An Introductory Glance At Asian Family Symbols

By Takamitsu Hairi


Family holds a significant place in the culture of Japan even till today. This is one of the reasons why the concept of the Family Crest still remains today. The roots of the concept can however be traced back to the 12th century. In Japan the family symbol goes by the name of Ka-Mon. Ka means family which has its own genealogical trees and Mon represents emblem or crest.

The Europeans also had the convention of adopting family symbols at that time, which was called 'Coat of Arms' . This similarity has been a stimulant for a number of comparative studies between these two symbols.

One thing is for sure, the Japanese family symbol possesses multiple and unique characteristics which are impossible to interpret by giving them generalized explanations.

Mon, the Japanese family symbols are usually found in a round-shaped form, encircling any figures like plants, animals, artificial materials and other natural or extraterrestrial figures. Really there are no specified rules regarding the designing of these symbols.

Kanji script, which is an unavoidable part of Japanese art forms, can be seen in the family symbols also. Religious and geometrical figures also are used to form these symbols. Normally these scripts and figures would be put in an abstracted form.

Despite the absence of written rules for the construction of mon, their name is decided by the figures they include. What makes this naming different the European method of naming is that, these names are only some explanations for the symbols and do not express their inner meanings. Figures that are featured on these symbols eventually become fashion as they began to be known as tradition.

Generally we find that a mon is monochromatic in colour. In truth however the colour does not constitute the design and so there is no such restriction on the use of colour. Although modern usage is unusual you will still find many modern Japanese families to have a mon. It is true that many Japanese people may be unable to identify their own family's mon in today's times.

In case any family requires to identify their mon, there are a number of ways to find it. The temple records keep the details of the ancestral home towns of people and these records can be useful when need arises.

The Japanese family symbols are obtainable for sale at many of the conventional arts and crafts shops around the world. You will find the family symbol to be used in the interior decorations of restaurants as well as on ceramic roof tiles. Many Japanese packed foods also contain the mon.




About the Author: