Tattoos have been around for thousands of years and many cultures have used them as a form of self-expression. The samurai of Japan were no exception, with tattoos becoming a part of their culture during the 18th century. Traditional samurai tattoos were created to represent the strength, courage and loyalty of the samurai, and are still popular today. So what can traditional samurai tattoos tell us about the samurai of the past, and why have they remained so popular?