noun
family death register; Buddhist necrology
A register kept at a Buddhist temple or at home, recording the posthumous names, death dates, and sometimes ages of deceased family members. Used for memorial services and ancestor veneration.
お寺で過去帳を見せてもらい、先祖の戒名を確認した。
I was shown the death register at the temple and checked my ancestors' posthumous names.
祖母は毎朝、過去帳を開いて手を合わせている。
Every morning, my grandmother opens the family death register and prays.
The posthumous Buddhist name recorded in the 過去帳.
Compound of 過去 (kako, 'past') and 帳 (chō, 'register, notebook'). The term refers to a record of those who have passed away.