Mon (emblem)
Mon (紋), also called monshō (紋章), mondokoro (紋所), and kamon (家紋), are Japanese emblems used to decorate and identify an individual, a family, or (more recently) an institution, municipality or business entity.
[3] The devices are similar to the badges and coats of arms in European heraldic tradition, which likewise are used to identify individuals and families.
Japanese mon influenced Louis Vuitton's monogram designs through Japonisme in Europe in the late 1800s.
[3][7] By the 12th century, sources give a clear indication that heraldry had been implemented as a distinguishing feature, especially for use in battle.
[3][7] Mon were also adapted by various organizations, such as merchant and artisan guilds, temples and shrines, theater troupes and even criminal gangs.
Mon 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, which, according to tradition, were symbols of longevity and were used to wish the family a long and prosperous life.
Plant mon 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 and paulownia were often used.
On occasions when the use of a mon 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.
Professional wedding planners, undertakers and other "ritual masters" may also offer guidance on finding the proper mon.
Mon designs frequently decorate senbei, sake, tofu and other packaging for food products to lend them an air of elegance, refinement and tradition.
On the armor of a warrior, it might be found on the kabuto (helmet), on the do (breast plate), and on flags and various other places.
As in the past, modern mon 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 and also serves as the emblem of the cabinet and government (see national seals of Japan for further information).
One of the best known examples of a mon serving as a corporate logo is that of Mitsubishi, a name meaning 'three lozenges' (occasionally translated as 'three buffalo nuts'), which are represented as rhombuses.
[10] Another example of corporate use is the logo for the famous soy sauce maker Kikkoman, which uses the family mon of the founder,[11] 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.
