Japanese hanko (seal) FAQ

[Niyusu]

A "hanko" personal seal is a necessary item for most adults in Japan, serving the same role as a signature in the West. Following are some questions and answers about the hanko system:

What is a hanko and how is it used?

How far back do hanko date and when did Japanese adopt them?

Do people use the same hanko for every document?

What is a "jitsuin" hanko?

Source & Answers: 'Hanko' fate sealed by test of time | Japan Times

[MMM]

1) Didn't you answer your own question in the opening line?

2) No idea.

3) Yes... basically. The president of a company might have a "Presidential Hanko", and artists often use square-shaped larger hanko. (The larger they are, the more important you are.) But most people use a circular or oval hanko, a little more than a centimeter diameter, for personal business.

4) It's the real official hanko for a person kept on record at City Hall.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by MMM

1) Didn't you answer your own question in the opening line?

2) No idea.

3) Yes... basically. The president of a company might have a "Presidential Hanko", and artists often use square-shaped larger hanko. (The larger they are, the more important you are.) But most people use a circular or oval hanko, a little more than a centimeter diameter, for personal business.

4) It's the real official hanko for a person kept on record at City Hall.

Wait...you weren't acutally asking these questions? Oops.

[Hatredcopter]

From Wikipedia:

The first evidence of writing in Japan is a hanko dating from AD 57, made of solid gold and belonging to the Emperor. At first, only the Emperor and his most trusted vassals held hanko, as they were a symbol of the Emperor's authority. Noblemen began using their own personal hanko after 750, and samurai began using them sometime in the Middle Ages. Samurai were permitted exclusive use of red ink. After modernization began in 1870, hanko finally came into general use throughout Japanese society.