Mitsudomoe – Amulet against Fires

The mitsudomoe (三つ巴) is a common three-swirl or three- magatama design and is seen on Japanese family crests, roof tiles on traditional houses, Shinto shrines, and Buddhist temples. It also exists in its two-swirl version, the futatsudomoe (二つ巴) and both can be found in the design of taiko drums.

This symbol is very representative and is an important part of Japanese thought and culture, along with the sakura, the maneki-neko, among others .

The Mitsudomoe has an ancient history as a symbol, going back thousands of years before our era. It was frequently related to Shinto and archery, being used by warriors for protection and divine help. Legend has it that when Emperor Ojin was born (ca year 1000), he had this symbol on his arm, so the popularity of its use as a kamon grew.

The mitsudomoe is closely associated with Shinto shrines, particularly those dedicated to Hachiman , the god of war and archery since in Shinto cosmology and ritual, Hachiman is repeatedly connected with the number three. In Shinto thought, this number is taken to represent the three aspects of the four mitama or ‘souls’.

Since Hachiman was revered as the guardian of warriors , he was adopted by various samurai clans as a common design element in Japanese family crests ( 家紋, kamon ). The mitsudomoe is a visual representation of the cycle of life .

This symbol also refers to water , an association engendered by its swirling pattern. For this reason, it is said that it is located on roofs and pediments of buildings as an amulet against fire .