Abstract
This study examines the use of house names, known as “yagō,” in the Fudo district of Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, to contribute to the field of mountain village studies. Due to the confusion created by previous studies, there have been very few studies on personal name-based yagō. Our study reveals that approximately 80% of these yagō within Kamiseto hamlet originated from common names dating back to the early modern period. While yagō diversified among families established during the Meiji era, those indicating the main and branch houses predominated. Moreover, variations in yagō usage were observed between Kamiseto and Higashihiyama hamlets, with the former exhibiting a prevalence of lineage-based and personal name-based yagō, while the latter featured more occupational yagō. Interestingly, many yagō suffixes were derived from common names of the early modern period,such as “Emon” or “Rō,” blurring the distinction between this hybrid type of personal name-based yagō and usual personal namebased yagō, despite differing origins and historical contexts. Additionally, by utilizing comprehensive house ledgers documenting past residences and architectural information associated with yagō, the study reconstructed the spatial layout of the hamlets, revealing a mosaic pattern of dwelling units. This analysis traced the factors contributing to this spatial complexity, including the construction of branch family residences during the Meiji era, and moving to vacant houses between both hamlets in the 1960s-70s. Consequently, this research sheds light on the historical development and social dynamics of these communities through the lens of yagō.
