, also called , , and , are Japanese

emblem An emblem is an abstract art, abstract or representational pictorial image that represents a concept, like a moral truth, or an allegory, or a person, like a monarch or saint. Emblems vs. symbols Although the words ''emblem'' and ''symbol'' ...

s used to decorate and identify an individual, a family, or (more recently) an institution, municipality or business entity. While is an encompassing term that may refer to any such device, and refer specifically to emblems that are used to identify a family. An authoritative reference compiles Japan's 241 general categories of based on structural resemblance (a single may belong to multiple categories), with 5,116 distinct individual . However, it is well acknowledged that there are a number of lost or obscure . Among , the officially used by the family is called . Over time, new have been created, such as , which is unofficially created by an individual, and , which is created by a woman after marriage by modifying part of her original family's , so that by 2023 there will be a total of 20,000 to 25,000 . The devices are similar to the badges and

coats of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic ac ...

in European heraldic tradition, which likewise are used to identify individuals and families. are often referred to as crests in Western literature, the crest being a European heraldic device similar to the in function. Japanese influenced Louis Vuitton's monogram designs through

Japonisme ''Japonisme'' is a French term that refers to the popularity and influence of Japanese art and design among a number of Western European artists in the nineteenth century following the Bakumatsu, forced reopening of foreign trade with Japan in 1 ...

in Europe in the late 1800s.

History

Heiji Monogatari Emaki - Sanjo scroll part 2

originated in the mid-

Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means in Japanese. It is a ...

() as a way to identify individuals and families among the nobility. They had a pecking order, and when passed each other on the road, the one with the lower status had to give way, and the was painted on the . The , an depicting the Heiji rebellion, shows painted on . Gradually, the nobility began to use on their own costumes, and the

samurai The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...

class that emerged in the late Heian period and came to power in the

Kamakura period The is a period of History of Japan, Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the G ...

(1185–1333) also began to use . By the 12th century, sources give a clear indication that heraldry had been implemented as a distinguishing feature, especially for use in battle. It is seen on flags, tents, and equipment. On the battlefield, served as army standards, even though this usage was not universal and uniquely designed army standards were just as common as -based standards (cf. , ). Gradually, spread to the lower classes, and in the

Muromachi period The , also known as the , is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate ( or ), which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi ...

(1336–1573), merchants painted emblems on their shop signs, which became . In the

Edo period The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...

(1603–1867),

kabuki is a classical form of Theatre of Japan, Japanese theatre, mixing dramatic performance with Japanese traditional dance, traditional dance. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily stylised performances, its glamorous, highly decorated costumes ...

actors used , and the general public was allowed to choose and use their favorite . By the Genroku period (1680–1709) in the early Edo period, the use of was fully established among the general public. However, the use of the chrysanthemum used by the imperial family and the

hollyhock ''Alcea'' is a genus of over 80 species of flowering plants in the mallow family Malvaceae, commonly known as the hollyhocks. They are native to Asia and Europe. The single species of hollyhock from the Americas, the Iliamna rivularis, streamban ...

used by the Tokugawa clan (

Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. The Tokugawa shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, ending the civil wars ...

) was prohibited. were also adapted by various organizations, such as merchant and artisan

guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular territory. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradespeople belonging to a professional association. They so ...

s, temples and shrines, theater troupes and even criminal gangs. In an illiterate society, they served as useful symbols for recognition. Japanese traditional formal attire generally displays the of the wearer. Commoners without often used those of their patron or the organization they belonged to. In cases when none of those were available, they sometimes used one of the few which were seen as "vulgar", or invented or adapted whatever they wished, passing it on to their descendants. It was not uncommon for shops, and therefore shop-owners, to develop to identify themselves. Occasionally, patron clans granted the use of their to their retainers as a reward. Similar to the granting of the patron's surnames, this was considered a very high honor. Alternatively, the patron clan may have added elements of its to that of its retainer, or chosen an entirely different for them.

Design

Gourd-Shaped Sake Bottle with Aoi Crests

motifs can be broadly classified into five categories: animals, plants, nature, buildings and vehicles, and tools and patterns, each with its own meaning. The most common animal motifs are the crane and the

turtle Turtles are reptiles of the order (biology), order Testudines, characterized by a special turtle shell, shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Crypt ...

, which, according to tradition, were symbols of longevity and were used to wish the family a long and prosperous life. Plant were symbols of wealth and elegance, so they were often used to wish for the improvement of the family's social status and economic power, and motifs such as

wisteria ''Wisteria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae (Leguminosae). The genus includes four species of woody twining vines that are native to China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, southern Canada, the Eastern United States, and nor ...

and paulownia were often used. depicting buildings, vehicles, or tools often indicated occupation or status. For example, a with a gate indicated a family associated with

Shinto , also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religions, East Asian religion by Religious studies, scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as ...

, a with a wheel indicated nobility, and a with a crowbar indicated a family associated with construction. The of nature was a symbol of respect for nature and prayers for a good harvest, and motifs such as the moon, mountains, and thunder were used. The most commonly used motifs are

, paulownia, hawk feathers, flowering quince, and creeping woodsorrel, which are called the . However, according to a dictionary of published by

Shogakukan is a Japanese publisher of comics, magazines, light novels, dictionaries, literature, non-fiction, home media, and other media in Japan. Shogakukan founded Shueisha, which also founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but ...

, oak is listed instead of paulownia. There are more than 150 types of wisteria , and their use by the

Fujiwara clan The was a powerful family of imperial regents in Japan, descending from the Nakatomi clan and, as legend held, through them their ancestral god Ame-no-Koyane. The Fujiwara prospered since ancient times and dominated the imperial court until th ...

led to their popularization. Similar to the

blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct an accurate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The visual d ...

in European heraldry, are also named by the content of the design, even though there is no set rule for such names. Unlike in European heraldry, however, this "blazon" is not prescriptive—the depiction of a does not follow the name—instead the names only serve to describe the . The pictorial depictions of the are not formalized and small variations of what is supposed to be the same can sometimes be seen, but the designs are for the most part standardized through time and tradition. The degree of variation tolerated differ from to as well. For example, the paulownia crest with 5-7-5 leaves is reserved for the prime minister, whereas paulownia with fewer leaves could be used by anyone. The imperial chrysanthemum also specifies 16 petals, whereas chrysanthemum with fewer petals are used by other lesser imperial family members. Japanese heraldry does not have a cadency or quartering system, but it is not uncommon for cadet branches of a family to choose a slightly different from the senior branch. Each princely family (), for example, uses a modified chrysanthemum crest as their . holders may also combine their with that of their patron, benefactor or spouse, sometimes creating increasingly complicated designs. are essentially monochrome; the color does not constitute part of the design and they may be drawn in any color.

Modern usage

Virtually all modern Japanese families have a , but unlike before the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...

when rigid social divisions existed, play a more specialized role in everyday life. On occasions when the use of a is required, one can try to look up their families in the temple registries of their ancestral hometown or consult one of the many genealogical publications available. Many websites also offer lookup services. Professional wedding planners,

undertaker A funeral director, also known as an undertaker or mortician (American English), is a professional who has licenses in funeral arranging and embalming (or preparation of the deceased) involved in the business of funeral rites. These tasks o ...

s and other "ritual masters" may also offer guidance on finding the proper . are seen widely on stores and shops engaged in traditional crafts and specialties. They are favored by

sushi is a traditional Japanese dish made with , typically seasoned with sugar and salt, and combined with a variety of , such as seafood, vegetables, or meat: raw seafood is the most common, although some may be cooked. While sushi comes in n ...

restaurants, which often incorporate a into their logos. designs can even be seen on the

ceramic A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcela ...

roof tiles of older houses. designs frequently decorate , ,

tofu or bean curd is a food prepared by Coagulation (milk), coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness: ''silken'', ''soft'', ''firm'', and ''extra (or super) firm''. It originated in Chin ...

and other

packaging Packaging is the science, art and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of designing, evaluating, and producing packages. Packaging can be described as a coo ...

for food products to lend them an air of elegance, refinement and tradition. The paulownia appears on the obverse side of the 500 yen coin. Items symbolizing family crafts, arts or professions were often chosen as a ; likewise, were, and still are, also passed down a lineage of artists.

Geisha {{Culture of Japan, Traditions, Geisha {{nihongo, Geisha{{efn, {{IPAc-en, lang, ˈ, ɡ, eɪ, ., ʃ, ə, {{IPA, ja, ɡei.ɕa, ɡeː-, lang{{cite book, script-title=ja:NHK日本語発音アクセント新辞典, publisher=NHK Publishing, editor= ...

typically wear the of their (geisha house) on their clothing when working; individual geisha districts, known as , also have their own distinctive , such as the plover crest () of Ponto-chō in

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

. A woman may still wear her maiden if she wishes and pass it on to her daughters; she does not have to adopt her husband's or father's . Flowers, trees, plants and birds are also common elements of designs. also add formality to a kimono. A kimono may have one, three or five . The themselves can be either formal or informal, depending on the formality of the kimono, with formality ranging from the most formal 'full sun' () crests to the least formal 'shadow' () crests. Very formal kimono display more , frequently in a manner that makes them more conspicuous; the most formal kimono display on both sides of the chest, on the back of each sleeve, and in the middle of the back. On the armor of a warrior, it might be found on the (helmet), on the (breast plate), and on flags and various other places. also adorned coffers, tents, fans and other items of importance. As in the past, modern are not regulated by law, with the exception of the Imperial Chrysanthemum, which doubles as the national emblem, and the paulownia, which is the mon of the office of

prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

and also serves as the emblem of the cabinet and government (see national seals of Japan for further information). Some local governments and associations may use a as their logo or

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a form of intellectual property that consists of a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination that identifies a Good (economics and accounting), product or Service (economics), service f ...

, thus enjoying its traditional protection, but otherwise are not recognized by law. One of the best known examples of a serving as a corporate logo is that of

Mitsubishi The is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries. Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870, the Mitsubishi Group traces its origins to the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, a unified company that existed from 1870 to 194 ...

, a name meaning 'three lozenges' (occasionally translated as 'three buffalo nuts'), which are represented as rhombuses. Another example of corporate use is the logo for the famous

soy sauce Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...

maker Kikkoman, which uses the family of the founder, and finally, the logo of music instrument/equipment and motorcycle builder Yamaha, which shows three tuning forks interlocked into the shape of a capital 'Y' in reference to both their name and the origin of the company.

In Western heraldry

Japanese are sometimes used as charges or crests in Western

heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and genealo ...

. They are blazoned in traditional heraldic style rather than in the Japanese style. Examples include the swastika with arrows used by Japanese ambassador

Hasekura Tsunenaga was a kirishitan Japanese samurai and retainer of Date Masamune, the daimyō of Sendai. He was of Japanese imperial descent with ancestral ties to Emperor Kanmu. Other names include Philip Francis Faxicura, Felipe Francisco Faxicura, and Ph ...

, the Canadian-granted arms of the Japanese-Canadian politician David Tsubouchi, and

Akihito Akihito (born 23 December 1933) is a member of the Imperial House of Japan who reigned as the 125th emperor of Japan from 1989 until 2019 Japanese imperial transition, his abdication in 2019. The era of his rule was named the Heisei era, Hei ...

's arms as a Knight of the Garter.Coat of arms of Heisi Tenno
, numericana

Gallery of representative by theme

Animal motif

File:Tsuru_no_Maru_inverted_A.png, Crane crest of the Mori clan (similar to

Japan Airlines Japan Airlines (JAL) is the flag carrier airline of Japan. JAL is headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport, Narita and Haneda Airport, Haneda airports, as well as secondary hubs in Osaka's Kansai ...

) File:Sanba_Tobi_zuru_inverted.svg, Triple crane crest File:Azai shi.PNG, Flowers in a turtle's shell File:家紋・丸に違い鷹の羽-maruni-chigai-takanoha.gif, , the crossing pair of hawk feathers in circle File:Ageha inverted.png, , the swallowtail butterfly crest of the

Taira clan The was one of the four most important Japanese clans, clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian period, Heian period of History of Japan, Japanese history – the others being the Minamoto clan, Minamoto, the Fujiwara clan, Fuji ...

File:Yatagarasu A.svg, Mythical three-legged crow File:Itsutsu_Chidori_inverted.jpg, Quintuple bird crest File:Kotobuki_Ebi_inverted.png, lobster emblem

Floral motif

File:Sagari Fuji (No background and Black color drawing).svg, (

Wisteria ''Wisteria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae (Leguminosae). The genus includes four species of woody twining vines that are native to China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, southern Canada, the Eastern United States, and nor ...

) File:抱き茗荷-dakimyouga.gif, (Japanese ginger) File:Sasa rindo.svg, , the

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family, in th ...

leaves and

gentian ''Gentiana'' () is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the gentian family ( Gentianaceae), the tribe Gentianeae, and the monophyletic subtribe Gentianinae. With over 300 species, it is considered a large genus. Gentians are notable for thei ...

flowers crest of the

Minamoto clan was a Aristocracy (class), noble surname bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the Imperial House of Japan, imperial family who were excluded from the List of emperors of Japan, line of succession and demoted into the ranks of Nobili ...

File:Sumikiri hana01.svg, File:Tachi omodaka.svg, or upright threeleaf arrowhead ('' sagittaria trifolia'') File:家紋・丸に左三階松-Maruni-hidari-sankaimatsu.gif, Triple pine tree () of the Hira clan, member of Taira clan (Heike) File:3tachibana 001.svg, (triple mandarin orange) File:Family crest hanawachigai.png, , the device of the Izumo Genji clans (Oki, Enya, Takaoka) File:Yotsubishi.svg, , the emblem of the Yanagisawa clan, Matsumoto family of

actors File:Take_ni_Suzume.svg, Sparrows and bamboo () of the Date clan

Nature motifs

File:Yatsuhiashi (No background and Black color drawing).svg, of the Kikuchi clan (eight sun-rays) File:家紋・九曜-kuyo.gif, , representing the sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and two imaginary stars File:Japanese crest Tsuki ni Hoshi(Black background).svg, (moon and star) File:Kokumochiji Nuki Hidari Mitsudomoe.svg, (thunderbolt)

Tool and pattern motif

File:Chigai kuginuki.svg, ( crowbar), the crest of former Prime Minister Tarō Asō File:Suzugohei.gif, (Bells and used in

rituals) File:Japanese Crest rokumonsen.svg, 6 coin crest of

Sanada clan The is a Japanese clan.Edmond Papinot, Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)("Sanada," ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 52 DF 56 of 80/nowiki> retrieved 2013-5-3. The Sana ...

File:Japanese Crest Hinomaru Oogi.svg, -emblazoned

hand fan A handheld fan, or simply hand fan, is a broad, flat surface that is waved back and forth to create an airflow. Generally, purpose-made handheld fans are folding fans, which are shaped like a Circular sector, sector of a circle and made of a thi ...

representing Japan, crest of Satake clan File:Japanese_crest_Tou_Uchiwa.svg,

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...

-style hand fan crest File:Gion Mamori Inverted.svg, shield motif. The motif is an amulet distributed by Yasaka Shrine to worship Gozu Tennō. File:Nakagawake kurusu.svg, (). The official of the Nakagawa clan is the oak, but this is another . It is hypothesized that it is patterned after the Christian cross. File:Mitsu_Zaru_inverted.png, Three cooking pot hooks File:家紋・丸に隅立て四つ目.gif, , circle and four eyelets on the edge of the Uda Genji File:Yamabishi.svg, , the crest of the Yamaguchi-gumi yakuza clan. The motif is based on the

kanji are logographic Chinese characters, adapted from Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script, used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are ...

for . File:Japanese Crest Maru ni Hidari Mannji.svg,

Swastika The swastika (卐 or 卍, ) is a symbol used in various Eurasian religions and cultures, as well as a few Indigenous peoples of Africa, African and Indigenous peoples of the Americas, American cultures. In the Western world, it is widely rec ...

, or manji emblem of the Hachisuka clan File:Japanese Crest mitu Uroko.svg, , or crest of the Hōjō clan

Building and vehicle motifs

File:Japanese crest Torii.svg,

Torii A is a traditional culture of Japan, Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred, and a spot where kami are welcomed and thought to ...

Shinto shrine A Stuart D. B. Picken, 1994. p. xxiii is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more kami, , the deities of the Shinto religion. The Also called the . is where a shrine's patron is or are enshrined.Iwanami Japanese dic ...

File:Japanese_Crest_Gennji_kuruma.svg, wheel motif of Genji clan

References

External links

{{Heraldry by country Japanese heraldry Japanese coats of arms Kabuki Logos Military communication in feudal Japan Symbols Visual motifs Japanese words and phrases