Kitaji Family Hanko Signature Seals
~A 126-year Tradition Born of Samurai Ancestors~

If you would like to skip this introduction and begin designing your own hanko, click here.

Hanko--horn, wood or stone seals imprinted with the bearer's name--like a signature to a Westerner, are indispensable tools for Japanese adults in authorizing myriad transactions, from automobile registration to bank activities to setting up house utilities. Nearly any occasion that would call for a Westerner's signature would call for an impression of a Japanese's hanko.

Hanko were formally introduced to Japan in 701 AD, but were available only to those in positions of high authority. During the early to mid-seventeenth century, hanko were adopted by the general populace. Interestingly, the common people of Japan were not allowed to have family names until the late nineteenth century, so there must have been much confusion with hanko prior to this time with so many people having the same name.

Mr. Kitaji's hanko business was begun by his great, great grandfather, 126 years ago. The founder was a samurai who became masterless (a ronin) by the new drive of the Japanese government to shed its old feudal ways and open the country to Western ideals. He took a job in a government print shop and soon became skilled enough to start a private enterprise. Eventually, he focused mostly on creating hanko.

The modern Mr. Kitaji's business, although very successful, still sells only hand-carved hanko, in spite of the advent of sophisticated carving machines. Mr. Kitaji sells mostly to Japanese, but he says an increasing number of Westerners are purchasing hanko, phonetically spelling their names with Japanese characters that may also simultaneously represent a favorite virtue or characteristic. It is good news for his business as he sees an increasing number of transactions in Japan that allow for credit card verification rather than the traditional red seal, a trend that doesn't bode well for this icon of Japanese culture.

If you would like to begin designing your own hanko, click here.

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