Family emblems in Modern Japan

Azomyr · 22 Feb 2013

Hello. As far as I know, in today's Japan Japanese heraldic emblems are still used. My question is, if most Japanese families have an emblem, how they take it when they have not kuge or samurai roots?

I'm also wondering if it is possible that two ancient aristocratic clans share a same emblem. For instance, the emblem of the former Japanese Prime Minister 麻生太郎 Tarō Asō (called 違い釘抜き Chigai Kuginuki) is only the crest of the Asō clan or it was used by other clans in the past?

Thank you very much

Toritoribe · 23 Feb 2013

In Edo period, not only samurai or nobles but also commoners had family emblems.

Most emblems are used not only by a single family/clan. You can see another person/family who uses 違い釘抜き紋 other than 麻生太郎 in the page linked below.
釘抜紋－普通の作業具が語呂がよくて縁起紋に－

Azomyr · 23 Feb 2013

Thanks for your explanation but I would like to ask to you and to the whole forum some other things about:

Toritoribe said:
In Edo period, not only samurai or nobles but also commoners had family emblems.

Are you talking about artisans, merchants and also peasants?

Could anyone tell me how can two different patriarchs choose the same emblem for their families? It was just an issue of copying the design which one preferred?

Toritoribe · 23 Feb 2013

Not only 農工商, but even those who were considered in lower social rank positions such like actors, performers or prostitutes had family emblems.

There are so many cases. It might be copied as you guessed, gifted, plundered, or just made. In the first place, family emblems are not just one for a family. For instance, Date clan(you might know 伊達政宗) used seven emblems.

Azomyr · 23 Feb 2013

Thanks, this is very helpful

I would not be excessive with my questions but, by chance someone knows if the composition of the 違い釘抜き has some special known symbology?

Toritoribe · 23 Feb 2013

窶廝 means "nail", and 窶敖ｲ窶堋ｫ is a noun form of a verb 窶敖ｲ窶堋ｭ, meaning "to pull out". Thus, 窶廝窶敖ｲ窶堋ｫ means "nail puller". However, this emblem is from the shape of a nail washer, not from the shape of a nail puller, since washer was used when pulling out a nail.

The reading 窶廝窶堙ｰ窶敖ｲ窶堋ｭ[窶堋ｭ窶堋ｬ窶堙ｰ窶堙岩?堋ｭ] is close to 窶ｹﾃ｣ﾂ湘ｩ窶堙ｰ窶敖ｲ窶堋ｭ[窶堋ｭ窶堋ｫ窶堙ｰ窶堙岩?堋ｭ] "to capture nine castles", so this emblem is preferred by samurai families.

ﾋ?｡窶堋｢ means "alternating" here.

more detailed explanation(all in Japanese)
窶督ｼﾅｽﾅ｡窶堙??ｰﾃ??禿､_columnﾂ（窶廝窶敖ｲﾂ）

Azomyr · 25 Feb 2013

That is very interesting. Thank you so much.

Family emblems in Modern Japan

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