Speaking of family crests, Ieyasu Tokugawa Aoi Mitsuha and Nobunaga Oda The quince is famous, but famous houses such as the Sengoku daimyo and the regents have a mark that represents the house called the family crest.
Previously, Mitsunari Ishida I once wrote an article about Uma-jirushi, but this time I would like to touch on the family crest.
Family crest, flag mark, horse mark, flag sashimono
Similar marks include flag marks and horse marks, which are the same for those who belong to the same house, but differ depending on the situation in which they are used.
Family crest =a mark that represents the house.
Flag =A mark that shows at a glance who is leading the army.
Umajirushi =A mark that represents the whereabouts of the general of the army.
Flag Sashimono =A general term for military flags and nobori, including flags.
If you divide it easily, it will be as above.
Some daimyo families use the same family crest and flag / horse mark, but Shingen Takeda [ Furinkazan ] May be used.
Even in the same Tokugawa army, Honda Tadakatsu So, as you can see their army, Tadakatsu is two-tiered bird hair circle . Show his headquarters in white background black with a book-shaped flag I was letting you raise. There is no Tokugawa Aoi crest there, but from the surroundings, [ Honda Tadakatsu is here . ] I was able to understand.
Flags and horses are signs of military commanders standing on the battlefield, but this is largely due to personal taste, and some people carry the family crest belonging to their own army, while others carry the family crest of their own house. There were also people. * To put it simply, Mr. Sanada, who belonged to Mr. Takeda, was holding up six coins ...
Is the origin of the family crest from the Heian period?
The family crest is [ this is the family crest of my family ], But while using it as my own pattern, [ this pattern is that person in that house ] It seems that it spread and became established. After that, consciously [ family crest ] It is said that it came to be used as.
The patterns themselves came from the Sui and Tang dynasties, and they began with the motifs of flowers and animals peculiar to Japan, which were favored by public houses during the Heian period. It is believed that it has become established as a family crest for some time.
The family crest was studied among scholars in the Edo period, and Arai Hakuseki Is considered to have been used in the Heian aristocracy ox cart, Ise Sadatake Was thought to have begun to be used during the Heiji rebellion at the end of the Heian period. Also, Yamaga Soko Says that the samurai family began to use the family crest as a symbol in earnest in the early Kamakura period.
There are various theories, but it can be seen that in the Heian period and the Kamakura period, the family crest was already consciously used as a symbol of the house.
Family crests of Sengoku daimyo
At the end of the Muromachi period, the family crest was established as a unique Japanese culture and was used to represent the family lineage and pedigree. There were various patterns and meanings.
The paulownia crest recognized by the emperor, the family crest of the Toyotomi family
Paulownia is a very magnificent tree [ the tree where the phoenix lives ] Is written on the pillow grass child.
As a crest exclusively for the Emperor, [ Paulownia ] And [ Chrysanthemum ], And it is allowed to be used by those who have made achievements, such as Mr. Takauji Ashikaga and Nobunaga Oda / Hideyoshi Toyotomi Was also allowed to be used. Also, if you look closely at the same paulownia family crest, the details are different. Hideyoshi's [Taiko paulownia] has 7 petals in the center and 5 on the left and right [ 57 paulownia . ] And also [ Fifty-three paulownia ] [ Ninety-seven paulownia ] There are three types of paulownia alone.
Not limited to paulownia, the number of family crests has swelled and more than 20,000 types are now growing in order to use similar family crests by changing the family crests little by little between the head family and the branch family, and the lord and vassals.
Aoi's family crest that Ieyasu Tokugawa was particular about
The family crest of Aoi is the crest of Kamo Shrine in Kyoto, and it is said that the theory used by the Tokugawa family because it was a parishioner and that Ieyasu himself thought of it. In fact, the Emperor tried to give Ieyasu Tokugawa a paulownia seal, but Ieyasu himself politely refused. It can be seen that Aoi's crest was so particular about it.
Is your ancestor Sugawara no Michizane? Maeda family crest
As a fairly famous family crest, the Maeda family's [ Kaga Umebachi 】there is.
If you are visiting a shrine, you may have seen it. This family crest was sent to Dazaifu Sugawara no Michizane Sugawara Shrine's Shinto crest [ Plum ] Is the origin.
The reason why the Maeda family adopted this family crest is that Toshiie Maeda calls it a descendant of Sugawara no Michizane, so it is related to Michizane [ Umebachi . ] Is the family crest.
The family crest of the Shimazu family whose design was changed by policy
The Shimazu family, the male of Kyushu, is an easy-to-understand family crest with a circle on the cross.
This family crest has a theory that represents two dragons and a theory that puts the meaning of apotropaic magic. Also, it seems that it was a family crest with only a cross at first, but it is said that a circle was added to distinguish it from the cross due to the ban on Christianity.
Two Ii family crests
Naotora, Naomasa, and Naosuke The famous Hikone castle owner, the Ii family, is famous for its simple design with only a square girder. It has a simple but solid meaning, [ well ] It seems to have a meaning. Apparently, " Tomoyasu , a descendant of the Ii family. Is said to have come from the legend that it was born from the well of Ii Hachimangu.
However, the family crest is on the right side of the illustration, Tachibana crest . It was adopted because the tachibana flowers were in bloom on the side of the well where Kyoho was born. The crest of the well girder is mainly used as a replacement crest for flags, etc. , Naomasa Ii Is said to have used.
The family crest of Mitsunari Ishida has a unique sense!
As mentioned in the article on the flag, Mitsunari Ishida The family crest is [ Daiichi Daimandaikichi 】is.
The meaning can be understood by looking at the article, but it is said that it became such a family crest with the aim of peace with all people.
The family crest of the Shibata Katsuie, a symbol of the couple in the local area
The family crest on which these two birds are flapping is called Karigane.
The bird written is a pair of males and females Goose (Cancer) The difference in mouth opening between the top and bottom is [ Aun ] It seems to be expressing. Since the Shibata Katsuie was defeated by Hideyoshi in the Battle of Shizugatake and committed suicide with the city, it seems that these two geese are said to be Katsuie and Oichi in the local area.
Family crest used only by Yoshimoto Imagawa
Yoshimoto Imagawa The family crest is " comb " as mentioned above. It is shaped like this. However, despite the fact that the name is [Red Bird], it is said that the bird is not the motif, but the harness is removed from the dirt.
This is because the Imagawa clan's ancestor, Norikuni, said, " Fight with the red bird . It is said that he started using it because he heard the announcement, or " Women's tools are a symbol of good luck in battle . It is said that it was used because it was said, but it seems uncertain.
This family crest is Yoshimoto Imagawa It seems that he used it as a horse sign, but there seems to be no one other than him who used this crest. The true family crest of the Imagawa family is the following Ashikaga clan It seems that it was called.
In this article, we have introduced various family crests.
The beginning may have been a landmark for aristocrats to identify when they entered the palace, but it became the face of the aristocrat and became a symbolic object for gathering vassals and soldiers.
I wrote some Sengoku warlords this time, but there is no time to introduce them all, so if you have any comments or emails I would like to introduce, I would like to add them.