My family history - Dad's side

Paternal Side - Onizuka / Maternal Side - Shibata

My grandfather's family was from Nakatsu in Oita prefecture. His father was a carpenter, and he apparently fell off the roof of a temple while he was working and died. The temple is called Myorenji and it was built about 600 years ago. The current jyushoku 住職（じゅうしょく）there is the 27th generation monk in charge of the temple!

My dad visited in 2024 with his brother and talked to the current monk.

The current monk at the temple knew about the Onizuka family that lived close to the temple, but the last Onizuka left and moved to Tokyo many years ago. So, the monk bought the land from the Onizuka's and made it into a parking lot.

Entrance to Myorenji.

Rear of temple.

This is the grave my grandfather built for his two brothers Saburo and Rokuro. The Onizuka family had 4 boys and 2 girls. 1 boy was a twin of my grandfather.

There are three names on the back of the grave.

This is Sakuramachi shrine next to Myorenji.

My grandfather played baseball here with the other kids growing up. It is old and needs some love. Unfortunately, smaller shrines end up like this.

My dad in front of Nakatsu Station. There are 82,000 people that live in the city, and it’s declining. Karaage chicken is famous here.

My dad and grandfather in front of his apartment in 2230 Haste St. Berkeley, CA. (1975)

My grandmother and my dad.

My grandmother in the middle, her sister Nagahama obasan to the right, and unknown lady to the left. They are holding my uncles. This is at the Yamakado residence in Moji. During the war my dad's family moved here to get away from the bombings. Kokura's steel mills were targeted during the war.

My grandmother, my dad's mom.

A small shrine in Kokura stands with the Shibata name on the tori gate. This is my dad's mom's side of the family. Her dad was a doctor and he had a medical clinic in the neighborhood.