Arrow Hits the Mark Tile

【mato-ni-atari-ya】Target crest. The target is a mark or a circle, meaning a goal or target for archery or firearms. The 'hit target' crest was used as a shop name or trademark, considered auspicious. It is believed to have been formalized as a crest in the early modern period (according to "Japanese Crests" edited by Ito Kosaku). The target pattern used in designs is thought to have originated from the shape of a square with corner stands, similar to those used in yabusame (Japanese horseback archery)... The target became a family crest due to its martial significance and the auspicious meaning of 'hitting the mark' for merchants (according to "Encyclopedia of Family Crests" by Takazawa etc.).