Thursday, December 15, 2011

Japanese Family Crests

Kamon are Japanese emblems or crests, corresponding to the European heraldy tradition, and are used to specifically represent and identify a family.

They are a subset of the larger body of motifs (called mon) that are symbols of temples, clans, guilds and similar groups of people. Mon first appeared by the 12th century as patterns on flags and uniforms in battles, but their wider use followed the vagaries of class and social custom.

The quartets of kamon below were selected and spliced together from the symbol categories: animal, plant, flower, furnishing, martialism, natural and pattern crests. {I think there is some crossover}



tori, maihouou, maitsuru, houou (animal - kamon)
[animal crest] chicken, phoenix, crane, phoenix



kawarichohanagata, kame, rindokacho, usagi (animal - kamon)
[animal crest] butterfly, tortoise, bamboo grass, rabbit



tokugawaaoi, itsutsuwarabi, ipponsugi, marunimitsuicho (plant - kamon)
[plant crest] hollyhock, bracken, cryptomeria, Oxalis corymbosa



hitofusabudo, inenomaru, shuro, ichoedamaru (plant - kamon)
[plant crest] grape, rice, date palm, ginkgo



edafuji, hidarimitshufujitomoe, kawaridakibotan, ikarizakura (flower - kamon)
[flower crest] wisteria, wisteria, tree peony, anchor



itsutsunenji, hasu, kudarifuji, jurokugiku (flower - kamon)
[flower crest] Morning glory, goldthread, wisteria, chrysanthemum



kagi, marunifutatsuami, haboki, choban (furnishing - kamon)
[furnishing crest] key, gin trap, broom, alarm plate



tsuchi, fukuro, kinutemari, gionmamori (furnishing - kamon)
[furnishing crest] wooden hammer, bag, temari ball, amulet



marunichigaiya, mitsunawatsukiikari, marunimitsuougi, rinpo (martialism - kamon)
[martialism crest] arrow, anchor, fan, gem



nanatsuyaguruma, onikabuto, ikari, happonyaguruma (martialism - kamon)
[martialism crest] arrow, samurai warrior helmet, anchor, arrow



tsukinikumo, sumitatesayagatainazuma, asahiko, naminitsubame (natural - kamon)
[natural crest] cloud & moon, arrows of lightning, sun, wave



kurodadukinimizu, inazuma, hoshishippo, nami (natural - kamon)
[natural crest] water & moon, arrows of lightning, gem, wave



hidarimitsudomoe, manji, shipponihanabishi, marunikikkonihabnabishi (pattern - kamon)
[pattern crest] comma-shaped, swastika, gem, fusil



kikko, gourinikutsuwa, marunisujikai, sumitateyotsume (pattern - kamon)
[pattern crest] tortoise-shell, Japanese quince, crossed stick, meyui pattern


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