Shintani Family
I can trace the family back eight generations to 1753 with my fifth great grandfather Hisanojyo Shintani. He was probably a second or third son who established his line in Kumano. This was during the peaceful Tokugawa period, in which merchants prospered.
We learned much from our trip to Kumano in 2014. Here is a video that we took at the Kumano cemetery.
I also feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to talk story with my grandmother. My mother warned me to respect my grandmother and not to pry. But I was trained as a journalist and could not hold back my questions.
“What did you think of Grandpa when you first met him?” My grandmother didn’t answer. She was hard of hearing so I asked her again. “Was he handsome?” I asked.
“Do you ask your parents these things?” my grandmother asked me back. I didn’t understand that marriage wasn’t always a fairytale or that our family had not always been poor.
“It was shinpai,” I didn’t recognize the word. My grandma told me that her marriage had been arranged. I knew that my grandfather had been much older but I had no idea that my great grandfather had arranged the marriage in Hawaii. And my grandmother never told me what she had thought of her husband other than, “He was short.”
Mie Prefecture faces the Pacific Ocean in the east. The prefecture has mountains, valleys, rivers, and beaches, and a third of its land is in natural parks. Ise Shrine and Mikimoto Pearl Island are in Mie Prefecture.
Kumano is the birthplace of Japan in old folklore and is famous for its grand shrines. Kumano has part of Japan’s longest gravel shoreline which is covered by colorful pebbles often used for jewelry and accessories.
Historical Notes
My grandfather was born in 1886 in the coastal town of Kinomoto in Japan. He came from a prominent family which continues to reside there today. The family’s holdings did not get passed down strictly through first-born sons. There have been several instances where husbands were “adopted” into the family resulting in husbands taking their wives’ names. My grandfather’s mother, grandmother, great grandmother and the current heirs all married adopted sons.
My mother’s maiden name is Niiya. However, my grandfather’s family name is Shintani 新 谷. When my grandfather’s older brother Tokujiro came to Hawaii, he adopted the name Niiya because it was easier to pronounce than Shintani. Both names are associated with the same first kanji. In addition, the “ya” in the name Niiya is added on to the end of words in Japanese to denote businesses.
Buddhists obtain posthumous names and are buried under their posthumous name.
Earliest Ancestor
My fifth Great Grandfather, Hisanojyo Shintani was born in 1753. His parents were probably born in the early 1700s. Because we do not have more information about his family, it is believed that he was a second or third son establishing his own family line. He probably came from a prominent family that helped him set up his new home.
I do not know where Hisanojyo was born. There is no indication that he had family in the area. During the 1700s, the Kinomoto area was part of the Kishu Domain (or Kii Domain) under the Tokugawa clan. The Tokugawa period (1615–1865) was a time of relative peace and stability in Japan. The national economy expanded rapidly from the 1680s to the early 1700s. The emphasis placed on agricultural production by the Tokugawa shogunate encouraged considerable growth. Expansion of commerce and the manufacturing industry was even greater, stimulated by the development of large urban centers around Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. The merchant class emerged and brought a dynamic urban culture. Tokyo was a governmental center while Osaka became more of a commercial center.
According to Wikipedia, the town of Kinomoto was formed on April 1, 1889. Kumano City was established on November 3, 1954 and in 2005, the town of Kiwa was merged into Kumano.
During the Tokugawa period (1615–1865), Buddhism was the official religion, but the people continued to pay homage to Shinto spirits. The imperial family and officials made month-long pilgrimages from Kyoto to Kumano.
I would estimate that the earliest ancestor Hisanojyo married his wife Haru at the age of 20 in 1773 and that they had a child in 1774. The family home in Kumano was probably built for Hisanojyo’s family. The family heir, Yasubei was born in the 1770s.
When Hisanojyo was 27, in 1779, he established the Shintani cemetery in Kumano for his wife Haru. Haru passed away on May 3, 1779. She is buried in Zuiunji, Kinomoto cho 384, Kumano Shi, Mie Prefecture. Hisanojyo’s wife Haru was renamed Syaku Nimyoujyu. A year after Hisanojyo’s wife died, Hisanojyo and Haru’s child died on July 20, 1780 and was renamed Syaku Kyosai.
There was a famine in Japan from 1782 to 1787 after unseasonable weather damaged crops and rice became scarce.
Hisanojyo remarried which leads me to believe that he was prominent. Hisanojyo died at the age of 42 on October 8, 1794; he was buried in the Shintani cemetery in Kumano. His second wife died on March 1, 1802 and was renamed Syaku Nimyouzen.The family’s holdings did not get passed down strictly through first-born sons. There have been several instances where husbands were “adopted” into the family resulting in husbands taking their wives’ names. This was the case with three generations of my grandfather’s mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.
When my grandfather’s older brother Tokujiro came to Hawaii, he adopted the pronunciation of Niiya because it was easier to pronounce than Shintani. Both names are associated with the same first kanji. In addition, the “ya” in the name Niiya is added on to the end of words in Japanese to denote businesses.
Second Generation — My Fourth Great Grandparents
Hisanyjo’s son Yasubei (not to be confused with a later Yasubei Shintani who was my grandfather’s grandfather) inherited the family home. I’m not sure when this would have occurred, but Hisanyjo’s son might have moved into the main house once he had his own children. I would estimate that Yasubei was born around 1774.
The earliest ancestor’s son Yasubei married and had children. Yasubei’s wife’s name was Kiku; they had at least two daughters, my great great great grandmother Husa, and Yotsu. As the family line passed down to a daughter, perhaps none of the sons survived to adulthood. Yasubei did not live a long life.
Yasubei Shintani died in his 30s on November 17, 1811 and was renamed Syaku Ryouhei. Yasubei’s wife Kiku died 17 years later on October 2, 1828 and was renamed Syaku Nimyousoku.
Family Register or Koseki
There are some attached notes on the koseki saying that the koseki disappeared in Showa 4 (which was the era of Hirohito) 1931. My grandfather married my grandmother in 1931. Several of my grandfather’s siblings are missing from the koseki including my grandfather’s older brother Tokujiro who had passed away in 1903 and Shikanosukei who passed away in 1905 in his early 20s. There is however a notation of Seichiro who had passed away in 1917 so I’m not sure why some are included. And it is not clear to me why my grandfather is listed when he came to Hawaii at the age of 19.
When Buddhism was first introduced to Japan, people assimilated the Buddhist images and ways of worship into native Shinto practices. It was common for Shinto shrines to be dedicated to both Shinto and Buddhist gods.
Kumano attracted Emperors, ex-Emperors and nobles in Kyoto, as well as warriors and common people. All people regardless of social rank, gender, and belief were allowed to make the pilgrimage to Kumano Sanzan.
Third Generation — My Grandfather’s Great Grandparents
Masauemon Hamada, my grandfather’s great grandfather, was born in 1807. He was adopted into the family. I’ve been told that wealthy families adopted sons from far away. Hamada’s wife, Husa, was Yasubei’s daughter and the earliest ancestor’s granddaughter. I would estimate that Husa married in 1827. Husa and Masauemon’s daughter Rikoko was my Grandfather’s Grandmother; she was born in 1808. The dates might be wrong as Masaumon was born in 1807.
Husa died on February 21, 1838 and was renamed Syaku Myouchi.
Masauemon died on February 10, 1839, at the age of 32, and was renamed Syaku Kanshin. They were only married for about a dozen years before they both passed away.
Fourth Generation, Koseki Generation- My Grandfather’s Grandparents
Our copy of the koseki features my grandfather’s grandfather, Yasubei as head of household. Rikiko was the earliest ancestor’s great granddaughter. She married Yasubei, who was adopted into the family. Earlier, it is noted that Rikoko was born in 1808. Yasubei was born in 1807. They had a daughter named Rin Shintani who was born on May 10,1849 (Keio 3) and who lived to December of 1934. Her parents would have been 41 and 42, I’m not sure if this is correct. My great great grandparents did not have had any sons as it appears that daughter Rin was the heir.
My great great grandfather Yasubei Shintani lived at the end of the Tokugawa era when the shogunate held military power and kept Japan isolated. The Meiji restoration occurred in 1868, four years after my great great grandfather passed away. During my great great grandfather’s time, the merchant class gained wealth and power.
Yasubei Shintani was a merchant that passed on the family business to his daughter and her husband. My grandfather’s grandparents passed away a few years before my grandfather was born. Yasubei’s wife Rikiko died at the age of 74 on March 15, 1881 and was renamed Syaku Nimyogo. She seems to be the first ancestor that lived a long life.
The fourth generation Yasubei died at the age of 58 on August 4, 1864; he was renamed Syaku Kinjyo. Mineogoro however reports that his grandfather Yasubei lived to 91.
The fifth generation was wealthy. I’m not sure how many generations were well-off, but WWII probably decreased much of the family’s wealth. During my grandfather’s time, the family had a front house for the main family and a back house for other family members. The property extended all the way to the ocean and the family had several rice paddies nearby.
After the Meiji Restoration, merchants continued to gain wealth as a result of opened trade.
Yotsu, Masasuke’s aunt, and Yasubei’s daughter died on October 26, 1877 and was renamed Syaku Nimyshin. She might not have married if she was buried in the family cemetery.
Fifth Generation, The Great Family — Great Grandparents Masasuke and Rin
My great grandmother Rin Shintani was born in Kumano on May 10, 1849. She married an adopted son. I do not know if her father chose her husband before he passed away. Minegoro reports that it was customary to adopt second or third sons to head the family.
Masasuke Yamasaki was born on April 13, 1846. Masasuke adopted the Shintani name when he married my great grandmother Rin Shintani circa 1866. He would have been around 20 years old and Rin would have been around 17.
Minegoro reports that his father was an aggressive merchant who had retail stores, two in the mountains one of which was later run by the eldest son Kamematsu and then daughter Fujie who married Tokujiro Murotani. A second branch store in Ikebara Village of Nara prefecture was later run by Seichiro. The family also sold cedar trees used to make sake barrels.
Masasuke died at age 84 on December 1, 1929, and was renamed Syaku Jyozui.
Sixth Generation — My Grandfather
My great grandparents had six sons and three daughters. Although my grandfather lived to an old age, several of his siblings did not. Three of my grandfather’s siblings had passed away before my grandfather came to Hawaii in 1907 and one of them passed away in 1917 in his 20s.
My great grandparents believed in education. All of the sons except the eldest went to universities at a time when generally only wealthy elite families sent sons to college. During the Meiji era, only about ten percent graduated from middle school. One of Masasuke’s sons married into a samurai family. In Meiji 17, September 1884, when my great grandfather was about 38, he contributed to building a new elementary school in Kinomoto.
Masasuki sent provisions to my grandfather’s store in Hawaii which cost a considerable amount of money. He sold fish packed in ice to the Nagoya fish market and also sold fish at his two branch stores in the mountains in Kono-uye Village and Ikebara Village. The mountain store was about 15 miles away which was reached on foot over hilly terrain which took 6 hours to reach by foot. The main store was in Kumano. Minegoro reports that all of the goods were delivered by people in the village or by horse-cart. They were one of four fish marketers in the town. The total population of the town during the Meiji era was 5,000.
The family also had a lumber business. They owned mountain land that grew cedar trees that were used for sake barrels.
My Grandfather’s Eldest Brother
My grandfather’s oldest brother, Kamematsu Shintani was born on April 28, 1867. He married three times in Kumano and had five sons and two daughters. His line continues to reside in the family home and has been designated as the Main Family or honke. According to family in Kumano, Kamematsu ran a rice store like his father. He did not attend a university as his family obligation was to run the family business.
Kamematsu at one time was employed in Oroshi at a sake business about 15 miles away from Kumano.
Kamematsu’s first marriage
I would estimate that Kamematsu got married at the age of 25 to Yoshi Shimizu (February 1,1874 — November 8, 1894); Yoshi was 21 when she passed away. She was the seventh daughter of Gen Shimizu. My grandfather would have been about five years old. As soon as he married, Kamematsu ran the branch store at Kono-ume. Minegoro says he loved poems and haiku and was a good student.
Tokujiro’s Family
Tokujiro was born around 1872 and was the second eldest of Masasuke and Rin Shintani. I do not know his exact birthdate. He is four years younger than his elder brother Kamematsu. He attended primary and middle school in Kumano. He was a good student and the school principal recommended him for commercial school in Nagoya.
Tokujiro graduated from Business School in Nagoya City in 1893, at 22 and when my grandfather was five years old and around when his older brother Kamematsu was married. According to Ted Niiya, Tokujiro’s grandson, Tokujiro was bilingual.
Tokujiro worked as an office person at Nippon Toki Kaisha Noritake porcelain in Nagoya right after he graduated from business school.
Tokujiro attended primary and middle school in Kumano, Japan. His eldest brother was expected to take care of the family business and was not able to go away for college; he was four years older than Tokujiro. As a second son, Tokujiro was encouraged to attend college. He went to Business School in Nagoya which was 120 miles from Kumano, and graduated in 1893, at 22 when my grandfather was six years old. Tokujiro was bilingual.
Tokujiro worked as an office person at Noritake right after he graduated from business school. Noritake was exploring the production of European-style china. (In 1889, the founder of Noritake visited the World Exposition in Paris and were impressed with beautifully and exquisitely decorated European porcelain. Eight years later, Noritake dispatched engineers to Europe to learn the latest manufacturing methods to achieve white porcelain ware using Japanese materials.
In 1904, a factory with modern equipment and facilities was constructed in Noritake, Nagoya. Ten years later, in 1914, Japan’s first Western-style dinner set was finally completed and exported to the United States.
at the company’s founding
Tokujiro befriended a German national at Noritake, an engineer of porcelain, and accompanied him to Hawaii in 1894, a year after Queen Liliuokalani was overthrown.
(Minegoro noted that Tokujiro came to Hawaii in 1896 so he might have actually graduated before 1893). More on Tokujiro’s life in Hawaii in the next chapter.
Tokujiro passed away without a will on April 6, 1903 at the age of 33 in Osaka. Tokujiro’s wife Rito travelled to Japan in May of 1904. I’m not sure if she met with my grandfather’s family at that time but she probably was at the funeral. Tokujiro is buried in Kumano in the Shintani family cemetery. He is missing from the koseki. I’m not sure why he was buried in Kumano with the Shintani family. His other brothers that went to Hawaii were buried in Hawaii with their spouses.
According to Rito’s grandson Ernest Niiya, Rito returned to Hiroshima prefecture in the 1920s and was buried in the Yamamoto family gravesite. However, Rito Niiya’s death certificate indicates that she died after a 2-year bout of anemia on November 12, 1926 at Hilo Hospital and was cremated at Homulas Crematory; she was 49 years old. There is a picture of the headstone in Japan. I’m not sure why she was buried in the Yamamoto cemetery instead of with her husband in Kumano. During a visit in about 2004, Ernest and his son Eric were unable to find the grave and they wrote to the city office to inquire.
Kau, my grandfather’s older sister.
Kau
Kau married Tokumatsu Shintani in Meiji 30 and went to Wakayama which is next to Mie. Kau’s husband may have been distantly related because if he adopted the Shintani name, his birth name would have appeared on the koseki.
She has an adopted son, Goro, who is a doctor in Osaka.
Kau died at age 93 on September 3, 1875 and was renamed Syaku Nimyosyo.
Fujie
Rin’s second daughter Fujie was born in 1879.
Shikanosuke
Third son Shikanosuke was born in February of 1883. He died at three and a half years on October 6, 1885, which was before my grandfather was born. He is not listed on the koseki.
Seichiro
Fourth boy Seichiro was born on January 3, 1885 and died in 1917 at age 32. The koseki says that the fourth boy “joseki” which means get rid of.
Tomoshiro
My grandfather was born on September 10, 1887. His name means fourth son even though he was a fifth son. His older brother died young. His story is in the next chapter. He came to Hawaii in 1907 to help his older brother’s family. His wife, Tsuneko Hara was born January 9, 1910. Her parents were Kinzo Hara and Ume Hara of Yamaguchi Prefecture, Abu-Gun, Hagi-cho, Dai2 1630 Ban. My grandparents married in June of 1931. This might be a mistake as my Uncle Takao was born on August 26, 1931.
My Grandfather, top left. 1932
Minegoro
Minegoro Shintani was born three years after my grandfather on December 3,1890 in Kinomoto, Kumano, Mie. His name means fifth son even though he was a sixth son. He also adopted the Niiya name when he came to Hawaii.
In 1912, Minegoro, 22, was a student at Tokyo University of Foreign Language (English and Chinese). He traveled with Rito to Nikko, Nagoya and Hiroshima and was enamored with the manners of Rito and her daughter Shizuko with their luxurious lives and he decided to see Hawaii in the future. Rito went to Japan with 14-year old Shizuko to buy some Japanese dry goods and kimono. Rito was 36 in 1912.
Minegoro came to Hawaii on December 23, 1913 and landed later at Hilo airport greeted by my grandfather and his family. More on his story in the next chapter.
Yaeno
Rin’s third daughter Yaeno was born 1893 and died November 1899. She died at 86 on December 11, 1934 and was renamed Syaku Shisyo;
Rin’s fourth daughter died on June 13, 1886 and was renamed Syaku Nimyojyun.
Seventh Generation
As Kamematsu’s family was the Main Family or honke, they might have lived in the main house while my grandfather stayed in the second house with his younger siblings and Kamematsu’s children. Kamematsu’s wife Yoshi died a year after Syouichi was born.
Tatsu died at age 32 on August 29, 1899, second wife of Kamematsu and was renamed Syaku Nimyogene, born September 10, 1868. Yaeno died at age seven on November 9, 1899, she was the third daughter of Masasuke and was renamed Syaku Myojyu, born on February 26, 1893. Infant died on July 15, 1905, fourth son of Kamematsu and was renamed Zenkyo.
Masaichi/Shoichi
Kamematsu’s son Syouchi was born on September 7, 1893. He also did not attend college because of his family obligation. Syouchi ran a general store. Syouchi married Mie Shimono born November 9, 1898. Syouchi had five daughters, Aki (April 15, 1922 — November 1924) Aki died at two years, eight months on November 11, 1924 and was renamed Syaku Myoryu, Midori (1923), Rei (1925), Humi (1927), Shigeu (1929), and Riku (1935). Mie died at age 79 on February 28, 1977, and was renamed Syaku Myosyo,
Written on the back of the photo: 10 years ago. Ikuko Takeuchi, Ko Shintani (my grandfather’s sister), Masumi Shintani). Kamematsu passed away in 1946, if this was taken in 1950, his daughter Ikoku wold have been about 30 and his sister Kau about 74.
Shoichi and Mie lived in the main building.
Syouchi died at age 78 on November 30, 1970 and renamed Syaky Syotoku.
Kamematsu’s second marriage
Perhaps a year after his first wife passed away, Kamematsu married again when my grandfather was about eight years old. Kamematsu’s second wife was Tatu (1868 — August 1899). They had one son named Etujiro or Senjiro (1896 — May 1979). Tatu died when Etujiro was young. Senjiro settled in Nagoya, married Miako Furya, and had a son Genichi who became an MD.
Kamematsu passed away in 1946, if the picture was taken in 1940, Kamematsu’s daughter Ikoku would have been about 20 and his sister Kau about 64, and Masumi 37.
Kamematsu’s third marriage
Perhaps a year after his second wife’s death, Kamematsu married a third time in 1898 when my grandfather was about 10 years old. Kamematsu’s third wife was Mume (1875 — January 1935). Kamematsu’s third wife Mume died at age 61 on January 29, 1935, third wife of Kamematsu and renamed Syaku Myoon, born around 1875, married Gengo.
Kamematsu and Mume had five children, Masumi (1899 — February 1986) who is pictured above, Goro (Meiji 39) (1906 — April 1982), Goro, settled in Osaka and became an MD, Shizue (1909 — January 2002), she was born after my grandfather came to Hawaii, Rokuya (1911 — November 1988), who ran a drug store, and Ikuko (1920 — September 2009) she is also pictured above, her father Kamematsu was 53 when she was born. Ikuko lived in Nikishima in Mie prefecture and married a man named Takao Takeuchi (1900? — November 1999).
Kamematsu died at age 81 on December 20, 1946 and was renamed Syaku Shinsui.
The upper right lists Kinomoto-Cho 234. At the bottom right is Yasubei Shintani death date, 1864; he was my grandfather’s grandfather. Daughter Rin born 12/1934 and died in 1849; she is my grandfather’s mother. Kamematsu, first son, born 1867, died in December of 1946; grandfather’s eldest brother. Tokujiro is missing. First daughter Kau born 1876, died 8/1968. She married Tokumatsu Shintani in Meiji 30 and went to Wakayama. Second daughter Fujie was born in 1879. Fourth boy Seichiro when only one other has been listed, what happened to Tokujiro and the third boy? Seichiro was born 1917 and died 1917, it says that the fourth boy “joseki” which means get rid of? Tomoshiro born 1887 died 1979; there is no information above his entry. Sixth son Minegoro was born in 1890, died 1984, he married Chito Asaumi in Showa 3 (1930). Third daughter Yaeno was born 1893 and died November 1899.
Masako father Minegoro first daughter Rin Honolulu. Japanese town born. Mother Chito married Showa. Last one Miyako Furura Joseki. Mother Rinu Etujiro wife. From Yamaguchi married Shintani Etujiro Showa 3, may 14th born Meiji 40 Sept. verify correct Kumano mayor.
