I was told by my late grandmother that my great, great-grandfather was a samurai. I have been trying to verify this. My cousin was able to obtain a koseki containing scant family info going back only to my great –grandfather. Luckily, his father's name is listed and there are three addresses in Hiroshima which provide a starting point. I was told that the best way to get information is through temples. At minimum, I seek confirmation of our samurai descent. It would be great to get a family crest and a detailed family history.
I have already done a lot of work, e. g. online searches, email to the City of Hiroshima and a Buddhist bishop in Los Angeles with no real results. Please note that I do not speak or write Japanese. These are the questions I hope someone can answer definitively:
1. Am I following the right procedure? Perhaps there is a simple "samurai registry" which I can consult (I am pretty certain there is so such thing) or some other document that I can easily obtain elsewhere.
2. Does anyone know exactly how I can obtain a list of temples and contact info in what were the old Misasa and Nagatsuka neighborhoods of Hiroshima? ("Go to Japan and ask there" or "Phone so-and-so" are not practical due to time and money constraints, in addition to the fact that I don't speak, read or write Japanese)
3. If I write these temples (I would need a translator), exactly what should I be asking for? I think there are death records, marriage records, etc. complicated by different names given to individuals after they die. In what form should requests be submitted?
Thanks for your feedback.
I have already done a lot of work, e. g. online searches, email to the City of Hiroshima and a Buddhist bishop in Los Angeles with no real results. Please note that I do not speak or write Japanese. These are the questions I hope someone can answer definitively:
1. Am I following the right procedure? Perhaps there is a simple "samurai registry" which I can consult (I am pretty certain there is so such thing) or some other document that I can easily obtain elsewhere.
2. Does anyone know exactly how I can obtain a list of temples and contact info in what were the old Misasa and Nagatsuka neighborhoods of Hiroshima? ("Go to Japan and ask there" or "Phone so-and-so" are not practical due to time and money constraints, in addition to the fact that I don't speak, read or write Japanese)
3. If I write these temples (I would need a translator), exactly what should I be asking for? I think there are death records, marriage records, etc. complicated by different names given to individuals after they die. In what form should requests be submitted?
Thanks for your feedback.