The Japanese look at the koi's struggle to swim up-river as a symbol of energy and triumph over struggle. A Japanese koi may be tattooed swimming upstream with a turbulent water background to represent the courage to overcome adversity. This colorful tattoo is meant to inspire and remind the wearer of persistence in the face of obstacles.
Personalize this tattoo by incorporating symbols that relate to your own struggles. Incorporate related imagery into the curls and curves of the flowing water in the background or into the fin design of the fish. For example, if you are fighting against health problems, ask the artist to use images that relate to your particular condition in the water background of the tattoo.
The Chinese relationship to the koi fish centers on a myth that if a carp can swim up the "Dragon Gate" along the Yellow River, he will be transformed into a dragon. The koi swimming against the rushing waters can be a symbol of reaching out to achieve goals, living one's dreams and overall good fortune.
A Chinese koi tattoo can be inked to show a lively and colorful koi swimming up a rushing waterfall. To tie in the dragon myth, give the Koi a dragon head and a fish body to represent the achievement of your dreams or to mark the achievement of a goal.
The Buddhist interpret the koi as a symbol of fearlessness and courage as it is known for its fight for survival and territory. You can make a koi tattoo more reflective of the Buddhist belief system by incorporating lotus flowers into the background to represent spirituality and survival. Create a larger tattoo using an aerial view of three koi fish swimming in water with lotus flowers to symbolize eternity, spirituality and love.
Koi tattoos can be done in nearly any color, but some colors have more significance and lend themselves to a more symbolic tattoo. Koi fish represent family, as well, and different colors correspond to each family member. Represent your whole family in your tattoo by having the appropriate color of koi inked together in the design, or use a designated color to represent a family member for a memorial tattoo.