日系 Nikkei Ancestry

What is a Kakocho?

A Kakocho [Buddhist death register] is housed at the local temple of the sect to which the family belongs.  When a member of the family dies, the Buddhist temple of which the family belonged registers the deceased name and death date, and is given a posthumous Buddhist name, which is also recorded.  Members of your family household may have one near a home alter.

You can best obtain the name and address of that temple from your Japanese relatives.

過去帳のリクエスト

This should be good for sending to Japan or any English-speaking temple in the United States.  If you would like a few, register at the forum, and I will send them.  Of course you may make your own.

[This is a courtesy and will help make matter''s easier, since your asking them for help. They are not required to help. To help move things along, I decided to do this postcard and offer them to members of the forum.]

Put a return postage, airmail “Par Avion” 航空便, and your return address on the front. [this is a courtesy and will help make matter's easier, since your asking for help]

Fill in your family name 家 and/or last name, given name, and any dates you have to help them do a search.

Send a greeting with your postcards!  This would be proper thing to do as opposed to just sending the postcard by itself.

__Temple name______ご住職様 前略　突然のお葉書で申し訳ありません。私は日系人の＿your full name＿＿＿＿と申します。私の先祖のことを知りたく思い、できれば過去帳を調べたいと存じます。お忙しいところ大変恐縮ですが、返信用のはがきを同封いたしましたので、必要事項を記載して送り返していただけましたら大変有り難く存じます。何卒よろしくお願いいたします。早々 __your name______

This isn’t the first postcard, and other’s are to be credited with helping me with the translation. I’m not sure what the direct translation is.   Suggestions and corrections are welcomed, but they will have to go on future printing.  If you would like some of these please go over to the forum and register for a membership.  Membership registration is manual for security reasons, so your account may not be accessible right away. I want to thank coco for helping with the mail greeting.

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