Q: How long does it take to receive my certificate?
A: You’ll find a general timeframe outlined below. Occasionally, I’ll receive a flood of orders due to certain attention in the local or foreign press, that may delay processing — but, typically, only for a few days. In those instances, I’ll of course, keep you informed.
About 3 weeks: PDF Certificate, Crest Certificate and Warawana Certificate
About 4 weeks and delivery dates: Letter style Certificate
About 8 weeks and delivery dates: Scroll style Certificat
Q: How, exactly, will I receive my Samurai Name Certificate?
By e-mail: PDF Certificate, Crest Certificate and Warawana Certificate
By express delivery: Letter style Certificate and Scroll style Certificate
Q: How much is the delivery charge?
A: There are two types of delivery charge: international and local.
International Delivery: $32
Local Delivery in Japan: $20
Q: If I want to have my Samurai certificate printed at a shop in Japan, what instructions should I provide to them for proper printing?
A: You can show the certificate the staff person and ask them to print your Samurai names in the order of Myoji and Kemyō (learn more). If the max number of kanji characters is 5, ask them to print only your family name or Kemyō. For example:
Myoji and Kemyō : 馬乗 又四郎
Myoji and Jitsumyō : 馬乗 義照
Max number of kanji characters is 5: 馬乗 or 又四郎
Q: I’m a woman. Is it possible for me to obtain a Samurai name?
A: Yes, of course. In fact, there have been a number of notable female Samurai. If you’re interested in Samurai name, I’ll bestow upon you a masculine Samurai name following a traditional line such as Ii Naotora 井伊直虎. However, if you’d like a female Samurai name along the lines of Tachibana Ginchiyo 立花誾千代, please let me know by noting your desire in the “Order notes (optional)” section within your checkout form.
Q: Are there any discounts when placing several orders at once?
A: Sorry, given the intense custom nature of each individual Be a Samurai certificate, I’m unable to provide any discounts. My sincere apologies.
Q: You have three names. In my experience, this is unusual for Japanese, isn’t it?
A: Yes. It’s unusual for present Japanese to have three names, but it was typical among Samurai. Samurai basically had six name types (learn more), and needed not only their family name called Myōji 名字 and true name called Jitsumyō 実名 but also pseudonym called Kemyō 仮名 when they introduced themselves in writing (learn more). Nowadays Japanese doesn’t have Kemyō (in my case: Usaburō 卯三郎), so, that’s the reason for my three names!
