San Diego, California

Japanese Kamon: According to Encyclopedia Japan, in Japan kamon are "seen widely on stores and shops engaged in traditional crafts and specialties. They are favored by sushi restaurants, which often incorporate a Kamon into their logos." The Mitsubishi logo originated as a kamon. Mount Hope Cemetery. [2020]

San Diego, California

Japanese Kamon: According to Encyclopedia Japan, "during the peaceful, tranquil, rather uneventful, Edo Period, there were few hard battles fought among samurai so, the former practical role of Kamon, such as distinguishing friend from foe in battle, had changed to be a kind of symbol of authority." Mount Hope Cemetery. [2020]

San Diego, California

Japanese Kamon: According to Encyclopedia Japan, "there are more than 20,000 distinct individual Kamon in Japan. Long an integral part of Japanese culture, these emblems were formerly in widespread use to mark people’s clothes, possessions and even buildings. graves, furniture, and ships." Mount Hope Cemetery. [2020]

San Diego, California

Japanese Kamon: According to Encyclopedia Japan, a kamon "was created to serve as an unique emblem that represented a family's identity, clearly revealing the family name of its owner. Later, Buke (samurai warriors) and Kuge (the nobility) made use of Kamon, which are classified into some groups according to blood line or historical origin." Note how similar, yet different, are the Owashi and Tsujino kamons. Mount Hope Cemetery. [2020]

San Diego, California

Japanese Kamon: According to Encyclopedia Japan, a kamon "refers to a crest used in Japan to indicate one's origins; that is, one's family lineage, blood line, ancestry and status from ancient times. It is also referred to simply as 'Mondokoro' or 'Mon'."  (No, it's not the swordfish; it's the petaled flower.) Mount Hope Cemetery. [2020]