Family Crests of Japan

Family Crests of Japan

Author: Stone Bridge Press

Publisher: Stone Bridge Press

Published: 2007-04-01

Total Pages: 154

ISBN-13: 1933330309

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Find the beauty and meaning of over 850 family crests found in Japanese tradition


An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Japanese Family Crests

An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Japanese Family Crests

Author: Ark System

Publisher: Japan Publication Trading Company

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 413

ISBN-13: 9784889960709

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INTRODUCTION Kamon or family crests are art motifs, which have been adopted as insignia by families and handed down through the ages. The heraldic emblems of Japan are simpler and aesthetically finer than European coats of arms. The clarity and elegance of kamon are now highly valued throughout the world as a new design or motif, and applied widely in various ways in such fields as handicraft, interior and textile designs. In this book, 4,080 traditional crests are collected. The Yin (white on a black background) of each crest is presented on the left page, and the Yang (reversed motif) on the right page. Accordingly, the total number of motifs comes to 8,160. All the designs are free of copyright, so you can use them as they are or as a source of inspiration. -Editor


Traditional Japanese Family Crests for Artists and Craftspeople

Traditional Japanese Family Crests for Artists and Craftspeople

Author: Isao Honda

Publisher: Courier Corporation

Published: 2013-01-30

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 0486155846

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Over 1,700 compact, graceful designs — a traditional part of many Japanese family histories — are featured in this handsome, versatile collection. Depicting plant, leaf, animal, and fan designs in circular motifs; astronomical images, and more, the authentic, royalty-free crests are ideal for use as spot illustrations in a variety of graphic projects.


Traditional Japanese Crest Designs

Traditional Japanese Crest Designs

Author: Clarence Hornung

Publisher: Courier Corporation

Published: 1986-01-01

Total Pages: 50

ISBN-13: 0486252434

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Family crests (mon) have been a Japanese tradition since the eleventh century, when they decorated the costumes and carriages of courtiers. Later, they were used to identify warriors on the battlefield, as heraldic decorations on formal costumes, and as ornament on the kimonos of the common people. Small, compact, and graceful, with a strong sense of style, crest designs are ideal for spot illustrations, as logos, or for any graphic purpose requiring the classic simplicity, purity, and strength of Japanese design. This volume presents a total of 540 permission-free motifs, carefully selected for graphic impact and usefulness from several thousand crests known to exist. Featured are a wide variety of stylized designs depicting plants, animals, natural phenomena, geometric shapes, and manufactured objects.Among the subjects included in this selection are such traditional Japanese motifs as bamboo, crane, lightning, cherry blossom, peony, plum blossom, wave, rice, circle, and hollyhock. Immensely useful, this volume of permission-free designs is not only an invaluable source of graphic material for artists, designers, and craftspeople, but a fascinating picture book of Japanese culture.


Samurai Heraldry

Samurai Heraldry

Author: Stephen Turnbull

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-06-20

Total Pages: 168

ISBN-13: 1782000143

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The dazzling spectacle presented by the armies of medieval Japan owed much to the highly developed family and personal heraldry of samurai society. From simple personal banners, this evolved over centuries of warfare into a complex system of flags worn or carried into battle, together with the striking 'great standards' of leading warlords. While not regulated in the Western sense, Japanese heraldry developed as a series of widely followed practices, while remaining flexible enough to embrace constant innovation. Scores of examples, in monochrome and full colour, illustrate this fascinating explanation of the subject by a respected expert on all aspects of samurai culture.


Symbols of Japan

Symbols of Japan

Author: Merrily C. Baird

Publisher: Rizzoli International Publications

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 344

ISBN-13:

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The motifs are organized according to broad thematic categories such as "the cosmos, heaven and earth" and "animals of the land and sea," among others, allowing for broad reading on a number of topics of interest to a wide variety of readers, including collectors of Asian art and students of Japan.".


Castles of the Samurai

Castles of the Samurai

Author: Jennifer Mitchelhill

Publisher: Kodansha International

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 118

ISBN-13: 9784770029546

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The castles of Japan are a product of the country's long history of civil warnd samurai rule from the Middle Ages to mid-19th century. They functionedoth as military fortresses as well as symbols of authority. Theyncorporated powerful mechanisms for warding off attackers, yet as symbolshey were possessed of immense beauty and grace.;This study is divided intoour parts: the first examines who built these castles and why, with anncisive look at Japanese history and the internecine fighting betweenamurai clans; the second part discusses the castle as a fortress - themportance of its location, its layout, stone walls and moats, towers, gates,hooting holes, and stone drops; the third part covers the beauty of theastle as a symbol, covering the intricate craftsmanship seen in structuraletail and the aesthetics of the samurai class itself; and the fourth partontains practical information on visiting castles and gleaning the most from first-hand view.


Japanese Border Designs

Japanese Border Designs

Author: Theodore Menten

Publisher:

Published: 1975

Total Pages: 100

ISBN-13: 9780486231808

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From 19th-century source used by great Japanese designers — Kodai Moshiki Zuko — 444 borders, 19 full-page scenes, incredibly rich variety: chains, vines, reeds, florals, pipes, bamboo, lanterns, abstracts, ships, calligraphy, reeds, feathers, fans, nets, mazes, yang and yin, lutes, tortoises, many others!