tomoemon　巴文
KEY WORD :　1 architecture / roofing tiles : 2 art history / paintings
　
1　Also tomoe 巴. A pattern of one or more curled tadpole shapes inside a circle. The pattern is also called right tomoe, migidomoe 右巴, or left tomoe, hidaridomoe 左巴, depending on the direction in which the pattern curves. When the comma shapes are placed in opposite directions, the term kaeruko domoe 蛙子巴 is used. The expressions double tomoe, futatsudomoe 二つ巴, or triple tomoe, mitsudomoe 三つ巴 are used depending on the number of tadpole shapes used. The pattern was used to decorate the eave-end semi-cylindrical tiles *nokidomoegawara 軒巴瓦, *nokimarugawara 軒丸瓦 on Buddhist temples. The pattern first appeared in the Heian period and has continued to be popular to the present day. Sharp pointed tomoemon forms in the Heian period gradually changed to short rounded forms by the Edo period. The same is design is also found on roof-tiles in China, where the tomoemon is associated with water. Therefore, the tiles are believed to ward off fire. A tile with this design is known as *tomoegawara 巴瓦 or *hanamarugawara 端丸瓦.



a) migi hitotsudomoe　右一つ巴　
b) hidari futatsudomoe　左二つ巴 　
c) migi mitsudomoe　右三つ巴　

2　A design pattern comprised of one or more spherical head-like shapes each with a connected curving tail-like shape which ends in a point. The character tomoe 巴 means eddy or whirlpool; however, it is not clear if this was the original idea of the design. Some scholars are convinced that it stems from the design on leather guard worn by ancient archers tomo 鞆 thus tomo-e 鞆絵, a tomo picture. Others say it was originally a representation of a coiled snake. It may be the oldest design in Japan, because it is similar in shape to the *magatama 曲玉 jewelry beads of the Yayoi period. It appears as a design on the wall paintings of the Byoudouin *Hououdou 平等院鳳凰堂 (1053) in Kyoto, and in the Illustrated Handscroll of the Tale of Genji Genji monogatari emaki 源氏物語絵巻 (early 12c). It was widely used from the Kamakura period onward and is often found on utensils, roof tiles and family and shrine heraldry. Its frequent appearance in connection with Shinto shrines indicates that it was thought to express the spirit of the gods. Patterns of one, two and three tomoe exist, some facing left, others right.
　
　

　
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