Uncover the Untold Story of Your Japanese Ancestors.

Through official family registries (Koseki), we can usually trace back 4 to 7 generations. The oldest obtainable Koseki was established in 1886 (Meiji 19), which can often reveal ancestors born in the late Edo period. If we conduct advanced research beyond Koseki, such as checking temple death registers (Kakucho), we may be able to trace back even further, sometimes up to 400 years to the early Edo period.

Yes, absolutely. During the Edo period, over 90% of the population were commoners, and most people who request ancestor research actually have roots as farmers or merchants. Historical documents like past registers (Kakucho) were kept at local temples for all families, making it possible to trace your roots regardless of their social status.

Official Koseki records do not have a section for occupations, so we cannot determine their job solely from those documents. However, if we conduct advanced historical document research or local investigations, we can often discover what their occupation was (such as farmer, merchant, or samurai) during the Edo period.

Yes. We can investigate by identifying the specific domain or shogunate your ancestor belonged to, and then checking historical samurai rosters (Bugencho) and genealogies. While finding definitive proof depends on the amount of surviving records for that specific domain, we use our extensive knowledge to verify these family traditions.

In some cases, old records have been lost or discarded by local municipalities over time. If this happens, we will create your family report based on the furthest records we could successfully retrieve. Because our professional ancestry research is billed at a simple $30/hour rate, you will only be charged for the actual time we spent researching up to that point.

Yes, we can. In Japanese records, both biological parents and adoptive parents are considered direct ancestors. We can trace either the biological lineage, the adoptive lineage, or both, depending on your preference.

We treat your personal information and family records with strict confidentiality. The information you provide and the official records we retrieve are used strictly for the purpose of your family history research. We strictly refuse any requests intended for background checks. Additionally, we will never send you unsolicited sales calls or direct mail, so please rest assured.

Because you are a direct descendant, it is possible to conduct the research without informing them. However, due to the sensitive nature of acquiring personal family records, we generally recommend obtaining prior consent from your parents or grandparents before we begin.

Our ultimate goal is to enrich your life through your family's history. However, historical research can sometimes reveal unexpected facts or information that differs from family traditions. If there is any specific information you feel uncomfortable with, please let us know; we can omit such details from your final family report upon your request.