This book is not about the meaning of the individual charges of Japanese heraldry. Its aim is to help the reader “blazon” Japanese Mon in their original language. While some books have given a cursory view of a few terms used to describe Mon, a thorough explanation has been missing. It is my goal to remedy this by providing as precise and exhaustive a list as possible. Moreover it is my belief that by mastering the concepts associated with the description of Mon it will be possible to design new ones respecting the spirit of Japanese heraldry.

Japan's culture is the only one other than that of Western Europe to create a fully developed heraldic system. It is quite different from European heraldry in form and means of expresion, but shares its basic function as a hereditary system of distinctive marks to indentify individuals, families, and institutions. The Japanese heraldic system is often seen as baffling and opaque, even by scholars trained in European heraldry. The essay which begins on page 13 is an attempt to make understanding and enjoyment of Japanese heraldry and heraldic flags available to non-specialists. It also outlines the basic grammar of Japanese heraldry, and provides a glossary of English blazon for Japanese heraldry and presents Japanese heraldic vocabulary (from the editor's preface).