One of the Japanese surnames.
This surname is relatively common, with 260,000 people bearing it nationwide.
Meaning of each character in this surname:
“石” (pronounced ishi) → stone
“田” (pronounced ta, da) → rice field
As basic background, rice farming was Japan’s primary agriculture.
Surnames originating from topography
This is a toponymic surname meaning “a field with many stones” or “a field with ground as hard as stone,” with roots found throughout the country. For example, places like Ishida Town in Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture; Ishida in Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture; and Kamiishida and Shimoishida in Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, are examples where the surname is derived from the place name.
It is also possible that the surname itself originated from such place names.
Surname of a Momoyama Period Military Commander
Mitsunari excelled in finance and administration, rising to become one of the Five Commissioners in the Toyotomi government. After Hideyoshi’s death in Keichō 5 (1600), Mitsunari raised arms against Tokugawa Ieyasu, one of the Five Elders. He supported Mōri Terumoto and Ukita Hideie, leading the Western Army at the Battle of Sekigahara. Defeated, he was executed.
Explanation of this calligraphy
The top row is in hiragana, the middle row in kanji, and the bottom row in katakana, all written horizontally.

























