Taiko kiri silver plated necklace

The paulownia crest, along with the chrysanthemum crest, has auspicious significance and has been an authoritative crest, so it has been used as a pattern for armor, swords, and their accessories since ancient times. In the era of Hideyoshi, it was further applied to general arts and crafts, making the paulownia crest extremely popular. It was used in everything from clothing and furnishings to architectural carvings, to the point where it was known as 'Taiko kiri' and formed a grand and bold style. It's said that most art works from the Momoyama period feature this pattern ("Japanese Crests").