When did Kamon start ?

Kamon is used for family's mark to identify each other.It started heian-era(平安時代794 - 1185) Very old people such Japanese noble put kamon their many items.They put kamon mark on their car that works by cow first. I don't know truth,but it's said origin is Tomoe-mon.

Wow,that's powerful,simple mark.My favorite one.And real wheel kamon existed.It's called  源氏車 genji-kuruma "genji(源氏)" is Japanese old noble family's name.

Eight legs imagines 八正道(hatu-sho-do)(one of Buddhism's ideology).

Buddhism sparkle

This is 七宝紋(shi-ppo-mon).七 is seven,宝 means treasure.This sparkle is treasure's  sparkle.

What is seven treasures ? It is from Buddhism.

1. 金(gold)
2. 銀(silver)
3. 瑠璃(lapis lazuli)
4. 玻璃(quartz)
5. 硨磲(Tridacninae) ... shell
6. 珊瑚(coral)
7. 瑪瑙(agate)

Oh,That's kanji is pretty difficult for me. I don't use usually,Let's check added stars pattern.

This is trinity pattern.

And this additional pattern is 大岡七宝紋(o-oka-shi-po-mon).大岡越前's family crest.He is Japanese drama hero such as 水戸黄門(mito-ko-mon),銭形平次(zeni-gata-heiji).

Incremental mark

Today is "Tomoe".This type has many variations.
What do you look this mark ? I saw snake or chlid of flog.

Splited two !! It looks like "Yin and yang".

And three. I think "Tomoe" represents the power on balance.If one of peaces is lost,left will be broken.They are dependent each other.This is a truth about construction of the world.

Kamon is very simple,but it includes deep meanings.

My family's symbol

This is first time I write about kamon on Web.So I show you my family's symbol mark.This is called "Maru ni nihon-biki"."Maru" means circle,"nihon-biki" says there are two lines.This design is so simple and easy to memorize.I like it !!



"Kamon" is can be seen Japanese family event,or Japanese historical book.Wedding party,funeral,festival ... we stech "Kamon" on cloth,artifact,nameplate and we identify family groups.

I'll show you sometihng about "Kamon" on this blog from now.Have fun !!