Usagi Yojimbo Mon Hat

jsfree · Post by **jsfree** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 20:01 -0700

Who do I talk to about having a Usagi Yojimbo Mifune Mon crest hat made? I was thinking something along the lines of a black baseball cap with a white mon crest from the Banner that Usagi wears attached to his Samurai armor. Any thoughts?

Casey Burns · Post by **Casey Burns** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 11:55 -0700

Just google "custom embroidery" and you'll find countless vendors.

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 13:51 -0700

If you just want to make one for personal use, I don't think there is a problem. However, if you want to make more you will have to take out a license from Dark Horse, that is if you want it to be an Usagi hat.

The three dots within a circle is a real mon, so I don't have a trademark on it. It just won't be an "Usagi hat".

jsfree · Post by **jsfree** » Fri Oct 07, 2011 5:55 -0700

Sensei, what is the real life mon from the one from the Mifune Clan that Usagi wears in your story and where can I find the design to give to a custom embroidery shop to put on a baseball cap for me? I want the cirlce band with the three dots in the middle like the one on Usagi's war banner.

Post by **Steve Hubbell** » Fri Oct 07, 2011 8:55 -0700

Here is a great book on Japanese Mons and such, and a list of libraries which carry it.....

Japanese Design Motifs: 4,260 Illustrations of Japanese Crests
Fumie Adachi (Translator)
Paperback: 213 pages
Publisher: Dover Publications (1972)

http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Design-M ... 297&sr=1-4

http://www.worldcat.org/title/japanese- ... ef_results

jsfree · Post by **jsfree** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 10:59 -0700

Thanks Steve, I'll look into it.

Post by **Steve Hubbell** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 12:24 -0700

This might also help in finding out about the real life mon....

Toukon wrote:Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this, I'm still new and don't know if it's been mentioned before - I was randomly looking for Japanese castle exploration sites online (some of them have virtual tours that are fun to explore), picked one that sounded interesting and by fluke found this:

http://www.japanese-castle-explorer.com ... ame=Hirado

scroll down, it looks a lot like Usagi's or really, the Mifune crest. I'd always assumed it was made up because it was bold and easier to draw than some crests and because my knowledge of crests is limited.

http://robtilley.photoshelter.com/image ... 6hPxXd0lBc

roof tiles that end with the same symbol, like those on page 77 of book 2. page 78 has the top of the roof with the fish and a similar construction, or just really common to stereotypical Japanese castles and wishful thinking.

Maybe it isn't related other than the symbol. The castle in the comic is a lot more impressive seeming and higher built, but the original hirado castle was burned down and later rebuilt:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hirado_castle.jpg

it does seem to have the same symbol but for all I know it's really common. As far as I know everyone on here already knows what castle or building influenced what in the series, but I was surprised and happy to find something like this on a real castle at random.

jsfree · Post by **jsfree** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 19:05 -0700

Thank you for being so helpful. I will check out the links you posted.