Date Masamune and the Crests He Used
Date Masamune was one of the most famous daimyo of the late Sengoku and early Edo periods. This page introduces the Japanese family crests associated with him and the Date clan.
Who Was Date Masamune?
Date Masamune (1567–1636) was a powerful daimyo of Mutsu and Dewa and the 17th head of the Date clan. He later became the first lord of the Sendai Domain. Because he lost sight in one eye, he is widely known by the nickname "The One-Eyed Dragon."
After succeeding his father Terumune, Masamune expanded the power of the Date clan through warfare, diplomacy, and political skill. He defeated the Ashina clan and became one of the leading warlords of northern Japan.
Later, he submitted to Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Odawara campaign. After Hideyoshi's death, Masamune supported the Eastern Army in the Battle of Sekigahara. After the war, Tokugawa Ieyasu confirmed his holdings, and Masamune became the first lord of the Sendai Domain, valued at 620,000 koku.
In the Edo period, he strengthened the foundations of his domain, developed Sendai, and promoted culture and learning. He is remembered not only as a military leader, but also as a refined and stylish cultural figure.
Crests Used by Date Masamune
Date Masamune is associated with multiple crests. Some were inherited within the Date clan, while others were granted by powerful figures or adopted through political and cultural ties.
Jump to: Vertical Three Bars in a Circle | Horizontal Three Bars | Sendai Bamboo Grass | Bamboo and Sparrow | Kuyo | Snowflake and Pampas Grass | Eight Nazuna | Date Mandarin Ducks | Sixteen-Petal Chrysanthemum | Paulownia
Vertical Three Bars in a Circle
This crest was long used as a formal crest of the Date clan. It is said to have been granted to Date Tomemune, the first head of the clan, by Minamoto no Yoritomo.
See this crest in the kamon database
Horizontal Three Bars
This was one of the crests commonly used by the main Date family in Masamune's time. A statue of Masamune at Zuiganji is known to show this crest together with the Bamboo and Sparrow crest.
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Sendai Bamboo Grass
Sendai Sasa is widely known today as an exclusive crest of the Date clan. However, this crest became the clan's formal crest only from the middle Edo period onward. During Masamune's own lifetime, Bamboo and Sparrow was used instead.
See this crest in the kamon database
Bamboo and Sparrow
This crest originally came from the Uesugi clan. It was granted to Date Sanemoto, Masamune's grand-uncle and founder of the Watari Date line, as a gift. Later, its use was also permitted for the main Date family.
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Kuyo
Masamune is said to have adopted the Kuyo crest after requesting it from Hosokawa Tadaoki, with whom he had a close relationship.
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Snowflake and Pampas Grass
This was an exclusive crest of the Date clan and is said to have been used from Masamune's generation.
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Eight Nazuna
This crest was also used from the time of Date Tomemune. Nazuna is one of the traditional Seven Herbs of Spring and has long been regarded as an auspicious plant symbolizing health and longevity.
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Date Mandarin Ducks
This crest was granted to Masamune by Konoe Nobuhiro, the kampaku (imperial regent), with whom he had friendly relations. It was originally known as Oshidori no Maru.
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Sixteen-Petal Chrysanthemum
This crest was granted to Masamune when he went to Kyoto, and it is said to have come from Toyotomi Hideyoshi. There is also a tradition that it may have been bestowed by the emperor.
See this crest in the kamon database
Paulownia
The Paulownia crest was also granted to Masamune by Toyotomi Hideyoshi when Masamune went to Kyoto.
The Most Famous Crest of Date Masamune
Today, many people associate the Date clan with Sendai Sasa. However, if we focus specifically on Date Masamune himself, Bamboo and Sparrow is especially important.
This is one of the most interesting points in the study of samurai crests: the crest most strongly associated with a clan today is not always the same crest that was most closely associated with a specific historical figure during his lifetime.
Download Samurai Kamon Data
A downloadable set of crests for samurai and historical figures is available in our original shop. The set includes transparent black-and-white PNG files for research, publishing, design, and historical projects.
Please check the product page for details on file format, size, and licensing terms.
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