Butterfly (Choho)

Meaning: Joy, Beauty, Happiness

The Japanese perceive the butterfly to be a soul of the living and the dead as a result of the popular belief that spirits of the dead take the form of a butterfly when on their journey to the “other world” and eternal life.

The butterfly is often also used as a symbol of young girls as they spread their wings and emerge into womanhood.

They are also believed to symbolize joy, longevity and in general beauty of course. Additionally, if a design contains two butterflies dancing around each other it is a symbol of marital happiness.

All of these attributes can be applied to a tattoo as well.