ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2009
http://www.s-gabriel.org/2009
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15 Jun 2000
From:  (Josh Mittleman)


Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel!

You asked our help choosing a medieval Japanese masculine name, with
surname <Eiji> and family name <Yamamoto>, and Japanese heraldry in
black and purple.  Here is what we have found.

Members of the noble class in period Japan used three part names: 

  <family name> <yobina> <nanori>

The nanori was your given name; the yobina was essentially a second given
name used only by those intimate with you.  Everyone else would address you
by your family name and/or nanori.

The name elements you've chosen are excellent, but if you want an authentic
name, you should also choose a nanori [1].  The family name <Yamamoto>
derives from a place name which meant "base of the mountain", and was
recorded c.1147.  The yobina <Eiji> was recorded c.1141 [2].

The very best source we can suggest to help you choose a nanori is the
pamphlet we've used as our reference [2].  Here is a short selection of
14th century nanori that you could consider, taken from that source:

       Akikane      Nishikintoki  
       Chikaaki     Nobuhara      
       Fuyuie       Okitane       
       Hideaki      Sadahide      
       Iekane       Shigekatsu    
       Kagemune     Suetada       
       Kinkiyo      Tadaaki       
       Korehisa     Tokimichi     
       Kunikiyo     Tsugufusa     
       Masaie       Ujiaki        
       Michifuyu    Yasuharu      
       Morimitsu    Yoriaki       
       Munehira     Yukifusa      
       Nagamoto

Very frequently, nanori expressed family relationships by composing
elements of the parent's name with the name of the family's clan or
overlord.  If you have SCA relations who also have Japanese personas, we
may be able to help you choose a nanori that expresses those relationships.


Japanese heraldry was quite different from European heraldry, both in its
design and the manner of its use.  Japanese arms, or "kamon", were
generally composed of a single charge or group of identical charges
arranged in one of a number of conventional patterns, many of which were
radially symmetric.  This group was often surrounded by a ring, three
concentric rings, or one of a number of other circular frames.  Until late
in period, kamon were not designed in particular colors the way they were
in Europe; rather, they were patterns of light and dark, and could be
displayed in any combination of a light and a dark color that followed that
pattern.  For example, a dark lotus blossom on a light background might be
reproduced in black ink on white parchment, or in dark blue embroidery on
light blue fabric, and so on.  Toward the end of our period, three-color
designs came into use and different colors were recognized as
distinguishing characteristics.

If you'd like to design authentic Japanese heraldry, we'll be happy to
help.  We can suggest some sources that will help you get started.  There
was an introductory article on kamon published in the Proceedings of the
SCA's Known World Heraldic Symposium held in Seattle in 1992, titled "A
Roll of Japanese Armory", by Solveig Throndardottir.  Many Society heralds
have copies of this collection of articles; if you can track down a copy,
you could contact the principal herald of your kingdom.  In a pinch, we
could send you a photocopy.

The best non-SCA publications on Japanese heraldry that we know are written
in Japanese, but contain enough pictures that you may find them useful.

 Yoshida Taiyou, Kamon Kakei Jiten (Tokyo: Shoumonsha, 1986).

 Awasaka Tsumao, Kamon no Hanashi (Tokyo: Shinchosensho, 1997).

The best book in English that we know is:

  Willis M. Hawley, Mon, the Japanese family crest (Hollywood, CA: Hawley,
  1976). 


We hope this letter has been useful.  Please write us again if any part of
it has been unclear or if you have other questions.  I was assisted in
researching and writing this letter by Antonio Miguel Santos de Borja, Mari
neyn Brian, Edward of Effingham, Talan Gwynek, Elsbeth Anne Roth, Juliana
de Luna, Solveig Throndardottir, and Amant le Marinier.

For the Academy,


  Arval Benicoeur
  15 June 2000


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References

[1] We're pretty sure that the name <Yamamoto Eiji> could be registered
with the SCA College of Arms because they don't require Japanese names to
be constructed strictly authentically.

[2] Solveig Throndardottir, _Name Construction in Mediaeval Japan_
(Carlsbad, N. Mex.: The Outlaw Press, 1994; Potboiler Press, 1999 [Box
30171, Columbia, MO  65205]), 1st printing pp. 189, 327.  The pamphlet is
in print and available from Potboiler Press for $41.95 plus shipping.  You
can contact the publisher at alban at delphi.com.