Kihō's Japanese Heraldry Database
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 Banner)
    
    
    
    
  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: 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.
    
  Plant: Wisteria
    
    
    
  Plant: Wood Sorrel
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
  Plant: Other Flower
    
    
    
    
    
  Plant: Other Leaf
    
    
  Religious: Cross
    
    
  Religious: Shrine Gate
    
    
  Religious: Swastika
    
    
    
  
  
  Religious: Tomoe (Left Three)
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
  Religious: Tomoe (Right Three)
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
  Religious: Other
    
    
  Three-Dimensional: Fukinuki
    
  Three-Dimensional: Helmet
    
    
  Three-Dimensional: Hoop
    
  Three-Dimensional: Horo
    
  Three-Dimensional: Object
    
  Uncharged
    
    
  Wheel
    
    
    
    
Mon images are in the Public Domain. Other
content hereby
released into the Public Domain.