the kintaro and the koi

Sieto working on my back

What does the blog title stands for and why have i chosen it?
Well the it comes from the tattoo i have on my back, which i've chosen as a symbol for my daughter's life connected to mine.
It derives from the legend of the Kintaro who is wrestling the koi.

The popular Japanese legend of Kintaro, based on an actual historical military hero of the tenth century, is symbolically linked with the image of the koi, or Japanese carp, and both are part of the yearly celebration of Boys' Day. 

Even as a child, Kintaro was gifted with enormous strength, managing to subdue a giant koi, another symbol of strength. 

On that day Japanese families fly the koi flag and renew wishes for their child to be like Kintaro ; strong, courageous, but perhaps most of all, persevering.

According to a Japanese legend, if a koi succeeded in climbing the falls at a point called Dragon Gate on the Yellow River, it would be transformed into a dragon. More generally, the Japanese associate the koi with perseverance in adversity and strength of purpose. Because of its strength and determination to overcome obstacles, it stands for courage and the ability to attain high goals.

Instead of the cherry blossom flowers you usually see in Japanese tattoos i chose to have Indigo flowers to symbolize my love for denim, and Japanese denim in particular.
It was designed and done in a traditional Japanese model by Sieto from Yugen tattoo in the Netherlands.