Japanese
■ Noriko Oki [ KAMON Designer ]■ Hayamamachi Miuragun Kanagawa-ken, Japan ■ Started "KAMON" design in 2004 ■ Conpany logos and graphic designs in the form of "KAMON". |
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■About "KAMON" Do you know what the "KAMON" is? The "KAMON" has been traditionally used for the Japanese family's coat of arms, and are Japanese family heraldic symbols. "MON" is sometimes called "badges", "crests" or "family crests" in English. The Japanese character for "MON" refers to any symbol and consists of a roundel encircling a design or motif (such as feathers, flowers, or some man-made object), while the Japanese character for "KA" means family. So the "KAMON" traditionally refer specifically to family symbols. There are tens of thousands of kind of "KAMON" and each one has its own meaning. There are the same numbers of "KAMON" as there are family names and just as many stories about them. However, few Japanese understand the meaning of "KAMON" today. Many different meanings and wishes which our ancestors had are symbolized in the "KAMON" by various different objects, such as the number of petals, combined motifs, etc. There were families who changed or modified their "KAMON" up until the Edo era. For example, some changed the number of petals to create their own "KAMON". Others added or deleted the motifs of their family "KAMON". However, "KAMON" are rarely changed nowadays. There are some "KAMON" painters today, but there are no "KAMON" designers. I think it is nice to respect what has been inherited from one's ancestors. Also, I really enjoy creating new "KAMON" with sophisticated meaning, for people who want one. |