mukaimon 向い文

A design motif that consists of birds or butterflies with outspread wings arranged facing each other, mukai 向い to form a circle (see *marumon 丸文) or diamond shape (see *hishimon 菱文).The most common types are mukaihōō 向い鳳凰 (facing phoenixes), mukaitsuru 向い鶴 (facing cranes), and mukaichō 向い蝶 (facing butterflies). Facing butterflies in a repeat pattern was often used for the fabric for women's and children's clothing or *bugaku 舞楽 costumes. A type of *yūsoku mon'yō 有職文様.