Japanese Legends and Japanese Tattoo, Miyamoto Musashi by Kuniyoshi

In Japanese Tattoo, Some people choose their designs based on the values they hold, the qualities they wish to inherit, representing their main strengths, based on heroes or stories, seasons or  date of Birth, which would give them a theme, a guardian god, a letter (Bonji) and a mantra to form the basis of the story that is going to be carved on their skins. Here a little information about Miyamoto Musashi, A key figure in Japanese History.

Miyamoto Musashi (宮本 武蔵?) (c. 1584–June 13 (Japanese calendar: May 19), 1645), also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke, or by his Buddhist name Niten Dōraku, was a Japanese swordsman and samurai famed for his duels and distinctive style. Musashi, as he was often simply known, became renowned through stories of his excellent swordsmanship in numerous duels, even from a very young age. He was the founder of the Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū or Niten-ryū style of swordsmanship and the author of The Book of Five Rings (五輪書 Go Rin No Sho?), a book on strategy, tactics, and philosophy that is still studied today.

After his death, various legends began to appear. Most talk about his feats in kenjutsu and other martial arts, some describing how he was able to hurl men over 5 feet backwards, other about his speed and technique. Other legends tell of how Musashi killed giant lizards in Echizen, as well as Nue in various other provinces. He gained the stature of Kensei, or "sword saint" for his mastery in swordsmanship. Some even believed he could run at super-human speed, walk on air, water and fly through the clouds.

:: Read more on Wikipedia