Before the Tattoo Taboo". Medium. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  7. "The "Hajichi" photo exhibit in Tokyo memorializes forgotten traditional custom of tattooing among women in Okinawa".
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