The AI Storyteller and Help Chatbot — Asking Your Family's Records

A family tree and each person's records are a precious treasure simply by being kept. But since you've taken the trouble to record them, we wanted you to also use them from time to time to “ask and remember.”

Family Storage has two AIs.

• AI Storyteller — answers like a story, based on your family's records (members only)
• Help chatbot — answers questions about how to use the site, fees and the application process (open to everyone)

In this part, we explain how to use these two and when to use each.

What Is the AI Storyteller?

The AI Storyteller is a feature that answers like a story, based on your family tree and each person's records. When you ask something about your family, it reads the registered names, dates of birth, marriages, self-introductions, records by age and so on, and answers as if speaking to you.

Open “AI Storyteller” from the My Page menu. You need to be logged in as a member to use it.

How to Ask

1. Type what you want to know into the box that says “Please ask about your family”
2. Press “Ask”
3. After “The Storyteller is remembering…” appears, the answer will show up

If you're not sure what to ask, try pressing one of the three examples on the screen.

• “What kind of family are we?”
• “Who is the eldest in the family?”
• “Tell me about our family's memories”

Tips for Asking

• Include names or relationships — making it clear whom you mean, as in “What kind of person was my grandfather [name]?”, makes the answers more specific
• Ask one thing at a time — it answers more carefully when you ask one thing at a time rather than several at once
• The more records, the richer the story — the more there is in the self-introduction (“origin of my name,” “personal motto”), records by age, notes and so on, the deeper the answers become

How to enter each person's records is explained in Part 5.

Choosing Speed or Care in Answers

You can choose how the AI Storyteller answers: “Fastest,” “Fast,” “Quality” or “High Quality.”

• Fastest / Fast — answers right away. Good for quick checks
• Quality / High Quality — answers carefully, choosing its words. Because of this, it may take a little longer to answer

The standard setting is plenty to begin with. When you want to enjoy the storytelling more, please choose a higher-quality option.

Listen by Voice — “Read Aloud”

You can also listen to answers aloud with “Read Aloud.” It's handy when reading the text on screen is difficult, or when you want to enjoy listening together with grandparents. Besides Japanese, voices are also available in Korean and English.

Your Family's Records Never Leave Our Servers

The AI Storyteller creates its answers within Family Storage's own servers. We never send your family's records to outside AI services. Important information such as names and addresses is stored encrypted.

Our Promise: Answers Based on Your Records

The AI Storyteller's answers are based on the registered records. The screen also notes: “Answers are based on your records. If anything differs from the facts, please check your records.”

• If the records are wrong, the answers will be wrong too
• It cannot answer about people who are not in the records
• Even when asked about things like “the oldest generation,” it answers from among the people whose names are in the records

If you find yourself wondering, “What were the ancestors further back like?”, that may be a sign to look beyond your records. With Family Storage's Family Research, specialists trace your family register (koseki) to find out (explained in the final part).

The Help Chatbot — Your Guide to the Site

In the lower right of the screen is the help chatbot, labeled “Ask us anything.” It can be used even by people who haven't signed up.

The chatbot answers based on the content published on this site. For example, it is well suited to questions like these.

• “Can I make a family tree for free?”
• “How much does Family Research cost?”
• “How do I request family register documents?”
• “Can I cancel my membership?”

Whenever it answers about fees, it always adds that they are “per lineage, tax included.”

When You Want to Talk to a Person

For questions the chatbot can't resolve, or urgent matters, it connects you by email to a staff member at the Family Storage Office. The address is [email protected]. You can also contact us from the inquiry page.

When to Use Each AI

• I want to know about my family → AI Storyteller (from My Page, members only)
• I want to know how to use the site, fees or how to apply → help chatbot (lower right of the screen, open to everyone)

The chatbot cannot see your family's records. For questions about your family, please use the AI Storyteller.

Example Questions to Try

Besides the three examples, you can ask about all kinds of things as long as the records are there.

• “What kind of work did my grandfather [name] do?”
• “When did my parents get married?”
• “Tell me the story behind my name”
• “How did my grandmother live when she was young?”
• “Who lived the longest in our family?”

The answers are drawn from records such as work history, marriage, self-introduction, “Me by Age” and notes. If an answer feels a little thin, try adding a bit more to that person's records. The storytelling will change the next time you ask.

Moments to Enjoy the Storyteller

• At Obon or New Year — ask about your ancestors when the family gathers, and old stories will naturally start to flow
• With grandparents — with Read Aloud, even those who find the text on screen hard to read can enjoy it
• With children — it answers simple questions like “What was great-grandpa like?” based on the records

The Storyteller is a tool that reads your records and retells them. If something in the story makes you say, “No, that's not right, it was really like this,” that is exactly the kind of story worth adding to your records. Family conversations make your records richer still.

Frequently Asked Questions

The AI Storyteller's answer is different from the facts

Please check the records it is based on. If a date of birth or a relationship is wrong, the answer will be wrong too. Once you correct the records, the change will be reflected the next time you ask.

Answers take a long time

Please choose “Fastest” or “Fast.” “High Quality” answers carefully, so it can take longer.

Can I ask the chatbot about my family?

The chatbot cannot see your family's records. Please ask about your family in “AI Storyteller” on My Page.

Can I ask in a language other than Japanese?

The help chatbot reads the language of your question and answers in that language. Family members living overseas can use it too.

I see “There are no family records yet”

The Storyteller cannot answer if no family members are registered in your family tree. First, please add your family on the Family Map (explained in Part 2).

Next Time: Applying for Family Research

Specialists research the ancestors you can't find on your own, using family registers. In the final part, we explain the two Family Research courses and how to apply.

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In this series, "How to Use Family Storage," we introduce the features one at a time so that even first-time users can use them with confidence.