The ronin samurai warrior is a romanticized tattoo subject, often portrayed as the Japanese equivalent of Clint Eastwood.

Ronin were masterless samurai either disenfranchised by the death of their master or through their leader’s loss of favor and privilege. In the rigid class system of feudal Japan, most Samurai lords who lost honor for their houses committed seppuku (ritual suicide).

Those unwanted samurai left behind, unable or unwilling to serve a new master, took their katana on the road to eke out a living as mercenaries, or swaggered about as vagabonds and bullies.

The following 85 tattoo ideas show off an awesome array of ronin tattoo designs and concepts, while toward the end of the gallery there’s some useful FAQ questions about samurai which can help you decide on a theme for a new tattoo.

1. Black and Gray Ronin Ink

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2. Ronin Arm Tattoo Art

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Source: @taras.prystupa_tattoo via Instagram

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4. Ronin Back Tattoo Ideas

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5. Full Sleeve Ink

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