Water with Waterwheel Tie

Mizuni Suisha (Waterwheel crest) is also known as Hishakuguruma (ladle wheel) crest. It is a crest that depicts a waterwheel. A waterwheel is a device that is turned using the power of water, and there are two types: one with boards attached to the spokes and one with ladles attached to the circumference. The one with ladles attached is called a ladle wheel. It is said that it was the ladle wheel that was used to create the crest. However, in later years, the ladle was mistaken for a mallet due to its similar shape, and it was referred to as a mallet wheel. Some crest books list this name, and it is even made to resemble a mallet. However, it is not a depiction of a mallet, as can be seen in old examples of this crest, some of which even show the stitching of the ladle. Additionally, the 'Kansei Chōshū Shoka Fu' (a genealogy book) clearly states 'waterwheel with eight ladles' when describing the crest of the Doi clan. 'Waterwheel with eight ladles' refers to a waterwheel made up of eight ladles. (From 'Nihon Monshōgaku' by Noda Raisuke). This design is based on 'Mizuni Suisha' from the same book, with my own interpretation added.