家紋Kamon (family crests)

Mon (紋,), also called mondokoro (紋所) or kamon (家紋, family mon), are Japanese emblems used to decorate and identify an individual, a family, or an institution. Mon is an encompassing term that may refer to any such device, kamon and mondokoro refer specifically to emblems that are used to identify a family, while shinmon (神紋), shamon (社紋), and jimon (寺紋) identify god, shrine, or temple, respectively.

A mon reference in 2004 compiles Japan's 241 general categories of mon based on structural resemblance (a single mon may belong to multiple categories), with 5,116 distinct individual mon.

It is well acknowledged that there are a number of lost or obscure mon. Among mon, the mon officially used by the family is called jōmon (定紋). Over time, new mon have been created, such as kaemon (替紋), which is secondary or unofficial mon, and onnamon (女紋), which is created for a woman after marriage by modifying part of her original family mon, so that by 2023 there will be a total of 20,000 to 25,000 mon.

The devices are similar to the badges and coats of arms in European heraldic tradition, which likewise are used to identify individuals and families. Mon are often referred to as crests in Western literature, the crest being a European heraldic device similar to the mon in most functions.

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