A compendium of mon (crests) and other forms of Japanese heraldry, focusing on early Edo and pre-Edo Japan. See also Fireflies Sing, my more general Feudal Japan blog.
Contents
- Animal: Bird (Crane), Bird (Dove), Bird (Goose), Bird (Phoenix), Bird (Sparrow), Bird (Other), Butterfly, Shell, Other
- Arrangement: Between, Charged With, Charged With (Repeatedly), Crossed, Emerging, Eyes, Facing, Grid, In Annulo (Facing), In Annulo (Radial), In Annulo (Wings), In Annulo (Other), In Fess (Different), In Fess (Same), In Pale (Different), In Pale (Enclosed), In Pale (Same), In Pale (With Bars), One-and-Two, One-and-Two (Different Charges), Overlapping, Radial, Stars, Other
- Character: Auspicious, Great, Mountain, Number (One), Number (Two), Number (Three), Number (Other), Text, Well, Other
- Color: Black on Blue, Black on Red, Black on White, Black on Yellow, Blue on White, Blue on Yellow, Multicolor (On Banner), Multicolor (On Clothing), Multicolor (Other), Red on White, White on Black, White on Blue, White on Red, Yellow on Black, Yellow on Red, Yellow on White
- Enclosure: Bell, Melon, Ring (Plain, Around Single), Ring (Plain, Around Multiple), Ring (Plant), Ring (Plants Emerging), Ring (Other Emerging), Seven Treasures, Tongs, Turtle Shell, Other Geometric, Other
- Feather: Arrow, Hawk's
- Geometric: Bars (One, Thick), Bars (One, Thin), Bars (One, Thin Enclosed), Bars (Two Horizontal), Bars (Two Vertical), Bars (Three), Bars (Many), Circle (Single Plain), Circle (Two Plain), Circle (Three Plain), Circle (Many Plain), Circle (Shadowed), Circle (With Bars), Circle (Other), Rhombus (Stacked), Rhombus (Other), Square (Plain), Square (Shadowed), Square (Stones), Suhama, Other
- Half Charge
- Landscape: Cloud, Moon (Crescent), Moon (Full), Mountain, Water, Other
- Object: Bit, Blade, Coin, Fan (Folding), Fan (Uchiwa), Fan (Other), Hat, Knot, Ladder, Tool, Wellframe, Other
- Plant: Apricot Leaf, Bamboo, Bellflower, Chrysanthemum (16), Chrysanthemum (Other), Flower Square, Flower Square (In Melon), Flower Square (In Seven Treasures), Flower Square (Other Enclosure), Gentian, Ginger, Gingko, Gourd, Holly Olive, Hollyhock, Ivy, Melon, Mistletoe, Mulberry, Nadeshiko, Oak, Paulownia, Peony, Pine, Plum, Sharp Flower, Simple Flower, Tachibana, Wisteria, Wood Sorrel, Other Flower, Other Leaf
- Religious: Cross, Shrine Gate, Swastika, Tomoe (Left Three), Tomoe (Right Three), Other
- Three-Dimensional: Fukinuki, Helmet, Hoop, Horo, Object
- Uncharged
- Wheel
By Category
Animal: Bird (Crane)
Animal: Bird (Dove)
Animal: Bird (Goose)
Animal: Bird (Phoenix)
Animal: Bird (Sparrow)
Animal: Bird (Other)
Animal: Butterfly
Animal: Shell
Animal: Other
Arrangement: Between
Arrangement: Charged With
Arrangement: Charged With (Repeatedly)
Arrangement: Crossed
Arrangement: Emerging
See also: Enclosure: Ring (Plants Emerging), Enclosure: Ring (Other Emerging)
Arrangement: Eyes
Arrangement: Facing
See also: Arrangement: In Annulo (Facing)
Arrangement: Grid
Arrangement: In Annulo (Facing)
Arrangement: In Annulo (Radial)
Arrangement: In Annulo (Wings)
Arrangement: In Annulo (Other)
See also: Enclosure: Ring (Plant)
Arrangement: In Fess (Different)
Arrangement: In Fess (Same)
Arrangement: In Pale (Different)
Arrangement: In Pale (Enclosed)
Arrangement: In Pale (Same)
Arrangement: In Pale (With Bars)
Arrangement: One-and-Two
Arrangement: One-and-Two (Different Charges)
Arrangement: Overlapping
Arrangement: Radial
See also: Arrangement: In Annulo (Radial)
Arrangement: Stars
Arrangement: Other
Character: Auspicious
Character: Great
"Dai" (大) can mean "big" or "great".
Character: Mountain
See also: Landscape: Mountain
Character: Number (One)
See also: Geometric: Bars (One)
Character: Number (Two)
See also: Geometric: Bars (Two)
Character: Number (Three)
See also: Geometric: Bars (Three)
Character: Number (Other)
Character: Text
Character: Well
See also: Object: Wellframe
Character: Other
Color: Black on Blue
Blue and green are traditionally considered the same color in Japanese.
Color: Black on Red
Color: Black on White
Color: Black on Yellow
Color: Blue on White
Color: Blue on Yellow
Color: Multicolor (On Clothing)
Color: Multicolor (Other)
Color: Red on White
Color: White on Black
Color: White on Blue
Color: White on Red
Color: Yellow on Black
I am not here distinguishing yellow from gold, though they may have been distingished in period.
Color: Yellow on Red
Color: Yellow on White
Enclosure: Bell
Enclosure: Melon
Enclosure: Ring (Plain, Around Single)
See also: Geometric: Circle (Shadowed)
Enclosure: Ring (Plain, Around Multiple)
Enclosure: Ring (Plant)
Enclosure: Ring (Plants Emerging)
Enclosure: Ring (Other Emerging)
Enclosure: Seven Treasures
Enclosure: Tongs
Enclosure: Turtle Shell
Enclosure: Other Geometric
Enclosure: Other
Feather: Arrow
Feather: Hawk's
Geometric: Bars (One, Thick)
Geometric: Bars (One, Thin)
Geometric: Bars (One, Thin Enclosed)
Geometric: Bars (Two Horizontal)
Geometric: Bars (Two Vertical)
Geometric: Bars (Three)
See also: Character: Number (Three)
Geometric: Bars (Many)
Geometric: Circle (Single Plain)
Geometric: Circle (Two Plain)
Geometric: Circle (Three Plain)
Geometric: Circle (Many Plain)
See also: Plant: Plum
Geometric: Circle (Shadowed)
See also: Enclosure: Ring
Geometric: Circle (With Bars)
Geometric: Circle (Other)
Geometric: Rhombus (Stacked)
Geometric: Rhombus (Other)
Geometric: Square (Plain)
Geometric: Square (Shadowed)
Geometric: Square (Stones)
Geometric: Suhama
Geometric: Other
Half Charge
Landscape: Cloud
Landscape: Moon (Crescent)
Landscape: Moon (Full)
Landscape: Mountain
See also: Character: Mountain
Landscape: Water
Landscape: Other
Object: Bit
Object: Blade
See also: Plant: Wood Sorrel
Object: Coin
Object: Fan (Folding)
Object: Fan (Uchiwa)
Object: Fan (Other)
Object: Hat
Object: Knot
Object: Ladder
Object: Tool
Object: Wellframe
See also: Character: Well
Object: Other
Plant: Apricot Leaf
See also: Plant: Ginger
Plant: Bamboo
Plant: Bellflower
Plant: Chrysanthemum (16)
Plant: Chrysanthemum (Other)
Plant: Flower Square
Modern sources distinguish flower squares from flower rhombuses based on proportions; however, the distinction is not always clear in period sources.
See also: Plant: Simple Flower, Plant: Sharp Flower
Plant: Flower Square (In Melon)
Plant: Flower Square (In Seven Treasures)
Plant: Flower Square (Other Enclosure)
Plant: Gentian
Plant: Ginger
See also: Plant: Apricot Leaf
Plant: Gingko
Plant: Gourd
Plant: Holly Olive
Plant: Hollyhock
Plant: Ivy
Plant: Melon
Plant: Mistletoe
Plant: Mulberry
Plant: Nadeshiko
A nadeshiko is a delicate pink carnation, Dianthus superbus.
Plant: Oak
Plant: Paulownia
Plant: Peony
Plant: Pine
Plant: Plum
Plant: Sharp Flower
See also: Plant: Flower Square
Plant: Simple Flower
May be a simplified variation of Flower Square.
Plant: Tachibana
Tachibana is an inedible green citrus plant.