Help Identity Our Mon.

[Guest]

Good afternoon Stegel, it is called Maru Ni Watanabe Boshi  The Watanabe basic form is this 

 

It is said by some to represent three rice balls on a plate, but also is sometimes referred to as a working on three stars which also may refer to the worship of the constellation of Orion (See thread on page 4).

 

(Also Watanabe is one of the most popular family names in Japan).

[Bruce Pennington]

I really don't this is a mon. When you see the rest of the koshirae, it's more likely an organization emblem. But I post it here in case there are new experts that might put a name to it:

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/20100-what-mon-marking-is-this/?hl=kamon&do=findComment&comment=205874

 

[Bugyotsuji]

丸に三つ地紙　'Maru ni mittsu jigami' is the general area, perhaps (?). Three slices of paper to be pasted onto lanterns, fans, etc.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=%E4%B8%B8%E3%81%AB%E4%B8%89%E3%81%A4%E5%9C%B0%E7%B4%99%E5%AE%B6%E7%B4%8B&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwignOCUjZ7nAhXFy4sBHUQ2B3wQ_AUoAXoECAwQAw&biw=1366&bih=625

[Bruce Pennington]

Yes, 3 fans, seems likely.

 

Anyone see a crest displayed in that many places on koshirae before?

[PNSSHOGUN]

Bruce, only on the SMR Type 98s.

[Guest]

Piers old bean, Wagasa and its many staves comes to mind.....

 

https://anything-from-Japan.com/nihon-ichiban/the-Japanese-authentic-umbrella-wagasa--/

[reeder]

Here’s another.

[Bugyotsuji]

There was a famous battleship called 八島

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=Japanese+battleship+Yashima&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgecRYyC3w8sc9YamMSWtOXmNM4uIKzsgvd80rySypFFLjYoOyZLh4pTj1c_UNkgxyLAw1GKS4uRBcJR0jhV2Xpp1jkxLsc2y-rfws2EGKQYmTk4GBIaH__yF7LSYOhqZ9Kw6xsXAwCjDwLGKV9kosSMxLLU5VSEosKclJLc7ILFCITARSuYkAFgdwrZQAAAA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjDt5aSp6PnAhUWUd4KHeb4DoAQ6RMwDHoECAsQBA&biw=1366&bih=625

[Guest]

Hi Piers,

 

I reckon, more likely a family name of Yashima than the battleship, as the cartouche is on a Gunto as opposed to a Kaigunto. 

[IJASWORDS]

Any ideas? 

[Stegel]

Good afternoon Stegel, it is called Maru Ni Watanabe Boshi  The Watanabe basic form is this 

 

It is said by some to represent three rice balls on a plate, but also is sometimes referred to as a working on three stars which also may refer to the worship of the constellation of Orion (See thread on page 4).

 

(Also Watanabe is one of the most popular family names in Japan).

Thank you very much Malcom!!

Very interesting!!

[Bugyotsuji]

Sakura flower and leaf (or oak leaf), and 下り藤に木 Sagari Fuji ni Ki, suggesting a joining of families?

[Guest]

Piers, the Yamato Zakura and leaves  is the standard decoration for a Gunto Kabuto - gane and does not relate to the Silver set Kamon which is an addition by the original owner.

 

http://ohmura-study.net/905.html

 

I get hanging Paulownia Imperialis as the main theme, Sagari Ni Fuji, but is the detail at the lower end of the central stalk a kanji character like 木

rendered in Tensho script?

 

See  Sagari Ni Fuji Gosan Kiri, with Gosan Kiri in the position of what I reckon is 木

 

 

 Sort of like this only more cursive?

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

https://www.google.com/search?q=%E6%9C%A8%E5%AE%B6%E7%B4%8B&oq=%E6%9C%A8%E5%AE%B6%E7%B4%8B&aqs=chrome..69i57.8111j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

Bonne journee Malcolm. 

 

Sagari Fuji ni........... 

[Guest]

Cheers Piers,

 

I'm on it now!!

 

So, it looks like 木 , the character for Wood,  rendered in Tensho script, which can be read as Ki or Moku.

 

So, I'm going to call Sagari Fuji Ni Moku No Ji.

 

And, knowing my fondness for all things Talismanic, Wood is the first of the five elements:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuxing_(Chinese_philosophy)

 

[Bugyotsuji]

For an example of present-day usage, here is the Nishio Printing Press.

On the signboard you can see the 二 of Nishio within the sagari or hanging/weeping wisteria.

[Guest]

Good morning Piers,

 

That's a difficult one to call. 

 

So would that be:

Sagari Fuji Ni Ni No Ji.

or

Sagari Fuji Ni Futatsu No Ji. 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Sagari Fuji ni Ni-no-ji, I reckon! 

 

This reminds me of how Japanese students struggle in class saying Two for Tokyo, or Two to Tokyo, when they have not yet understood the schwa unstressed syllable. 

 

They say Tsuu Hoaa Tokyo, or Tsuu Tsuu Tokyo, until someone realizes what the problem is and teaches it. 

[Guest]

Cheers Piers!!

 

[Jason_D]

What do you know of this one?

 

 

Thank you.

 

 

[BANGBANGSAN]

藤紋 日本の公家を代表する藤原家および全国に散らばった藤原一族末裔の家紋として広まった。公家の頂点摂関家の九條家、二條家、一條家が藤紋を掲げている。 

藤原 Fujiwara Family crest

 

 

 

What do you know of this one?

 

IMG_2411.jpg

 

Thank you.

[Jason_D]

Amazing thread guys and ladies , keep posting

 

Very educative...

[Guest]

Hi Jason,

 

Looks like Maru Ni Sagari Ni Fuji - Hanging Wisteria within a circle.

 

[Jason_D]

Hi Jason,

 

Looks like Maru Ni Sagari Ni Fuji - Hanging Wisteria within a circle.

 

 

Perfect , thank you Malcolm!

[PNSSHOGUN]

Any help with this family name?

[SteveM]

Adding as a spoiler

 

 

石渡　Ishiwatari

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Thank you Steve, I managed to find a Lieutenant Colonel Heizo Ishiwatari in this essay regarding the Kwangtung army and the operational planning for action in Manchuria: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Japan/Monos/pdfs/JM-77_Preparations4Manchuria%3C1943/JM-77.htm

 

Seems like an uncommon enough name, obviously without access to the IJA records it is extremely difficult to march records to names.

[Guest]

Some time ago, I had to research Naval Officers aboard HIMS Katori during the early 20th Century.

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/10581-hims-katori-officer-list/

 

I found this site to have some extraordinary references to serving naval ranks and names.

 

I believe it may also have similar for the Army, but I have not gone into it in depth:

 

http://cb1100f.b10.coreserver.jp/

 

Turn your volume control down as music will appear from nowhere, and also do not right click.

 

[SteveM]

I use the following site to get information on last names. It gives me a general idea of how common or how rare a last name may be. For instance, Ishiwatari is a name made of very common kanji, and to me it has the ring of a name that is fairly prevalent in Japan, but when I check on this site I find out that only about 621 people have this last name in Japan, and that it is found mostly in Kanagawa prefecture. Also, other possible pronunciations include Ishiwata, Ishido, Ishito, and Ishiwataru. I would have thought it to be much more common. 

 

https://myoji-yurai.net/searchResult.htm?myojiKanji=%E7%9F%B3%E6%B8%A1

[PNSSHOGUN]

Waiting on this one to arrive, a Mon I haven't seen on a sword before: