Mukoyōshi

A mukoyōshi (婿養子) is a man who is adopted into a family and takes that family's surname. It is also possible for mukoyōshi to take a bride from outside his adopted family.

This adoption can happen:

• in marriages where the woman's family is of a higher socio-economic rank than the man's family
• where the woman has no brothers to be the heir to the family name
• when the man has been disowned by his own family
• when the man's birth family comes from a notorious or shameful background and he wishes to keep his identity hidden.

In Fatal Frame

Misao Amakura, the father of Mio and Mayu Amakura, was born an Asou, but took his wife's name upon marriage because he disliked the Asou name.

References

Japanese Culture
Religion
Buddhism - Shinto
Japanese Ghosts/Creatures
Funayūrei - Goryō - Hitodama - Ikiryō - Onryō - Ubume - Yōkai - Yūrei
Specific Japanese Ghosts/Creatures
Oiwa - Okiku - Yuki-onna
Terms
Dosojin - Grave Mound - Hannya Mask - Higanbana - Jizo - Kaidan - Miko - Mukoyōshi - Sanzu River - Shimenawa - Toro-Nagashi - Wara Ningyo
Locations
Northeastern Japan - Shizuoka - Sugisawa Village - Tono
Media and Entertainment
Kagome, Kagome - Ringu