Can you read it? The rare surname "Takemata" is not pronounced "Chikumata"Can you read it? The rare surname "Takemata" is not pronounced "Chikumata"

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Learn unusual surnames

2024.10.25

Can you read it? The rare surname "Takemata" is not pronounced "Chikumata"

"Takemata" is a rare surname that originates from Takemata, Kambara County, Echigo Province, which is now Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture. The Uda Genji clan is connected to Prince Atsumi, the son of Emperor Uda. The Kaji clan, a descendant of the Sasaki clan, which is a branch of the Uda Genji clan, began to call themselves Takemata after moving their castle to Takemata Castle.

 
According to legend, in 1413, Suetsugu Kaji's original castle had a forked bamboo, and when he built a new castle, he saw this as an auspicious sign and started to call it Takemata. He originally served the Nagao clan, who had been the deputy governor of Echigo Province for generations, but in the Edo period he was selected by Uesugi Harunori (Yozan) to become the chief retainer of the Yonezawa domain.

A particularly notable figure is Takemata Toami, who, together with Yoshimasa Ushido and others, promoted reforms in the domain government during the Meiwa and An'ei eras. Although Toami lost his position in his later years, his eldest son, Atsumi, succeeded him as chief retainer and is said to have continued the reforms.

 














Takemata

 

 

"Takemata" is a family name that can be read as "take no mata". Its roots are in Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture, but there are currently only a few people living in Niigata Prefecture. There are approximately 800 people scattered throughout eastern Japan, mainly in the Tokyo metropolitan area.










What is “knowing unusual surnames”?
It is said that there are approximately 30 Japanese surnames, including different readings. We will introduce some of the most unusual surnames, their pronunciations and origins, as well as areas where they still exist in large numbers.

 

 






Reference books: Difficult to read surname dictionary by Masanori Shindo, Shonansha, 47 prefectures and surname encyclopedia, by Hiroshi Morioka, Maruzen Publishing

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