The collection

File A11.1 is comprised of thirteen groups. All are corpse inspection certificates (entitled okakimono no koto 御書物之事) submitted to the Usuki Domain in 1727 and 1728 (Kyōhō 12 and 13). (A11.1.20 is an exception; it is from 1760 / Hōreki 10). Information on a deceased person would be submitted by the person’s temple and village unit, and these reports would then managed and passed down as a set (total: 139 catalogue entries). These documents were made for descendants of former Christians, and most (98) are listed as descendants of Kirishitan shūmon korobi 切支丹宗門転 (someone who had renounced Christianity). However, 18 are listed as a relative of a korobi honnin dōzen 転本人同然 (person born to a former Christian after their renunciation of Christianity), 6 of a honnin dōzen 本人同然 (person born to a Christian before their renunciation of Christianity), 8 of Kirishitan shūmon honnin 切支丹宗門本人 (former Christian), 8 of a kokorobi honnin 古転本人 (a former Christian who had renounced Christianity a long time ago), and 1 of a shin Kirishitan shūmon korobi 新切支丹宗門転 (a former Christian who had recently renounced Christianity). There is also a notification that Reichū, a relative of a former Christian and disciple at the temple Tafuku-ji, died at the temple Sanpō-ji in Ogawa Village (Higo).

A11.2 is comprised of three document groups (A11.2.3, A11.2.4, A11.2.5). A11.2.3 consists of 41 notifications regarding relatives of former Christians (ruizoku okayoi 類族御通) submitted to the Usuki Domain Office of Religious Affairs by village units on the 25th day of the 10th month of Tenpō 11 (1840). A village unit headman (ōjōya 大庄屋) reported changes regarding relatives of former Christians (birth/death, marriage, divorce, moving, etc.). They were bound together with hōshi. Above the name of the relative in question there is a black seal that appears to have been stamped to indicate that the content of the document was checked. When there were no changes involving such relatives, one finds nashi なし (none) written in black or vermilion on the hōshi. It appears that the Office of Religious Affairs checked the documents after submission, and indicated this on the hōshi. In A11.2.3 is included a letter sent to an Osaka buyer regarding the purchase of brushes and ink used by the Office of Religious Affairs.

A11.2.4 is primarily comprised of documents created by Ueda Kisuke 植田㐂助 (30 items). They include documents asking whether to preserve a corpse in salt, certifying that a corpse has been set aside, and reporting corrections to a death record, as well as drafts (probably backup copies) of certificates of deaths of relatives of former Christian titled as follows: “(Number) Record Booklet [no chō 之帳], (Person’s Name) Relative [kei 系].” From the various documents created and sent as reports, it appears that death notifications and the like were sent to Ueda Kisuke, and, after clerical work was completed, then sent to the magistrate’s office (bugyōsho 奉行所), amongst other places.

A11.2.5 consists of parts that became separated from bundles related to religion investigations, including a 1687 (Jōkyō 4) “Record of Christians and Their Relatives,” records of newly born Christian relatives submitted in the 7th month of Genroku 2 (1689) by village units (covering from the 1st day of the 12th month of Genroku 1 [1688] to the 29th day of the 6th month of Genroku 2) (39 items).

A11.1’s okakimono no koto Marega numbers are as follows (in order of subnumber): M27–M48, 841–860, M65–M72, M73–M89, 811–840, M49–M64, 901–920, M3–M26, 921–940 (929 is missing), 861–880, 959–980, 981–1002, and 881–900.

A11.2 is numbered as follows. A11.2.3: B51–B73 (B53 is missing) and B205–B222. A11.2.4: B330–353. A11.2.5: B47–49, B41–B44, B27–B34 (B30 and B33 are missing).