What is the MON Project?

The MON Project is a personal project re-designing traditional Japanese family crests into modern tattoo designs. I will be compiling them into a zine/book when I am done! In the meantime, I’m excited to share these designs to folks as flash tattoos. You do not have to be Japanese or be connected to the culture to get one tattooed - I identify as Japanese-American and my intention is to merge the two worlds I’ve been exposed to and sometimes feel trapped between. Finding a middle ground, to merge inspirations, helps me feel more at home. I hope you’ll find your own appreciation for the designs and please reach out if you feel inspired to receive one as a tattoo!

Source: The Elements of Japanese Design by John W. Dower (1971). Illustrations by Kiyoshi Kawamoto.