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About 30 percent of the still existing records are available at the Family History Library. Because they are scattered in archives, private collections, in the homes of descendants of village headmen, and even in some Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, you must search them out. | About 30 percent of the still existing records are available at the Family History Library. Because they are scattered in archives, private collections, in the homes of descendants of village headmen, and even in some Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, you must search them out. | ||
Privacy laws, and 80-year retentions restrict access to ''koseki''.<ref>Dr. Kin-itsu Hirata and Dr. Greg Gubler, "Family and Local History in Japan. Breaking the Impasse: Sources and Options in Japanese Family History Research," ''World Conference on Records: Preserving Our Heritage, August 12-15, 1980,'' Vol. 11: Asian and African Family and Local History. {{FHL|33546|item|disp=FHL US/CAN Book 929.1 W893 1980 v. 11}}</ref> | Privacy laws, and 80-year retentions restrict access to ''koseki''.<ref>Dr. Kin-itsu Hirata and Dr. Greg Gubler, "Family and Local History in Japan. Breaking the Impasse: Sources and Options in Japanese Family History Research," ''World Conference on Records: Preserving Our Heritage, August 12-15, 1980,'' Vol. 11: Asian and African Family and Local History. {{FHL|33546|item|disp=FHL US/CAN Book 929.1 W893 1980 v. 11}}</ref> | ||
==== How to Write City Hall for Your Family's Koseki ==== | |||
In order to receive your koseki you will first have to prove your lineage to the person for whom you are requesting. The following information will be needed: | |||
#A copy of your photo ID (Driver's license, Passport, etc.) | |||
#A copy of your birth certificate and a copy of for each set of parents until you reach the ancestor in question. For example, if you want your great grandfather's koseki and he was born in Japan, you would need yours, your parent's on whose line he is on - so if it is your father's line, you would need your father's birth certifcate and both of his parent's birth certificate. You don't need your great grandfather's because his information is recorded on the koseki in Japan. | |||
#A pedigree chart with your lineage written out with information that you have. Highlight the line you are seeking information on. | |||
#A koseki request form filled out. | |||
#Currently the cost for a copy of a koseki and postage is about $13 US dollars. Japanese City Halls will only accept Interational Money Orders from US Postal Service. DO NOT send money orders from banks as it will be returned. Make the International Money Order payable to the City Hall. | |||
#Enclose a self-addressed envelope. | |||
#If you cannot write in Japanese, see if you can find someone who can. It will be most helpful if you write the family's name in kanji, as the characters can be very necessary in distingushing your family. All Japanese names can be pronounced several different ways, so a request written only in Romanization - containing what you think is the correct pronunciation of the name - may be hard to determine accurately. It is worth trying, even if you don't know the Japanese characters. Try checking with other family members to see if they know it if you do not. If not you can write it in Roman letters, but it will greatly slow things down. | |||
#The City Hall is not required to give you a copy of your famil's koseki, even after you prove your lineage. You want to make sure you have everything in order and make it as simple as possible for them to respond to your request. Be patient. It can take a couple of weeks, to many months to receive a response. Any $ change from the transaction will be given in Japanese postage stamps - which you can use again as partial payment on your next request. When you receive your family's koseki it is time for another happy dance! | |||
#It will be necessary to find someone to translate the koseki for you if you cannot read kanji (Japanese character writing). Kanji has changed over the years, so you will need to use the handwriting charts on this page for help. HINT:If there is a kanji you cannot read, download a free language bar from Microsoft.On the Japanese language bar there is an IME pad, using the mouse you can copy the mystery kanji in stroke order and the program will read the kanji in Roman letters. Of course, this is only helpful for someone who knows kanji stroke order. | |||
#Once you have the translated copy of your family's koseki, it is time to input that information onto your Family Group Sheets and Pedigree chart. Using a software program is highly recommended as you will quickly see how complicated Japanese lineage can be because of heir adoptions and name changes. (That is explained further down.) You can download a free copy of thePAF genealogy software program. PAF (Personal Ancestrial File) is excellent to use as you can choose Japanese or English versions or both. | |||
=== Other Resources === | === Other Resources === | ||
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