Sashimono...

[BigMek]

Ive been thinking, me and a couple others are starting a Japanese group for LARP and want all our fighters to wear sashimono, but, Im not to sure what should be on them! is it the Mon? or something else? please tell me...

just so you all know, Im kinda new to all this so may be coming some stupid questions from me

greetings.
Kenneth - Denmark

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

Mon (kamon - house badges) are common.

Unit mottos are common.

Unit badges (as distinguished from actual clan/house mon) are common.

Designs are almost always simple and done in 'sillouette' so that they can be easily seen on the battlefield.

Kamon: images.google.com/images?q=e-kamon
Sashimono: rhinohide.cx/tousando/yoriaku -> sashimono

[BigMek]

okay, thanks, btw, Ive tried to make my own mon, but are there any "rules" for doing this?

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

I am not aware of any "College of Heralds" which formally regulates the use of family mon in Japan - now or then (except as trademarks).

There are certain common themes. Various forms of symmetry. You can find 17 forms of symmetry in this thead:
tousando.proboards18.com/index.cgi?board=garb&action=display&thread=1096958985

What is rarely found in Japanese mon (even more rare than in European arms) is the use of 'landscape.' A mountain over a house. A bridge over a river. A bird over a house. There are examples of such things ... just very few of them.

Try to avoid more than two colors. You can adopt a color, but your mon should be recognizable when drawn only in black and white (no gray).

If you want to play in the SCA at a latter date, you would want to avoid conflict with a SCA registered arms. But you would need to have an SCA herald check those conflicts for you.

Post your mon here and we'll get a few experienced eyes to look it over.

[BigMek]

well, unless I move to the states I dont think Ill be doing SCA, dont think we have it here in denmark

well, I made six simpel one in Word, but can figure out how to post em :/

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

If you want to email them to me, I will get them posted in a day or two. ronbroberg at yahoo.com

There is SCA in Europe. I am not sure of Denmark.

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

Ronin Proposed Mon: rhinohide.cx/tousando/img/kamon/ronin/mon.html

You can find examples of crossed circles here:
e-kamon.net/kamon078.html

I could not find an example of a simple crescent moon. The Date, however, were known for using a large bronze crescent on their helmets (which kind of looks like a big banana). Another famous clan was known for a sun and moon mon, but I cannot recall which clan or the exact mon.

You can find examples of 2-circles encircled here:
e-kamon.net/kamon113.html
Some others:
e-kamon.net/kamon034.html
I did not find an example of a simple 3 circles encircled.

Here is something like your 4-pointed 'star.'
e-kamon.net/kamon097.html

I was surprised I could not find a circled 'X'. Perhaps it is too close to that a circled cross?

Your 'sun' doesn't radiate quite right (but might be okay anyway - I am no mon expert!), here is a different example:
e-kamon.net/kamon150.html
For something kind of similar to a circle surrounded by triangles, a circle surrounded by circles:
e-kamon.net/kamon166.html

In short, all of these could be used for mon. The circled cross would be immediatley recognized as famous mon I am not sure of the others. I think my favorite would be three circles encircled (with bigger circles).

[BigMek]

yeah, we were thinking about the two at the top...so proberbly going to be one of those...

but thanks for the links!