The samurai found a very close connection religiously to the cherry blossom tattoo because it represented the transiency of life. Life was beautiful, quick and fleeting. Therefore they felt that you must live every day to the fullest and without regrets.This has lead to a wonderfully symbolically charged tattoo that is sort of the Japanese equivalent of the Latin phrase Carpe Diem.
Another very common and yet beautiful tattoo theme are cherry blossoms. These are beautiful flowers that mark the beginning of a new year for the Japanese. The cherry blossom has played a very important and symbolic role for the Japanese psyche.