Tomoe

For other uses, see Tomoe (disambiguation).

A tomoe or tomoye (archaic) (巴) is a Japanese abstract shape (a swirl) that resembles a comma or the usual form of magatama. It is a common design element in Japanese family emblems (家紋, kamon) and corporate logos, particularly in triplicate whorls known as mitsu tomoe. One mitsu tomoe variant, the Hidari Gomon, is the traditional symbol of Okinawa. The Koyasan Shingon sect of Buddhism uses the Hidari Gomon as a visual representation of the cycle of life.

The tomoe is very similar in design to the Korean sam-taegeuk, Tibetan Gankyil or Chinese yin/yang symbols.

On the opposite side of Eurasia, the Basque lauburu and some forms of the Celtic spiral triskele resemble small groups of tomoe.

• 
  A mitsudomoe design on a taiko drum
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  The Ryūkyū Kingdom flag had a mitsu tomoe on it
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  A futatsudomoe (two-fold tomoe)
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  The flag of Jeju has a non-Japanese tomoe
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  A non-Japanese solar symbol resembling a fourfold tomoe

See also

• Lauburu

External links

• JAANUS/ tomoemon
• The Shinto Trinity