ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2009 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2009 ************************************ 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 and family name , 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: 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 derives from a place name which meant "base of the mountain", and was recorded c.1147. The yobina 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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] We're pretty sure that the name 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.