Kamon Socks
Description: Azai Nagamasa (浅井長政) was the last daimyo of Azai clan during the Sengoku period of Japan, his clan were located in northern Omi Province, east of Lake Biwa. He was the brother-in-law of Oda Nobunaga, but later became one of Nobunaga's enemies when Nobunaga decided to attack the allies of Azai, the Asakura clan. Nagamasa and his clan were destroyed by Oda Nobunaga in 1573. The kamon of Azai clan is Mitsumori Kikkou ni Hanabishi (三盛龜甲に花菱) or "Flower diamond in three turtle shell"
Description: Benkei “弁慶”, Musashibo Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶), a Japanese warrior monk who lived in the latter years of the Heian Period, commonly depicted as a man of great strength and loyalty, and a popular subject of Japanese folklore. Benkei led a varied life, first becoming a monk, then a mountain ascetic, and then a rogue warrior, later came to respect and serve the famous warrior Minamoto no Yoshitsune. Demon alike warrior monk “鬼若僧兵”, Oniwaka (鬼若, demon alike) was referring to his appearance when he was born with wild hair and long teeth. In the background is kamon of Minamoto clan, Sasa Rindo (笹竜胆) or “Gentiana flowers upon bamboo”.
Description: Kiyomori “清盛”, Taira Kiyomori (平清盛) was the head of Taira clan, a military leader of the late Heian period of Japan. He established the first samurai-dominated administrative government in the history of Japan. Pillars of Taira clan “平氏の棟梁”, was referring to his position of clan leader. In the background is kamon of Taira clan, Ageha-cho (揚羽蝶) or “Swallowtail Butterfly”.
Description: Kamakura Minamoto mon from the japanese shogunate. The mon is an emblem to designate a family, clan or even an organization. The kamon is used specifically to identify a family. The mon is similar to the coat of arms from European heraldic tradition. Although, there is a big difference, the mon stays clean and minimalistic in design. European crests tend to get very complicated by combining other family crests over the generations. Mon and Kamon are usually designed using a roundel containing a abstracted, stylized image of an object. This object can be a plant, an animal, a tool, or anything you fancy. This will lead to a large amount of categories containg many variations of aparticular object. Although we end up with thousend...
Description: Maeda clan (前田氏 Maeda-shi) was a Japanese samurai clan who ruled most of the Hokuriku region of central Honshū from the end of the Sengoku period through the Meiji restoration of 1868. The Maeda claimed descent from the Sugawara clan of Sugawara no Kiyotomo and Sugawara no Michizane in the eighth and ninth centuries; however, the line of descent is uncertain. The Maeda rose to prominence as daimyō of Kaga Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate, which was second only to the Tokugawa clan in kokudaka.
Description: Shimazu Yoshihiro (島津義弘) traditionally believed to be the seventeenth head of the Shimazu clan, he was a skilled general during the Sengoku period who greatly contributed to the unification of Kyushu. His skill in battle earned him the nickname of "Devil Shimazu" (鬼島津) during Hideyoshi's attempt to invade Korea. The kamon of Shimazu clan is Juji (十字) or "cross"
Description: Katakura Kojuro (片倉小十郎), or real name Katakura Kagetsuna (片倉景綱), was a Japanese samurai of sengoku jidai, retainer of Date Clan, together with Oniniwa Tsunamoto and Date Shigezane, Kagetsuna was known as one of the "Three Great Men of the Date Clan", he was famed for his role as a senior retainer under Date Masamune. Kagetsuna fought in most of Masamune's major battles, and also assisted in the Date clan's administrative duties, he played a key role in the survival of the Date clan in 1590, by recommending that Masamune submit to Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Odawara Campaign.
Description: Uesugi mon from the japanese shogunate. The mon is an emblem to designate a family, clan or even an organization. The kamon is used specifically to identify a family. The mon is similar to the coat of arms from European heraldic tradition. Although, there is a big difference, the mon stays clean and minimalistic in design. European crests tend to get very complicated by combining other family crests over the generations. Mon and Kamon are usually designed using a roundel containing a abstracted, stylized image of an object. This object can be a plant, an animal, a tool, or anything you fancy. This will lead to a large amount of categories containg many variations of aparticular object. Although we end up with thousends of mon, d...
Description: Yagyu Munenori (柳生宗矩) was a Japanese swordsman, founder of the Edo branch of Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, which he learned from his father Yagyu Muneyoshi, and father of Yagyu Jubei. This was one of two official sword styles patronized by the Tokugawa shogunate. Munenori entered the service of Tokugawa Ieyasu at a young age, and later was an instructor of swordsmanship to Ieyasu's son Hidetada. Still later, he became one of the primary advisors of the third shogun Iemitsu. The kamon of Yagyu family is Waremokou ni Suzume (地楡に雀) mon, meaning "Sparrow in Burnet".
Description: Shima Sakon (島左近), also known as Shima Kiyooki (島清興), was a Japanese samurai of the late Sengoku period. Shima eventually left the service of the Tsutsui, and eventually joined Ishida Mitsunari under the banner of the Toyotomi Clan. At the Battle of Sekigahara, Shima served as one of Ishida's higher-ranking officers, commanding a unit of 1,000 men. Some sources suggest Shima led musketmen and that his position had cannons. He was shot in the battle and forced to retreat. His fate remains somewhat of a mystery since he was not on the battlefield after the battle. Some say he died of his wounds about one month after the battle or died trying to escape. The kamon of Shima clan is Maruni Mitsu Kashiwa (丸に三つ柏) or "Three Leaves Oak in Circle"
Description: Ii Naomasa (井伊直政) was a general under the Sengoku period daimyo, and later shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. He is regarded as one of the Four Guardians of the Tokugawa along with Honda Tadakatsu, Sakakibara Yasumasa, and Sakai Tadatsugu. The kamon of Ii clan is Maru ni tachibana (丸に橘) or "citrus Tachibana in a circle".
Description: Akechi Mitsuhide (明智光秀) was a samurai and general who lived during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan. Mitsuhide was a general under Oda Nobunaga, who then became famous for his rebellion against Nobunaga in 1582, which led to Nobunaga's death at Honnoji in the Honnoji Insident. The kamon of Akechi clan is Tokikikyo (土岐桔梗) or "Japanese bellflower".
Description: Saika Magoichi (雑賀孫市) is the head of the Saika Ikki, based in western Kii Province. The name "Saika Magoichi" is adopted by each successive leader of the Saika. The Saika Ikki are a band of traveling mercenaries skilled in firearms, cannons, and other guns. The kamon of Yagyu family is Sansoku karasu (三足烏) mon, meaning "Three-legged Crow".
Description: Date Masamune (伊達政宗) was a regional ruler of Japan's Azuchi–Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyos in the Tohoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai. In spite of facing an infamously traumatizing childhood, he rose to prominence as the most dominate ruling power in oshu. He is reputed as one of the wisest figures of the time era, biting back his ambitions to stay as one of the wealthiest independent rulers of his time. The kamon of Date clan is take ni suzume (竹に雀) or "sparrow in the bamboo"
Description: The Kobayakawa clan (小早川氏 Kobayakawa-shi) was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Taira clan. Their holdings were in the Chūgoku region. They were a powerful clan during the Sengoku period but were disbanded during the Edo period after the Battle of Sekigahara.
Description: Takeda Shingen, was a pre-eminent daimyo in feudal Japan with exceptional military prestige in the late stage of the Sengoku period. During his conquests in the eastern regions of Japan, he clashed with several prominent historical figures. After his death, Shingen has been romanticized as a masterful strategist and a thorough study of Sun Tzu, even going as far to adopt the Furinkazan as his banner. The kamon of Takeda clan is Takeda bishi (武田菱) or “Takeda Diamond”
Description: Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣秀吉) was a preeminent daimyo, warrior, general, samurai, and politician of the Sengoku period who is regarded as Japan's second "great unifier" after Oda Nobunaga. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Warring Lords period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle. After his death, his young son Hideyori was displaced by Tokugawa Ieyasu. The kamon of Toyotomi clan is Goshichi no kiri (五七桐) or "Five Seven Paulownia".
Description: Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康) was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, which effectively ruled Japan from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, and abdicated from office in 1605, but remained in power until his death in 1616. He was one of the three unifiers of Japan, along with his former lord Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi The kamon of Tokugawa clan is Mitsuba Aoi (三葉葵) or "triple hollyhock"
Description: Takenaka Hanbei (竹中半兵衛), or Takenaka Shigeharu (竹中重治) is a retainer from Mino who eventually serves under Hideyoshi. His known historical exploits are plain and commonplace for the era, but he has been celebrated after his death to be Hideyoshi's genius strategist. Folklore states that he was known as "The All-knowing Hanbei" (知らぬ顔の半兵衛) who traded wits with his friend, Kuroda Kanbei. The kamon of Takenaka clan is Maru ni Kumai Sasa (丸に九枚笹) or "Nine Bamboo in Circle".
Description: The Oda clan is a Japanese samurai family who were daimyo and an important political force in the unification of Japan in the mid-16th century. Though they had the climax of their fame under Oda Nobunaga and fell from the spotlight soon after, several branches of the family continued as daimyo houses until the Meiji Restoration.
