Japanese exquisite limited edition replica! Team flag set. English Translation The Imperial Chrysanthemum Crest of the Japanese Emperor: Is it 16 petals? 1. Official Imperial Crest of the Emperor: 16-petaled double-layered chrysanthemum (Jūroku-ya Yaegata Omogiku) Stipulated in the 1926 Imperial Household Ordinance, the exclusive crest for the Emperor, Empress and Crown Prince is the double-layered 16-petaled chrysanthemum: • 16 primary outer petals are visible on the front, with another 16 overlapping inner petals on the reverse side, totaling 32 petals in two layers. • It is commonly referred to simply as the "16-petaled chrysanthemum crest". This highest-ranking crest appears on imperial edicts, imperial banners, military medals and all formal royal ceremonial artifacts. 2. Two easily confused variants 1. 14-petaled single-layer chrysanthemum for imperial princes and collateral royal branches Non-main line imperial families are restricted to a single-layer crest with only 14 petals, a lower rank than the Emperor’s 16-petaled double chrysanthemum. 2. Simplified single-layer 16-petaled chrysanthemum for passports and standard military gear Japanese passports and engravings on Type 38 rifles adopt a simplified single-layer 16-petaled design without inner overlapping petals, a reduced public-use version rather than the formal ceremonial imperial crest. 3. Identification tips for wartime collectibles (for your military banners & cloth artifacts) • Gold-thread embroidered chrysanthemums on wartime shrine dedication banners and officer ceremonial flags with complete double-layer 16 petals represent the official crest of the Emperor. • Single-layer 16-petal patterns on firearms and civilian goods are simplified designs of inferior rank. • Any 14-petal chrysanthemum crest belongs to collateral imperial princes and cannot represent the Emperor himself. Brief Summary The formal official crest of the Japanese Emperor features 16 visible outer petals arranged in a double-layer structure. It is thus known as the "16-petaled chrysanthemum crest". Collateral royal houses use 14-petal versions, while civilian and military everyday items mostly carry simplified single-layer 16-petal motifs.