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Kamon (家紋) or mon (紋) are Japanese crests. Kamon specifically denotes a family crest whereas mon refers to any crest.
Chrysanthemum.jpg
The chrysanthemum (kiku in Japanese) is the coat of arms of the Japanese Emperor.
Japanese crests consist of a rondel encircling a design (feathers, flowers etc). They are somewhat like coats of arms in that they are either associated with a particular family, or an individual who has achieved some variety of public recognition. The designs are usually stylised versions of traditional Japanese themes, such as bamboo. Artists may choose something symbolising their art; a fan design might be chosen by a geisha.
A woman may still wear her maiden crests if she wishes and pass them on to her daughters; a woman does not have to adopt her husband's or father's crests.
Crests add formality to a kimono. A kimono may have one or three or five crests. .
The crests themselves can be more or less formal, the more the crest stands out the more formal it is. This may help dress up or dress down the formality of a kimono at the wearer's discretion.
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