expression, noun
Tokugawa clan crest; triple hollyhock crest
Refers specifically to the family crest of the Tokugawa shogunate, featuring three wild ginger (asarum) leaves. Often encountered in historical contexts.
この神社の門には葵の御紋が刻まれている。
The Tokugawa crest is carved on the gate of this shrine.
時代劇で、葵の御紋の入った提灯を見た。
I saw a lantern bearing the triple hollyhock crest in a period drama.
家紋 is the general term for a family crest, while 葵の御紋 is a specific historical crest.
The crest is based on the leaves of the wild ginger plant (葵, あおい), which were used as a design by the Tokugawa family. The exact origin of the association is uncertain.