FAQ

No specific documents are required to research Japanese ancestors, so please feel free to contact us even if you don’t have any materials on hand. However, the following documents can be helpful:
Family register, Overseas travel records, Immigration records, Death certificate, Travel certificate, Passenger manifests, Census records, Family tree, DNA test results, Old photos

Yes, even professional researchers can request our services. Since Japanese genealogy research can be complex, we have received inquiries and requests from researchers around the world regarding Japanese ancestry research.

The first step in genealogical research is to obtain the Koseki (family register) of the client’s direct ancestors. The oldest family register that can be obtained today is the Meiji-19-style (1886) family register. In post-war family records, only two generations (husband and wife and children) can be in the same family record, but pre-war family records include many people, including siblings’ children and grandchildren, with the “family” as a unit. Therefore, a pre-war family record can reveal many ancestors just by researching the family records of direct ancestors.

Yes, we can research ancestors regardless of whether they were samurai. While it is generally easier to trace samurai lineage, we can also effectively research ancestors from farming or merchant families. The Kakocho (Buddhist temple records), which are essential for tracing beyond the Koseki (family register), were created for all families and are kept in temples throughout Japan.

Over 90% of the population during the Edo period were commoners (farmers or merchants), and most of our clients have ancestral roots in farming families. In addition, when researching before the Edo period, it is often found that many families have samurai lineage.

Yes, we can research family crests (Kamon). After conducting a Koseki (Family Register) Research, we proceed with Historical Record Research to identify the family crest.

Yes, we can conduct research on your ancestor’s grave. In some cases, we can find it by contacting people with the same surname in your ancestor’s place of residence (hometown) or by identifying the temple where they were buried (family temple).

Because there is no column in the family register that lists occupations, it is not possible to accurately determine ancestors’ occupations while collecting the family registers. However, if you research your ancestors beyond the family registers (Historical Record Research and On-Site Investigation), you can usually determine the occupation (farmer, merchant, samurai, etc.) of your ancestors in the Edo period.

Yes, we can research to explore potential connections to historical figures. While we cannot guarantee that a direct connection will always be proven, our specialists will thoroughly investigate the possibility. If you have a specific historical figure in mind, please let us know during the initial consultation so we can tailor our research accordingly.

Our staff is fluent in both English and Japanese, but we do not have staff available in other languages. If you need support in a language other than English or Japanese, please contact us first using the contact form.

Consultations are free. If you decide to proceed with our service, you can choose your preferred payment schedule. You can either pay the full amount upfront at the time of application, or you can opt for a split payment, paying 50% before the research begins and the remaining 50% once the research is completed.

You can pay by credit card or PayPal. For credit card payments, we will email you a payment URL and you can enter your credit card information on the payment screen to complete the transaction.

It is never too late to start genealogy. However, according to the Family Register Act, the koseki records are only kept for 150 years. Once this period expires, older Koseki records, such as removed or revised registers containing your ancestors’ information, may be discarded.

Before the law was revised on June 1, 2010, the retention period was only 80 years, and unfortunately, many records were lost. If a koseki record is discarded, important information about your ancestors may be lost, making it difficult to construct a family tree. Therefore, we recommend that you obtain these records as soon as possible.

Yes, we are confident that our research capabilities are among the best in Japan. If you were not satisfied with the results you received from another researcher, please contact us. We offer a free evaluation to determine if further research is possible. In some cases, our unique research strategies have successfully uncovered new information.