Research Navigation Find Old & Rare Japanese Books and Materials

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Guide to finding and using old and rare Japanese books and materials mostly created before the end of the Edo period.

Search for and Identify Resources

Kokushi Daijiten (Japanese History Dictionary) (book)
A comprehensive dictionary with more than 54,000 entries covering all areas of Japanese history including archeology, folk customs, religion, fine arts, Japanese linguistics, Japanese literature, geography, and other adjacent fields. Features many photographs, charts, and illustrations to aid understanding of the text. Each volume contains indexes for finding kanji words.
Nihon Koten Bungaku Daijiten (Japanese Classical Literature Dictionary) (book)
A comprehensive dictionary on Japanese classical literature. Indexes about 13,000 entries in Japanese syllabary order on works, personages, editors, and events. Includes information on reproductions (複製) and reprints (翻刻) as well.

Find and Use Reprints (翻刻)

Reprints of classic or rare works use texts interpreted by researchers and scholars based on the original work. Reprints are much easier to work with than the original works.

WINE (Library web site)
Using WINE's KEYWORD search, you can find reprints and annotated versions of classical works in our libraries by including words such as "reprint (翻刻)" or "annotated (注釈)" with the work's title: for example, "reprint (翻刻) and nihon eitaigura (日本永代蔵)".
Nihon Kotenseki Sougou Mokuroku (Union Catalogue of Early Japanese Books) (public web site)
This catalog contains all the works and authors found in Kokusho So Mokuroku (国書総目録), Revised Edition (reference book) and Kotenseki Sogo Mokuroku (古典籍総合目録) given below. Data is continually being added and updated (contained 454,889 works as of March 31, 2008). You can confirm the location of originals as well as reprints and reproductions.
Kokusho So Mokuroku, Revised Edition (Comprehensive Catalog of Japanese Literature) (book)
Kotenseki Sogo Mokuroku (Comprehensive Catalog of Classic Literature) (book)
Kokubungaku Ronbun Mokuroku Database (Database of Research Articles in Japanese Literature) (public web site)
A database of information related to academic paper published in Japan. The database is edited and compiled in parallel with Kokubungaku Nenkan (国文学年鑑:Japanese Literature Almanac), which ceased publication in 2006, although the database does not cover all entries in Kokubungaku Nenkan (国文学年鑑).
Kokubungaku Fukusei Honkoku Shomoku Soran (Index to Japanese Literature Reproduction and Reprints) (book)
This two-volume set contains information on reprinted books issued by the Rare Book Publication Society. (貴重本刊行会). Each volume contains a list of all works mentioned in the series.
Shin Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei (The New Compendium of Japanese Classical Literature) (book)
This series runs to 104 volumes, published by Iwanami Shoten. This reference of the complete works of classical Japanese literature incorporates recent research findings and is based on the Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei (日本古典文学大系), cited below. Includes an index of all volumes.
Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei (The Compendium of Japanese Classical Literature) (book)
Shinpen Nihon Koten Bungaku Zenshu (New Compilation of the Complete Works of Japanese Classical Literature) (book)
This series runs to 88 volumes, published by Shogakukan. The main text is given in the kundoku reading annotated with modern Japanese transliterations, head notes, and the original text.
Kokushi Taikei: Shintei Zoho (Compilation of Japanese History: Revised and Expanded) (book)
This series runs to 66 volumes, published by Yoshikawa Kobunkan. Contains edited works from ancient times to early modern times.
Dainihon Kokiroku (Record of Ancient Japanese Texts) (book)
Edited by the Histrographical Institute, the University of Tokyo. Contains important historical records from ancient times to early modern times. Parts of text can be viewed with the Full Classical Texts Database and the Full Ancient Records Database (currently being entered).
Full Classical Texts Database and the Full Ancient Records Database (public web site)
Zoho Shiryo Taisei (Expanded Historical Records Compilation) (book)
This series runs to 45 volumes and three appendices, published by Rinsen Book Company. Contains historical records and annals from the Imperial Court beginning from the Heian period and including the Kamakura, Nanbokucho, and Muromachi periods.
Shiryo Sanshu (Collection of Historical Archives) (book)
Reprints of historical archives from ancient times to early modern times, including previously unpublished works. Divided into an ancient records part and an ancient archives part.

Find and Use Facsimiles (photographic or digital reproductions)

Facsimile editions are made from photographic reproductions or scans of the original text. More and more libraries are publishing digital images of their old and rare materials online. Facsimile editions can be used as substitutes of original texts.

WINE (Library web site)
Using WINE's KEYWORD search, you can find facsimile editions of classical works in our libraries by including words such as "facsimile, reproduction (影印、複製)" with the work's title: for example, "facsimile (影印) and nihon eitaigura (日本永代蔵)".
Kotenseki Sogo Database of Japanese and Chinese Classics (Library web site)
A database of Waseda University Library's old and rare books started in 2005. All pages of the texts can be viewed in full color.
Waseda Daigakuzo Shiryō Eiin Sōsho: Kokusho Hen (Facsimile Series from the Archives of Waseda University: Japanese Records) (book)
A total of 48 volumes. Contains facsimile reproductions of selected books and historical documents held by Waseda University Library on Japanese literature and Japanese history. Readers can see photographic reproductions of many valuable works, with a particular emphasis on classic documents, including four designated important cultural properties, early modern literature, and arts and literature.
Waseda Daigakuzo Shiryō Eiin Sōsho: Yogaku Hen (Facsimile Series from the Archives of Waseda University: Western Studies) (book)
A total of 18 volumes. This collection contains archives related to Western studies and cultural studies in the Edo period drawn mainly from our Western studies collection (Bunko 8 in the Central Library). Includes facsimile reproductions of Otsuki Gentaku Kankei Shiryo (大槻玄沢関係資料) (a designated important cultural property) and other rare works.
Nihon Kotenseki Sougou Mokuroku (Union Catalogue of Early Japanese Books) (public web site)
Contains informtaion on facsimiles of manuscripts, block prints, reprinted/reproduced/mimeographed editions from the Kokusho Sou Mokuroku (国書総目録).
National Diet Library Digital Archive Portal (public web site)
Permits integrated searches of 54 categories of archive databases (as of March 2010) in Japan.

Find and Use Originals

Before using (browsing) old and rare books in our collection, you must locate which collection they are in and confirm their availability through the library. In many cases, you will need to submit a Request for Special Use in advance. Please note that it may take several days to several weeks before you can actually view old or rare books.

All our old and rare books are extremely valuable cultural and historic properties. Most require a certain amount of experience and skill to handle. Therefore, it is best that you begin your research using reprints or reproductions.

Nihon Kotenseki Sougou Mokuroku (Union Catalogue of Early Japanese Books) (public web site)
Contains information on facsimiles of manuscripts, block prints, reprinted/reproduced/mimeographed editions from the Kokusho Sou Mokuroku (国書総目録).
Shinpen Teikoku Toshokan Wa Kosho Mokuroku (New Catalog of Japanese Historical Archives at the Imperial Library) (book)
Catalogs are issued by various libraries listing their old and rare book collections. The catalog above is one example. Many of these catalogs are available at the Waseda University Library (mostly in the second floor Reference Book section in the Central Library).

Guides to Deciphering Classical Writings

Dai Kanwa Jiten (The unabridged Kanji-Japanese Dictionary) (book)
Edited by Morohashi Tetsuji. The world's largest Kanji-Japanese dictionary with over 50,000 character entries and more than 530,000 kanji compounds.
Cursive Script Dictionaries and Handbooks (book)
We have a number of cursive script dictionaries and handbooks including Kuzushiji Kaidoku Jiten (くずし字解読辞典) (Dictionary of Cursive Character Interpretations)
Historical Japanese Place Names / Dictionary of Famous Japanese People (Library subscription database) (in Japanese only)
Part of the Japan Knowledge database (a subscription database) and viewable online.
List of Resources on Classical Documents, National Diet Library (public web site)
Guide to Academic Information Search for Students of Tohoku University (2007) (public web site)