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University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Japanese Studies for EALC Grad Students: History

Japanese studies research resources and library guide for graduate students in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures.

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National Museum of Japanese History

National Museum of Japanese History

国立歴史民俗博物館

Japanese  /  English

Provides many databases for historical research (in Japanese).

Asian Collection in Rare Book & Manuscript Library

Asian Collection in Rare Book & Manuscript Library

The Asian Collection housed in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library  consists of over 886 volumes dating from the 14 th to the 20 th centuries. The great majority of items are Japanese books printed between the 17 th and 19 th centuries, which came from came from the library of Joseph K. Yamagiwa (1906-1968).  Professor Yamagiwa was a leading scholar and professor of Japanese at the University of Michigan.  Professor Yamagiwa's collection, purchased in 1969, contained 1800 volumes, is divided between the Asian Library and the Rare Book and Manuscript Library. For more information on this collection, please see the finding aid for Asian Rare Book Collection.

Histographical Institute, University of Tokyo

Historiographical Institute, University of Tokyo

東京大学資料編纂所

Provides access to many databases, including: Komonjo Full-Text Database, Dai Nihon Shiryo Unified Database, Databases of images, as well as useful tools like Database of Kuzushi-ji, Online Glossary of Japanese Historical Terms.

To search in Japanese, click on "データベース検索" tab on the top of the page. 

Search in English is also available.  Click on on the "Database" tab on the top of the screen.

Japan Center for Asian Historical Records

Japan Center for Asian Historical Records (JACAR)

国立公文書館 アジア歴史資料センター

" JACAR is a digital database testifying to Japan's historical relations in Asia as well as elsewhere. This site provides access to official documents—dating from the Meiji era through 1945—of the Japanese Cabinet, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Army and Navy. In an effort to share history as it has been documented, JACAR's archives showcase the original records, including full images of the documents, all in digitized form, on an unprecedented scale." -JACAR website

Search in English

International Research Center for Japanese Studies

日文研データベース

Nichibunken Databases

* Some databases require user registration.