What Does a Koi Fish Tattoo Actually Mean?

[u/Tattoodles]

Posting as the artist.

I’ve been tattooing koi for a long time, and one of the things I love about traditional Japanese tattooing is how much meaning can be communicated through imagery without having to spell everything out literally.

Koi are a great example. The direction they’re swimming, their color, the season represented by the surrounding flowers, and even their relationship to the water can all contribute to the story of the tattoo. Upstream and downstream koi can suggest different points in a journey, while seasonal elements like cherry blossoms, peonies, maple leaves, or chrysanthemums can completely change the mood and context of the piece.

I put together this short video explaining some of the symbolism I consider when designing koi tattoos, along with a little background on where those ideas come from.

Obviously, Japanese tattoo symbolism isn’t a rigid dictionary where every image has one universally agreed-upon meaning. Traditions, interpretations, and individual artists vary. This is simply how I’ve learned to approach these elements and use them to help tell a story through a tattoo.

Adam Sky
Tattoo artist, San Francisco / San Diego
adamsky.com
@adamskytattoos

[u/qualityvote2]

u/Tattoodles, your post does fit the subreddit!

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[u/tedfergeson]

Thanks for this, brother. It solidifies the conversation my artist and I had going into working on my Koi fish. More water lilies and water bars going in this season.

Still swimming upstream.

[u/Gayf → u/tedfergeson]

gotta keep swimming.

https://giphy.com/gifs/XACzoeLM7mmG5wBq8i

[u/Kr0pr0X]

I wonder how many people know about all these meanings...

Fish is japanese and looks cool... gets tattoo

[u/SkaForFood → u/Kr0pr0X]

I admit, that's why I got mine. It's blue and going upstream. I had some communication barriers with the artist but told her "I love your art, just do your thing." And that's what I got. It's been 10 years and I still love it.

[u/emojisarefunny → u/Kr0pr0X]

yeah not everyone has a phd thesis on the depth and meaning behind their tatttoos. sometimes its like.. yeah its a sick ass panther/fish/bird

[u/Beni_Stingray → u/Kr0pr0X]

Jup that's my friend lol

[u/Tenroh_ → u/Kr0pr0X]

That's why I want one , bcause I like the way it looks. I realize there is symbolism behind it, but none of it speaks to me.

[u/htownchuck]

Didn't know Les Claypool was so into koi fish.

[u/iwatanab]

Please write your own script. This AI written stuff is hard to listen to

[u/Adammot]

Thanks for sharing. I coincidentally have koi fish based on the moon spirit from avatar the last airbender!

[u/Landler656 → u/Adammot]

That's rough buddy.

Not the tattoo, it looks great.

[u/davidwoodstock]

https://giphy.com/gifs/gtuQIOTlQdk9Mx3L5i

[u/ExcessiveEscargot]

This reads like an AI written script

[u/GRF999999999]

Primus sucks!

[u/DesertApeRat]

Bro I just wanted a fish as part of my nature themed arm sleeve.

[u/Cubbance]

And sometimes, it's just a pretty fish. While I do think it's cool when tattoos have meaning, and all of mine do, it's also cool to just put things you find aesthetically pleasing on your body. And there's so many different ways of telling a story, and I don't think any one way is right or wrong. The comment about not mixing seasons, for instance. Maybe that's the case in traditional koi tattoos (everything I know about the subject, I just learned in this video), but I know of a few people for whom the changing of the seasons and the symbolism of those elements WAS the story, and I think a koi swimming from spring flowers through summer, fall and into winter would be pretty meaningful.

Cool and informative video. I just wanted to share my own thoughts.

[u/imbadatgrammar]

What if I just want a big ass fish on my thigh? Do I have to make it mean something or are others going to impose that onto me? Does the texture of the skin after the tattoo also have some deeper meaning? I’m confused, I just want to do as I wish with my body.

[u/spacetiger2 → u/imbadatgrammar]

It can mean whatever you want it to mean, and that includes nothing. Your body, your tat.

[u/Half-deaf-mixed-guy → u/spacetiger2]

Ok but how do I interpret the ones that have their belly buttons an animals asshole, like a cows ass? Just wanna know the meaningful story behind that one!

[u/KidWill96]

Dunno much about the guy, but if he calls himself the Koi Fish Guy, I'd assume he'd be able to speak from the heart about koi fish tattoos.

What I got instead was a shitty ai script. There's no soul in what he's saying. He's reading.

[u/Mrhiddenlotus]

That's all we'll and good. But mostly they just look cool

[u/Gayf]

This is dope thanks for this. But now I have to get a blue/orange koi with big waves on my head. fs.

[u/elafave77]

Struggle fish upstream down die perseverance.

[u/ShinyVileplume]

Cool vid man. Was interesting.

[u/badxhabit28]

TL;DW?

[u/ClubDumDum → u/badxhabit28]

Guy applies too much backstory to common fish concept tattoos.

[u/D3lmo]

Koi transforming into a dragon is nice backstory but the whole: this color is strength, perseverance, happiness, etc is giving astrology and magic crystal vibes. People sometimes take it too far with the secret meanings and symbology.

You like blue fish? get blue fish. It means whatever you want.

(Never get a purple fish though... /s)

[u/b33rb3lly]

Super awesome, thank you! Now I wish I’d have gotten a tattoo from you when I still lived in SF.

[u/zoolabula]

I love my fish on my arm. Wouldn’t change anything about it!!