Japan Village Records: Difference between revisions
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*Land and property records (''Denbata Kiroku or Kenchicho'') | *Land and property records (''Denbata Kiroku or Kenchicho'') | ||
{{Block indent|Research use: Land registers provide names, dates and places for landowners and tenants. Generational linkage is possible through transfer records.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Record type: Village land and property records including title deeds, land transfers and records of tenancy.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Content: Title deeds: names of individuals, village, date. Transfers: village, date, names and relationships of individuals in line of transmission. Tenancy: names of tenants, landowner, village, date. Tax assessments: description of property, property owners, amount of taxes.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Population coverage: 40%.}} | |||
*Tax records (who paid taxes, etc.) (''Nengu or Zeisei Kiroku'') | *Tax records (who paid taxes, etc.) (''Nengu or Zeisei Kiroku'') | ||
{{Block indent|Research use: Tax records are an extensive source of names. They have particular value for identifying male villagers.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Record type: Records of individuals who paid taxes, kept on a village level.}} | |||
Content: Names of individuals, village, date, amount of taxes paid. | Content: Names of individuals, village, date, amount of taxes paid. | ||
{{Block indent|Population coverage: 40%.}} | |||
*Population and status records (a type of census) (''Jinko Iekazu Shirabe, Ninbetsu Mura Okurijo and Debito Iribito'') | *Population and status records (a type of census) (''Jinko Iekazu Shirabe, Ninbetsu Mura Okurijo and Debito Iribito'') | ||
{{Block indent|Research use: These records can provide help in following persons who moved from other villages. They can provide generational linkage as well as names, places, and dates.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Record type: These are various types of village records which keep track of people who moved into or moved out of the community. }} | |||
{{Block indent|Content: Name, age, father’s name, village of origin and/or destination, event dates. May include details concerning the person such as social status, livelihood, criminal activity, and so forth.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Population coverage: 15%.}} | |||
*Disaster and Relief Lists (''Saigai Oyobi Kyusai Kiroku'') | *Disaster and Relief Lists (''Saigai Oyobi Kyusai Kiroku'') | ||
{{Block indent|Research use: Because most village record types are male-centered, these lists are especially useful as they include the names of female (young and old) villagers. These records are necessary for research of collateral lines since the koseki enable only direct-line research.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Record type: Miscellaneous records generated at the village level.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Content: village, event date, and names of villagers who lost property or lives.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Population coverage: 20%.}} | |||
*Lists of people who were drafted into the military - conscription lists (''Chohei Meibo'') | *Lists of people who were drafted into the military - conscription lists (''Chohei Meibo'') | ||
{{Block indent|Research use: Conscription lists are one of the best sources of data for males other than religious census records and koseki. These lists provide valuable clues to family composition.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Record type: Village records which list potential military personnel in the village.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Content: List of males between 18 and 49 years of age: occupation, name, position in family (head of household, other males in birth order), birth date, age, village.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Population coverage: 20%.}} | |||
*Financial records (''Zaisei Kiroku'') | *Financial records (''Zaisei Kiroku'') | ||
{{Block indent|Research use: Village financial records are useful for finding names of persons who do not appear in land or tax records.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Record type: Financial records generated at the village level.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Content: Loan agreements: Village, date, names of applicant, guarantor, and village headman. Grain sales agreements: Village, date, names of sellers and buyers.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Population coverage: 20%.}} | |||
*Conservation project records (''Dashininsokucho'') | *Conservation project records (''Dashininsokucho'') | ||
{{Block indent|Research use: Useful for names of persons who do not appear in land or tax records.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Record type: Village records kept in connection with various water, soil, and forest conservation projects.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Content: Village, date, and names of individuals who participated in the conservation projects.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Population coverage: 20%.}} | |||
*Medical records (''Goyodome'') | *Medical records (''Goyodome'') | ||
{{Block indent|Research use: Medical records provide the names of female villagers and young males who did not live long enough to leave their names behind on military records, land records, or tax records.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Record type: Records of village medical patients.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Content: Name, birth date, birth order, village, father’s name and occupational class; may include death date.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Population coverage: 5%.}} | |||
*Personnel records | *Personnel records | ||
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*Lists of donors to shrines, and so forth (''Kishinhonocho'') | *Lists of donors to shrines, and so forth (''Kishinhonocho'') | ||
{{Block indent|Research use: Donation rosters can provide the names of non-farmers, female villagers, and others who do not appear in higher priority records.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Record type: Donation rosters of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Content: Names of individuals, place, and event places.}} | |||
{{Block indent|Population coverage: 15% to 25%.}} | |||
=== How to obtain them === | === How to obtain them === | ||
The | The FamilySearch Library has some of these records. You can also obtain them from: | ||
*Public, university, and private libraries | *Public, university, and private libraries | ||
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==== Online ==== | ==== Online ==== | ||
* | *{{RecordSearch|1398719|Japan Village Records, 709-1982}} at FamilySearch.org; also at [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9912/ Ancestry] ($) | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
Latest revision as of 17:35, 19 August 2025
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Village Records (Murakata Kiroku)[edit | edit source]
What they are[edit | edit source]
Japanese villages were responsible for several types of records that can be of significant genealogical value, especially when the religious inquisition census records (shumoncho) are unavailable. They cover the time period from 1600 to 1868.
Use these records to[edit | edit source]
These records are used to identify individuals. You can obtain generational linkage, as well as names, places, and dates for village inhabitants. Some list only males, but others list both males and females, and some include children. Personal seals affixed to documents can be very helpful for differentiating between men who had identical given names. You may also find collateral lines that you cannot find in the koseki.
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Content[edit | edit source]
These include:
- Land and property records (Denbata Kiroku or Kenchicho)
- Tax records (who paid taxes, etc.) (Nengu or Zeisei Kiroku)
Content: Names of individuals, village, date, amount of taxes paid.
- Population and status records (a type of census) (Jinko Iekazu Shirabe, Ninbetsu Mura Okurijo and Debito Iribito)
- Disaster and Relief Lists (Saigai Oyobi Kyusai Kiroku)
- Lists of people who were drafted into the military - conscription lists (Chohei Meibo)
- Financial records (Zaisei Kiroku)
- Conservation project records (Dashininsokucho)
- Medical records (Goyodome)
- Personnel records
- Lists of donors to shrines, and so forth (Kishinhonocho)
How to obtain them[edit | edit source]
The FamilySearch Library has some of these records. You can also obtain them from:
- Public, university, and private libraries
- Prefectural and municipal archives
- Village offices
- Homes of descendants of village headmen throughout Japan[1]
Online[edit | edit source]
- Japan Village Records, 709-1982 at FamilySearch.org; also at Ancestry ($)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: Japan,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 1986-2001.
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