The cherry blossom is so much more than a flower. For many cultures, it’s a symbol of their heritage. For others, a sign that spring has finally come. Whatever your view may be, there’s no denying the beauty of the cherry blossom and it’s exquisite pink petals.
For those of you looking for a lovely floral tattoo, the cherry blossom should definitely be on your radar.
Over the last year, we’ve scoured the internet high and low—we even sent out a few emails to artists we know who have a certain weakness for cherry blossom tattoos in the hope that they could share some of their favorite finds with us. This is what we came up with.
This watercolor cherry blossom tattoo.
It’s tough to pinpoint exactly what makes Pis Saro’s style so unique and intriguing, but one thing’s for sure; her style is as timeless as it is fascinating. The best way to describe Pis Saro’s work would be to say that it looks “painted.” As in, it’s actually illustrated using acrylic or oil paints instead of ink. Watercolor tattoos mimic the look of watercolor paints but you can always tell they’re tattoos. Pis Saro’s life-like works look as if the slightest touch might undo hours expert brushwork. (Photo: Pis Saro)
This beautiful ankle piece.
Once your mind is set on getting a cherry blossom tattoo, you immediately start to think of how perfect it’s going to turn out and how jealous all of your friends will be. “That’s beautiful!” “OMG it’s perfect!” “Where did you get it done?” These are just a few of the things you’ll undoubtedly hear, right? Well, if you didn’t spend as much time vetting your artist as you did daydreaming about your new tattoo, you could be in for a less than expected outcome. But when things do go as planned, you may just end up with something as beautiful as this elegant and somewhat magical ankle piece by South Korea’s Heejae Jung. (Photo: Heejae Jung)
This sakura tattoo on forearm.
Cherry blossom tattoos come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. But the most popular designs usually fall into three different categories. Those featuring an entire cherry blossom tree. Those comprised of a section of branches with blossoms. And those tattoos of just the blossoms. But one thing that always seems to be missing is the leaves. In this design, the artist chose to include the leaves and give them an interesting bluish green gradient which complements the pink petals perfectly. (Photo: Bonnie Souris)
This soft back shoulder piece.
Besides being absolutely mind-bending in every aspect, this design really stands out for its pink petals that seem to disappear seamlessly into the subject’s skin. The good folks over at Studio Muscat are no stranger to cherry blossom tattoos. In fact, they pump out so many of them you can tell they have a certain fondness for the designs. (Photo: Eiji)
This dainty watercolor design.
Behold, the look of an ever-so-elegant tattoo that knows it deserves some sort of trophy. As you can see, one of the blossoms is absent of color. Whether it was the artist’s intention to leave a single blossom colorless or just an early snap, it looks polished either way. If you’re looking for something super girly that will definitely make all your friends jealous, then a beautiful cluster of lightly colored cherry blossoms is something to consider. (Photo: Fatih Odabas)
This elegant cherry blossom tattoo on ankle.
In the last 20 years, the quality of tattoos has progressed at an astonishing rate despite no major advances in tattoo technology. Yes, we do have vastly superior inks but tattoos are still applied with a single needle, or group of needles as they were many many years ago. Most people attribute the increase in the overall quality of tattoos to tougher competition and trends leaning towards more detailed designs. (Photo: Fatih Odabas)
These stunning pink cherry blossoms.
Leave it up to Anzo Choi to come up with a realistic cherry blossom tattoo that simply takes your breath away. The stunning details, such as the budding blossoms and dynamic wood grains, display Choi’s devotion to detail. While this design looks realistic in every aspect, there’s also a subtle underlying new school touch that all of Choi’s work possesses. (Photo: Anzo)
This gorgeous side piece.
This cherry blossom tattoo looks like something you might find in an oriental painting. The solid pink blossoms gives the piece a unique vibe that sets it apart from the other designs on the list. Leave it up to Hongdam to create a design that breaks the mold in a subtle and mysterious manner. (Photo: Hongdam)
These matching cherry blossom tattoos.
I know exactly what happened here. When she was done getting her first cherry blossom tattoo she thought it would only be fair to her other arm if she got another. Tattoo envy, body parts feel it too. (Photo: Wonseok)
This mesmerizing sakura cover-up tattoo.
This striking watercolor work definitely does its job well: To cover-up a scar or birthmark, I don’t remember which. Whether it’s the pale white skin, the vivid pink and blue inks, or a combination of the two, this piece really pops out at the viewer in an almost three-dimensional manner. (Photo: Koray Karagozler)
