A research guide for advanced Japanese studies researchers detailing Japan studies resources in English and Japanese.
On this page
Online Catalogs
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Archival Location Information and Search System 史料所在情報データベースA database for location and overview of materials from different locations throughout Japan, User registration required for the detailed version.
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The Art Library Consortium online catalog 美術図書館横断検索You can cross-search the libraries holdings of the consortium members. The consortium members include: The National Art Center (国立新美術館), the National Museum of Modern Art (東京国立近代美術館) and Tokyo National Museum (東京国立博物館).
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Bibliographic Database of Research on Japanese Language and Japanese Language EducationThe “Bibliographic Database of Research on Japanese Language and Japanese Language Education” is a database of material related to Japanese language and Japanese language education.
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CiNiiCiNii(Scholarly and Academic Information Navigator) is a Japanese database service which can be searched with academic information of articles, Books, Journals & Dissertations.
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Media Arts Database メディア芸術データベースCan be used for searching manga, animations and other media and arts collection.
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Union Catalogue Database of Japanese TextsA comprehensive catalog of both bibliography and holdings about Japanese classics, literary works and authors.
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WebCat PlusWebcat Plus is a free information service provided by the National Institute of Informatics (NII), which allows you to freely explore the accumulation of knowledge stored in a huge number of books published from the pre-Edo period to the present day.
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全國漢籍データベース 日本所藏中文古籍數據庫This is an online database that can be used for searching the Chinese ancient books held in Japan.
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名大システム 古典籍内容記述的データベースIt can be used for searching Japanese and Chinese old books in the Nagoya University Library collection. Some of the books are digitized and are available online.
Archives
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Barbara Reynolds Memorial ArchivesThe most extensive collection of interdisciplinary materials related to the legacy of nuclear war in the United States, housed in the Peace Resource Center of Wilmington College.
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Birth of the Constitution of JapanThe National DietLibrary's online exhibition "Birth of the Constitution of Japan" presents the major events and important documents involved in the framing and enactment of Japan's Constitution.The exhibition was updated on May 3, 2004 with the addition of 81 new documents and a new section of main issues.
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Digital Archive of the Documents on Japanese Foreign Policy (1867-1912) 日本外交文書デジタルコレクションFull text foreign ministry documents; in Japanese
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Documents of IrikiDocuments of the Iriki family covering 1135 to 1867 translated into English
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Heian-Period Chronicles (Old Diaries, Historical Documents) 摂関期古記録Database in kundoku (“Japanese” or explanatory reading) of the full texts of diaries and other old records from the middle part of the Heian period.
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Hiroshima Archive“Hiroshima Archive” is a pluralistic digital archive using the digital earth to display on it in a multilayered way all the materials gained from such sources as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, the Hiroshima Jogakuin Gaines Association, and the Hachioji Hibakusha (A-bomb Survivors) Association. Beyond time and space, the user can get a panoramic view over Hiroshima to browse survivors’ accounts, photos, maps, and other materials as of 1945, together with aerial photos, 3D topographical data, and building models as of 2010. The archive aims to promote multifaceted and comprehensive understanding of the reality of atomic bombing.
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Hoji Shinbun Digital CollectionThe Hoji Shinbun Digital Collection is currently the world’s largest online archive of open-access, full image Japanese American and other overseas Japanese newspapers in Asia and South America. Image content in this collection is accompanied by OCR-generated text where possible, thus rendering the text searchable. The holdings of each title are browsable by date, title, and publication place, with each title cross searchable with other titles on the platform.
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Japan Center for Asian Historical Records (JACAR)JACAR has built and operates an online database for releasing Asian historical records, that are historical documents of Japan concerning to the modern Japanese relations with other countries, particularly those in Asia. The documents of the archive are provided by the National Archives of Japan, the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and the National Institute for Defense Studies of the Ministry of Defense of Japan.
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Japan Disasters Digital ArchiveJapan Disasters Digital Archive (JDA) is an advanced search engine for archived materials from all over the web, individuals’ testimonials, tweets, prominently including content from international partners who are building digital repositories about the disasters.
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Japanese American Archival CollectionThe collection was created in 1994 with a gift of photographs, documents and artifacts from the teaching materials of Mary Tsukamoto.The collection owned by California State University, Sacramento Library provides valuable insights into the history of Japanese American communities in northern California, particularly in the town of Florin, California from the late 19th century and into the 20th century. The collection contains significant documentation related to the internment of Japanese born and Japanese American individuals during World War II.
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Japanese American Relocation Digital Archive (JARDA)The Japanese American Relocation Digital Archives (JARDA) contains thousands of primary sources documenting Japanese American internment, including: Personal diaries, letters, photographs, and drawings; US War Relocation Authority materials, including camp newsletters, final reports, photographs, and other documents relating to the day-to-day administration of the camps; And personal histories documenting the lives of the people who lived in the camps, as well as of the administrators who created and worked there.
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Japanese Relocation and InternmentA list of resources from NARA on Japanese Relocation and Internment.
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Japan Museum of Business and Industry Collection Database 日本実業史博物館コレクションデータベースAn open database of materials information and images pertaining to pictorial art utensils and advertisements from the Establish Office of the Japan Museum of Bussiness and Industry.
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Japan SearchFind digital archives in Japan
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Joseph Berry Keenan Digital CollectionThe Joseph Berry Keenan Digital Collection—comprising manuscript materials and photographs—offers researchers invaluable insight into the Japanese War Crimes Trial—one of the most important trials of the twentieth century.
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Kautz Family YMCA Archives
The Kautz Family YMCA Archives collects the historical records of the Y's national resource office, records of the Greater Twin Cities and Greater New York YMCAs, and those of Y's Men International, a service club in partnership with the Y. The YMCA Archives documents one of the nation’s largest and oldest nonprofits and its programs to support social welfare, spiritual and mental development, and physical education. -
Memories of Hiroshima & Nagasaki"Memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki--Messages from Hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors)" is a website that makes available to the public first-hand accounts written by hibakusha.
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National Archives of Japan Digital Archive 国立公文書館Historical documents and images
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The Nazi War Crime and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working GroupThe Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group (IWG) locates, identifies, inventories, and recommends for declassification, currently classified U.S. records relating to Nazi and Japanese Imperial Government war crimes. Once declassified, these records are released to the American public. The group, consisting of high-level representatives from federal agencies and public members, was established by the Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act and the Japanese Imperial Government Disclosure Act.
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NDL Modern Japanese political history materials 憲政資料A digital collection of Modern Japanese political history materials. Full-text available for most of the materials.
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NHK War Testimonial ArchivesMedia on Hiroshima & Nagasaki atomic bombings.
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Publishing and Advertisement Database in Meiji Era 明治期出版広告データベースWith the aim of publishing the circumstances in modern Japan, it's a collection of publication and advertisements printed in newspapers and magazines in the early Meiji period.
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Select documents on Japanese war crimes and Japanese biological warfare, 1934-2006Compiled by William H. Cunliffe.
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Tajiro Masuda Advertisement Collection Database 増田太次郎広告コレクションデータベースA database of publication information and images of advertisements collected by Taijiro Masuda.
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Wilson Center Digital ArchiveThis digital archive contains several historical documents related to Asia. Examples are: “LOCAL NATIONALISM" IN XINJIANG, 1957-1958," "1988 SEOUL OLYMPIC GAMES," "CHINA AND AFRICA," and "JAPANESE NUCLEAR HISTORY."
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Woodblock Database ARC板木ポータルデータベースA database of woodblocks by Art Research Center Ritsumeikan University. It includes the woodblocks used for publishing books from the Edo period to the Taisho period.
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公文 古典籍閲覧データベースA database by Art Research Center, Ritsumeikan University.
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国会会議録検索システムJapanese Diet (legislature) debates from 1947 onward
Digital Books
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EBSCO eBook CollectionSelected e-book titles from publishers. Some titles may be restricted to 1 or 3 simultaneous users.
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HathiTrust Digital Library This link opens in a new windowHathiTrust provides access to millions of books and other materials. Full text searching of most books is available and books in the public domain (generally older books) can be freely viewed and/or downloaded. Books still in copyright have more limited access. Users with print-reading disabilities can apply for special access to digitized works by emailing wilsref@umn.edu.
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JSTORFind full text articles in academic journals or books on the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. JSTOR provides articles from the journal's first issue. In some cases the most recent 2-5 years may not be available. View this tutorial to learn how to go from a general idea to a very precise set of results of journal articles and scholarly materials.
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ProQuest Ebook CentralAn ebook platform that hosts a wide variety of titles. Limited to 1, 3, or unlimited simultaneous users depending on title.
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Aozora Bunko 青空文庫Aozora Bunko (青空文庫) is a digital archive of Japanese literature in the public domain. In addition to its web presence, the corpus is also available on GitHub where it can be downloaded in its entirety.
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The Arthur Tress Collection of Japanese Illustrated BooksAcclaimed photographer Arthur Tress (b. 1940) began collecting Japanese illustrated books in 1965 when he was visiting Kyoto. Tress built the collection “on an artist’s shoestring budget,” as he says, and “pour l’amour de l’art.” Over more than fifty years he amassed an extensive and important collection of over 1200 titles dating from the late 17th century through the 1930s.
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Bavarian State Library East Asia CollectionsOn this page, you will find digitized versions of Chinese, Japanese and Korean printings and manuscripts (dating back to the 7th – 19th century) which are held by the Bavarian State Library (BSB). You can access about 2 million single images.
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Bibliographic and Image Database of Japanese Modern Times 近代書誌・近代画像データベースPublic results of research and collection of literature materials centering on Japanese literature in and since the Meiji period.
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BYU Japanese Rare BooksA digital collection of Japanese rare books scanned by Brigham Young University, available on Internet Archive.
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Collectors' Seals Database 蔵書印データベースA database of ownership stamp information derived from original copies with a focus on classic books held by NIJL.
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Database of Early Modern Illustrated Encyclopedia 近世期絵入百科事典The digitized data includes the Kinmōzui (A Collection of Images to Enlighten the Young), compiled by Nakamura Tekisai with preface dated “Kanbun 6” (1666), and other “Kinmōzui”-type encyclopedias as well as books with pictorial and diagramed information. Despite the “Early Modern” in the title, this database covers the period up to and including the early Meiji era. The database is compiled primarily from open data made accessible to the public by the International Research Center for Japanese Studies and other research institutes and libraries in Japan.
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Database of Pre-Modern Japanese Works 新日本古典籍総合データベースA large digital bibliographic records and full-text image database on pre-modern Japanese works provides by National Institute of Japanese Literature.
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Digital BodleianThe collection from the Bodleian Libraries and Oxford college libraries include some images of rare books, manuscripts, and other treasures from East Asia.
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Digital Nara Ehon Library デジタル奈良絵本A list of links of Nara ehon (picture books) and emaki (picture scrolls) that are available online.
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Digital Public Library of America (DPLA)A searchable online catalog with millions of digitized items to browse, including photos, maps and books, from libraries, archives, museums, and cultural institutions around the United States.
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Early Japanese Books Portal Database ARC古典籍ポータルデータベースA database by ARC Ritsumeikan University. You can search ARC collections and other collections published on the web. Many of the books can be viewed directly through the website.
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East Asia Digital LibraryArchival materials from the National Library of Korea and the National Diet Library of Japan, including materials on religion, gender, religion, politics and international relations, artistic works, literature, and novels. In Japanese and Korean. Open Access.
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Forgmentary Manuscripts Database of Japan 古筆切所収情報データベースA database of printing information and full-text images for ancient writing fragments since Kohitsu-gire Teiyo.
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Full-text Database of Selection from Early Japanese Books 古典選集本文データベースEnables full-text searching and images browsing of NIJL's collection of the following works: Nijuichi-dai Shu (二十一代集), E-iri Genji Monogatari (絵入源氏物語), Azuma Kagami (吾妻鏡/東鑑), and Rekeshi Monogatari (歴史物語).
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Gordon W. Prange CollectionGordon W. Prange Collection at University of Maryland is the most comprehensive archive in the world of Japanese print publications issued during the early years of the Occupation of Japan, 1945-1949. These books, magazines, newspapers, posters, maps and more were subjected to censorship by the Allied Forces. They bear censorship markings ranging from check-in and examination dates to deletions, suppression and other changes. Some of the digitized materials are available on flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/prangecollection/sets/. Or search "Gordon W. Prange Collection" at UMN Library and check out the microfiche at the UMN Library.
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Harvard-Yenching Library Japanese Digital CollectionHarvard Digital Collection provides free, public access to the Japanese collections.
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ICPBS Digital Collections 国際仏教学大学院大学学術成果コレクションThe digital collection of books and articles International College for Postgraduate Buddhist Studies.
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Japanese Classical Literature Text 日本古典文学テキストProvides the full-text of Japanese classical literature works.
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Japanese Historical Text ArchiveJapanese historical texts dating from the ancient chronicles to Meiji period documents; includes English translations. For password-protected text, please email jhti@berkeley.edu for user ids and passwords.
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Japanese Literature Text file 日本文学等テキストファイルThis website provides the full text of some Japanese literature works in public domain.
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Japan PEN Club Digital Library 日本ペンクラブ電子文藝館A digital library contains modern Japanese literature works. It have an international version of website which translates the Japanese literature works into English.
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Kobe University Library Rare Books 神戸大学附属図書館 稀覯書・貴重書A collection of rare books and documents held by Kobe University Library.
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Kojiruien Database 古事類苑データベースA database that offers full-text and browsing of Kojiruien (Dictionary of Historical Terms) that covers institutions, cultural assets and society in Japan from ancient to early modern times.
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Kojiruien Full-Text Database 古事類苑全文データベースA database that offers full-text and browsing of Kojiruien (Dictionary of Historical Terms) that covers institutions, cultural assets and society in Japan from ancient to early modern times.
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Kokugakuin University Library Nara Ehon and Emakimono 国学院大学図書館デジタルライブラリー：奈良絵本・絵巻物A collection of Nara Ehon and Emakimono.
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Kyoto University Rare Materials Digital Archive 京都大学貴重資料デジタルアーカイブThe Kyoto University Library has one of the largest digital collection in Japan: as of June 1, 2022, the number of digitized items reached more than 1.8 million images of over 20,000 titles, including Konjaku monogatari-shu (Suzuka Ed.), designated as a national treasure, and 83 important cultural properties.
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Les Nara ehon de la BnFNara ehon at the French National Library.
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Marega Collection マレガ文庫The Marega Collection, preserved on the fourth floor of the Don Bosco Library, at Università Pontificia Salesiana (Rome), assembles the printed and manuscript materials collected by the Italian Salesian missionary Mario Marega (1902-1978), during his stay in Japan (from the 1930s to the 1970s). The collection includes about 2000 ukiyo-e prints, about 1000 wahon volumes, as well as several maps, dated from the Edo and Meiji periods.
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Modern Japanese Books Portal Database ARC近代書籍 ポータルデータベースA database by Art Research Center, Ritsumeikan University.
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Nagoya University Digitized Books 名古屋大学電子化資料一覧A list of Japanese and Chinese old books from the Nagoya University collection that are digitized and available online.
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Nara Ehon and Emaki Collection 慶應義塾大学奈良絵本・絵巻コレクションA digital collection by Keio University. Nara ehon are illustrated manuscripts produced from the late Muromachi to early Edo period. The illustrations typically used bright colors, such as a vermillion and green, with gold and silver leaf and distemper. The content consists mainly of short stories written from the Muromachi to early Edo period which belong to the genre of Otogi zoshi, including Urashima Taro.
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Nara Women's University Digital Collection 奈良女子大学所蔵資料電子画像集A digital collection by Nara Women's University, including books, maps, diaries, etc.
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National Diet Library Digital Collections 国立国会図書館デジタルコレクションThis is a page that has a collection of digitized documents published since the Meiji era.
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New Naraehon Database 新奈良絵本データベースA database of original text images of Naraehon (19 picture books) held by NIJL.
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Next Digital Library"Next Digital Library" is an experimental digital library system based on several research results of the R&D Office at the NDL. You can search about 336,000 materials (as of March 2022) in public domain available in the National Diet Library Digital Collections.
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OER CommonsCatalog of tens of thousands of OERs to freely use, share, and adapt for the classroom.
Over 42,000 vetted and fully-indexed OER, ensuring a high level of resource relevancy and discovery.
Provides a single point of access to over 500 major content partners.
OERs are evaluated using the Common Core State Standards rubric (CCSS) –www.corestandards.org
Resources can be uploaded to OER Commons or created using their web based "Open Author" tool -
Pacific Rim Digital Library Alliance (PRDLA)The Pacific Rim Research Libraries Alliance, also known as PRRLA, focuses on cooperative ventures among academic libraries located around the Pacific Rim to improve access to scholarly research materials. The collections include books, archives, photos, videos, etc. Each collection can be viewed through individual institution website.
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Rare Books and Maps On Japan in European LanguageA database of books and maps by International Research Center for Japanese Studies, featuring Japan related entries written in European Languages mostly published in or before 1854.
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Sumida Maritime Materials Collection 住田文庫"Sumida Maritime Materials Collection" is a library of 6500 old Chinese books translated into Japanese about marine transport and topography, which Mr.Shoichi Sumida(1892-1968), known as researcher into "Kaisenshikimoku" or editor of "Kaijishiryosousho", collected by about Taisho 14, and presented at Taisho 15 to Government Kobe High Commercial School, the predecessor of Kobe University, and it includes block printing books, manuscripts, old documents, old records, and old maps etc. of the Edo era.
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Tale of Heike 平家物語・百二十句本（国会本）HTML text
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Waseda University Library’s Kotenseki Sogo Database 早稲田大学図書館 古典籍総合データベースThe purpose of this database is to provide the widest possible public access to the Waseda University Library’s collection of Japanese and Chinese classics, in the form of bibliographical information, related scholarly materials, as well as full-text images.
The collection of some 300,000 items, including two National Treasures and five Important Cultural Properties, comprises materials of every conceivable genre. You can access detailed bibliographical information and clear, full-color images. -
The World of the Japanese Illustrated BookThe Pulverer Collection, acquired in its entirety by the Freer Gallery of Art in 2007, includes numerous rare and pristine examples of Japanese illustrated books produced in the Edo period and beyond. The holdings of more than 900 titles encompass almost 2,200 volumes that range in date from the early seventeenth century to the 1970s. Today the Pulverer Collection is regarded as one of the most outstanding and comprehensive collections of Japanese illustrated books outside Japan.
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『南總里見八犬傳』本文テキストデータ"Nanso Satomi Hakken-den" transliterated by Gen Takagi.
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国語学論文集A collection of public domain articles and books on Japanese studies. Full-text available.
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日本古典籍画像データベースA digital collection of Japanese ancient books by Kyushu University Library.
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東京大学総合図書館所蔵 霞亭文庫「霞亭文庫（かていぶんこ）」は総合図書館が所蔵する貴重図書であり、明治期の小説家・新聞記者である渡辺霞亭（1865－1924, 本名は渡辺勝）の旧蔵書で、江戸時代を中心とした小説・演劇関係の和書1,159点から成るコレクションです。内容は御伽草紙、仮名草子、浮世草子などのほか、江戸時代の通俗的な絵入り読み物である草双紙や、浄瑠璃、歌舞伎など多岐にわたります。
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東洋学文献類目Provide full-text images of Annual Bibliography of Oriental Studies.
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東洋文庫所蔵岩崎文庫善本画像データベースThis rare book database includes the old manuscripts of Chinese books copied during the Nara-Heian period in Japan from the Iwasaki Bunko collection. The manuscripts are from the Tang dynasty in China, and are valuable resources of ancient literature.
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東洋文庫 画像The Toyo Bunko collection has many digitized rare materials on East Asian studies, including book, images and maps. Most of them are free to access.
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熊野古道関係の古書等の資料熊野古道（紀伊道、中辺路、大辺路）をより楽しんで頂くために参考資料として使って頂ければ幸いです。縦書きは、割り書や傍書がうまく入れられないので「 」や（ ）で表しています。
Book Reviews 書評
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書評 | 好書好日A book review website y Asahi Shimbun.
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新聞書評の本棚「読書人」「朝日新聞」「読売新聞」「日本経済新聞」「毎日新聞」「産経新聞」「東京新聞」に掲載された書籍を掲載しております。
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ブック・レビューガイドBook review guide.
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書評のメルマガ本の虫の出版業界人が＜徹夜した本＞や＜繰り返し読んだ本＞、さらに新聞記者、出版編集者、プロの書評家による気鋭の書評など、書評メルマガの決定版。
Last Updated: Nov 25, 2025 6:22 PM
URL: https://libguides.umn.edu/japan_advanced