Sato

由来と歴史

Sato is the most common surname in Japan, believed to derive from the Fujiwara clan — 'Sa' (佐) means 'assistant' and 'to' (藤) is the character for wisteria (fuji), a marker of Fujiwara descent. Many branches of the Fujiwara who served as provincial administrators adopted 'to' surnames such as Sato, Ito, and Kato. The name spread widely during the Heian period and is now found throughout Japan.