Japanese Family Crests

Japanese Family Crests is the definitive collection of kamon — Japan’s iconic family crest designs — featuring all 4,560 types organised by motif. Minimal yet deeply symbolic, these designs are the origins of Japanese pattern-making and enduring emblems of cultural identity.

Originating in the Heian period when nobles adorned their ox carts, family crests evolved through samurai society as battlefield identifiers, before spreading widely among common people during the peaceful Edo period. Their close connection with clothing culture gave rise to an extraordinary decorative tradition that continues to inspire designers today.

What’s inside:

• All 4,560 kamon types, organised by motif for easy reference
• 328 pages tracing the history of Japanese family crests
• From Heian nobility and samurai clans to Edo-era commoners
• Minimal, symbolic designs ideal as a pattern and logo reference

An indispensable reference for graphic designers, pattern makers, historians and lovers of Japanese visual culture.