Germany football logo from 1928.
While watching a football game between Japan and Germany for the World Cup at a friend’s house, I noticed that Japan’s jersey’s embroidered logo/shield represented a crow. Well, I first interpreted it as an eagle.
Indeed, my first thought was to associate that logo with another eagle, from the German football logo… (e.g. photo).
To my surprise, this was a crow, and more, it had three legs? Wait, what?
Yatagarasu aka the three-legged crow
So, after a couple minutes on the WWW, I managed to find that this three-legged crow was named Yatagarasu [八咫烏] and was a mythological creature, who helped the legendary emperor Jimmu (the founding father of Japan and descendent of the sun goddess, Amaterasu) in his first adventure to travel into Japan and unite all of the tribes. At those times, unity was made with war.
Yatagarasu – our crow – guided him in his emigration towards Japan, notably through Yamato Province and the city of Osaka.
His appearance was interpreted as a proof of celestial desire or divine intervention.
Each one of its legs has a purpose. The first one represents the Sky, the second on the Earth, and the third one Men.
Therefore, it’s easy to comprehend why the Japan Football Association chose that particular emblem: It is a way to protect and guide football players all the way through victory.
So, let them be successful!