Left Tomoe with Three Swirls (Outline) Watch

The left and right sides of the tomoe are not determined by the direction of the swirl, but rather by a rational name created from the diagram. While this is immediately clear to a professional artist, a teacher who has never diagrammed a crest may only be concerned with the direction of the swirl. However, even a professional artist may be momentarily unsure of the left and right sides of the tomoe. In such cases, they recall a useful oral tradition... First, they clench their left palm and look at their wrist. The shape is that of a left tomoe. When they clench their right palm, the shape of a right tomoe appears instantly. (from "The Story of Family Crests" by Tsumao Awagasaka, p.61). This design is an outline (cut-out) specification. 'Surikomi' is a technique... where a diagram is created, a tomoe is cut out to make a stencil... the stencil is placed on the fabric, and paint is applied with a brush (reference: "The Magic of Manji, The Curse of Tomoe" by Tsumao Awagasaka, p.146).