Bold, visual, profound, symbolic: Japanese kanji characters communicate powerful graphic messages that look great on skin, walls, stationery, T-shirts, and more Here are dozens of edgy, targeted characters hand-picked to help you find the inner you and express yourself in a distinctive stylish way. With cultural clues, readings, font varieties, and ideas for proper use. Don’t embarrass yourself with bad ink!

Shogo Oketani is an editor and author in Tokyo, Japan, and a long-time student of Japanese martial arts, philosophy, poetry, and history.

Leza Lowitz is the author of twenty books of fiction and poetry and is owner/teacher at Sun and Moon yoga studio in Tokyo, Japan.