# Tortoise shell

亀甲 kikkō

![Tortoise shell](https://www.furoshiki.com/swatches/kikko.svg)

Hexagons from the tortoise shell; the tortoise 'lives 10,000 years', so it stands for longevity and protection and suits birthdays and celebrations of long life.

From China, Asuka–Nara periods; a Heian court (yūsoku) pattern

The hexagon arrived from China in the 6th–8th centuries and became one of the Heian court's yūsoku patterns. From the Kamakura period warriors adopted it for armour and clothing, and it was used on Buddhist objects, lacquer and metalwork. A single hexagon frames many family and shrine crests (for example Izumo Taisha's), while the repeating kikkō-tsunagi is the usual textile form, often with flowers set inside.

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Source: https://www.furoshiki.com/patterns/kikko/