Muko Yoshi and Adoption

Biography

In Japan a family which has daughters but no sons may adopt the husband of one of the daughters. He will take on his wife's family's surname and the obligations of a born-to son to his parents-in-law. Such a husband is known as a muko yoshi, literally, an "adopted bridegroom." The same custom appears in many other cultures. For example, this is one interpretation of the Jewish Law of Zelophehad (see: Joseph the Carpenter).

References

Dalby, Liza Crihfield. Geisha. (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1983) Ninan, M.M. "The Problem of the Genealogy of Jesus. Chapter 3: Luke's Genealogy" Available at: www.acns.com/~mm9n/Genealogy/cha1.htm