Some people may think of heraldry as a strictly European invention. However, heraldry developed entirely separately, without European influence, in Japan only slightly later than it did in Europe. To this day, people in Japan still use kamon, symbols that tie them to their ancestors. The use of the kamon of others is not prohibited, but using the mon of a more powerful family is avoided by all. Eventually kamon became a symbol of authority in Japan, signifying an honourable family. Kamon are embroidered on clothing, and also appear on passports. Walking down the street today, I can see many of these beautiful and unique symbols. Although many of them are floral and intricate, they come in all different shapes and levels of complexity. This is an important reminder that the world doesn’t just consist of Europe and her colonies: there are places in the world where entirely different cultures flourish.