Japanese Chrysanthemum Designs for Traditional Tattoo Work
Kiku is a digital tattoo flash book featuring original chrysanthemum tattoo designs, created as working tattoo flash.
Each piece is a focused and intricate interpretation of the chrysanthemum, drawn to function as a structural element within larger tattoo compositions.
This book is dedicated to one of the most important floral motifs in Japanese tattoo tradition.
Chrysanthemum Tattoo Meaning in Japanese Tradition
In Japanese culture, the chrysanthemum, or kiku, symbolizes longevity, resilience, balance, and quiet strength. Unlike flowers associated with fragility, the chrysanthemum blooms late and endures colder seasons, making it a powerful metaphor for perseverance.
Within tattoo composition, chrysanthemum tattoos serve both symbolic and structural roles. Their layered petals create rhythm, density, and visual grounding, allowing them to support main subjects such as animals, masks, or mythological figures.
Tattoo Flash as a Compositional Element
All designs in Kiku were created as traditional tattoo flash, not decorative floral studies. Each plate is built with clarity, repetition, and flow in mind.
The chrysanthemum designs in this book can be used:
- as standalone floral tattoos
- as background and filler elements
- as compositional anchors in sleeves and backpieces
Every design maintains strong readability while allowing flexibility for scaling and adaptation.
Chrysanthemum Tattoo Designs for Sleeves and Large-Scale Work
Because of their structure and symmetry, chrysanthemum motifs integrate naturally into large-scale tattoo projects. They help unify complex compositions while maintaining visual calm and balance.
Kiku is intended for tattoo artists, collectors, and clients who value traditional Japanese structure, subtle symbolism, and designs that support long-term tattoo planning rather than isolated imagery.

This book functions as a reference archive and a practical resource for building cohesive Japanese-style tattoo compositions.
