If its what Chris Nunez has (The first link wouldn’t load), its bunga teruong or Borneo rose, it comes from the Iban tribe native to Borneo.

Traditionally they protect the wearer from evil spirits and it is absolutely essential that one should be done in pairs, you should NEVER have just one because it protects either side of the body. They do not necessarily have to be placed on the shoulders but can be on the buttocks, chest, etc.

I remember reading on another site a chap from Borneo who was quickly offended by westerners getting this as a tattoo without appreciating the meaning and symbolism behind it but there is a lot of information which is easily accessible if you google it.

When you say japanese are you referring to Kanji symbols? I have a translation of life and lesson with my tattoo and so i have the kanji symbol for life as a tattoo.

The way the japanese use kanji symbols differs from english as they are used as building blocks
for instance, sei as a singular kanji means both life or birth however if it is used with the kanji sen which means ahead, its meaning changes, it becomes ahead and life ie. teacher, sensei.

the same kanji symbol can be used in numerous combinations and so its meaning changes so you have to do the research before comitting to it as a tattoo.

the kanji i think you want is sei (life) which looks like this… http://learnkanji.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/life-sei.gif