Japan Studies: Electronic Resources

• Center for Informatics in East Asian Studies, Institute for Research in Humanities 東アジア人文情報学研究センター
  List of the databases of the Center for Informatics in East Asian Studies, Institute for Research in Humanities.
• Electronic Resources Database (ERDB) - Japan
  A data-sharing service for e-resources published in Japan, and is built through the collaboration of universities, publishers and knowledge-base vendors.
• The International Military Tribunal for the Far East Digital Collection
  Including roughly 7,000 documents consist of personal papers from members of the prosecution and defense sections, official IMTFE records, newspaper clippings, photographs, and other related trial materials. From University of Virginia School of Law.
• Nichibunken International Research Center for Japanese Studies
  The International Research Center for Japanese Studies (Nichibunken) is as an inter-university research institute of the Ministry of Education with the goals of carrying out international, scholarly, and interdisciplinary research on Japanese culture, and providing research support to Japan studies scholars around the world.
• The World and Japan
  Providing access to four databases: "Japanese Politics and International Relations," "Chronology of the 20th and 21st Centuries," "Foreign Policy of AsiaPacific Countries," and "Abbreviations for International Relations." From the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, University of Tokyo. 

• Calil.JP カーリル
  A new free online service that provides searches on the collection of over 7000 libraries within Japan. 
• Edo-Tokyo Museum Library OPAC 江戸東京博物館
  Containing more than 140,000 volumes of books, magazines, and microfilms about the history and culture of Edo-Tokyo.
• International Research Center for Japanese Studies 国際日本文化研究センター
  An inter-university research institute of the Ministry of Education with the goals of carrying out international, scholarly, and interdisciplinary research on Japanese culture, and providing research support to Japan studies scholars around the world.
• Library of Congress Online Catalog
  Containing 18 million catalog records for books, serials, manuscripts, maps, music, recordings, images, and electronic resources in the Library of Congress collections.
• Meitan: Meiji Shinbun Zasshi Bunko Search System 明探：東京大学明治新聞雑誌文庫所 蔵検索システム
  Meitan is a database for the Meiji Shinbun Zasshi Bunko collection (1868-1945) at the University of Tokyo. The database enables users to search the Miyatake Gaikotsu Collection (宮武外骨コレクション) catalog, the Yoshino Bunko (吉野文庫) catalog. In addition, the database includes the Nishikie Shimbun (錦絵新聞) collection whose images are accessible for free. 
• National Diet Library Online 国立国会図書館 蔵書検索・申込システム
  ​A search/request system for the materials held by the National Diet Library.
• National Institute of Japanese Literature 国立国文学研究資料館 図書・雑誌所蔵目録
  ​The institute performs specialized research studies of Japanese literature and related materials that have been collected domestically and overseas. It also creates collections using photographs and originals, organizes and preserves sources and bibliographies that have been obtained, and maintains a base for the study of Japanese literature and related fields.
• National Institute of Informatics Collection OPAC 国立情報学研究所
  The National Institute of Informatics (NII) seeks to advance integrated research and development activities in information-related fields, including networking, software, and content. 
• Oriental Library Online Catalog 東洋文庫蔵書検索
  ​The Tōyō Bunko (東洋文庫), or "Oriental Library", is Japan's largest Asian studies library and one of the world's five largest. Its online catalog allows users to access to digitized materials and electronic books. Presently, the library contains approximately 950,000 volumes which are cataloged linguistically according to Asian, Western and Japanese language materials.
• Special Library OPAC Search 専門図書館蔵書目録検索
  Links to OPACs of special libraries in Japan divided by subject.
• Webcat Plus
  A system equipped with the associative search function which can be searched including information related from the inputted keyword.

Dissertation and Articles

• CiNii NII学術情報ナビゲータ［サイニィ］
  CiNii (Scholarly and Academic Information Navigator, pronounced like "sigh-knee") is a database service which can be searched with academic information of articles, Books, Journals & Dissertations.
  (Note: Some items available for full-text download)
• Database of Research on the Imjin War
  An output of the “Aftermath of the East Asian War of 1592-1598” project, designed and created with the support of the European Research Council. It brings together bibliographic information on modern books, articles, and dissertations relating to the Imjin War (also known as Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s Invasions of Korea) and to make that information available to scholars in one easily searchable location. As of April 2020, the database contains over 360 entries in nine languages, primarily English, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese.
• Dissertation Review
  Features overviews of recently defended, unpublished doctoral dissertations (with a current focus on Chinese History, Japan Studies, and Korean Studies but with many more disciplines joining soon). The goal is to offer readers a glimpse of each disciplines immediate present by focusing on the window of time between dissertation defense and first book publication.
• Kyoto University Doctoral Dissertation Database
  This database provides doctoral dissertations submitted to Kyoto University or, its predecessor, Kyoto Imperial University. Part of the doctoral dissertations are available in full text in the Kyoto University Research Information Repository (KURENAI).
• UTokyo Repository 東京大学学術機関リポジトリ
  UTokyo Repository is the system to store and provide digital resources created by members of the University of Tokyo community. Its main purpose is to develop digital collections, make them available online, and preserve them for long-term access.
  (Note: Some items available for full-text download)

Journals 

• The Journal of Japanese Studies (via Project Muse)
  The most influential journal dealing with research on Japan available in the English language. 
  (Note: Available issues from 2004 to present)
• Kyoto Journal
  Founded in 1987, Kyoto Journal is an award-winning, volunteer-driven quarterly magazine presenting thought-provoking cultural and historical insights from Kyoto, Japan and all of Asia. Now the longest-established independent English publication in Japan.
• Monumentum Nipponica (via Project Muse)
  One of the oldest English-language journals in the field of Asian Studies. Founded in 1938 and published semiannually by Sophia University. 
  (Note: Available issues form 2005 to present)

• The Association of Asian Studies (AAS)
  The Association for Asian Studies (AAS) is a scholarly, non-political, non-profit professional association open to all persons interested in Asia and the study of Asia. With approximately 6,500 members worldwide, representing all the regions and countries of Asia and all academic disciplines, the AAS is the largest organization of its kind.
• The European Association of Japanese Studies
  Established in 1973 by a group of European scholars in the field of Japanese studies in order to facilitate international academic exchange across national borders.
• H-Asia (Asian History and Studies)
  The primary purpose of H-ASIA is to enable historians and other Asia scholars to easily communicate current research and teaching interests; to discuss new articles, books, papers, approaches, methods and tools of analysis; to test new ideas and share comments and tips on teaching.
• H-Japan
  An international, nonpartisan electronic discussion group, providing academics a free daily forum to discuss Japanese history, culture, religion, and society, including contemporary political, diplomatic, security, and economic issues.
• H-US-Japan 
  An edited, international, nonpartisan list that provides scholars, graduate students, politicians, journalists, policy-makers, researchers, professionals, and others a free daily forum to discuss US-Japan relations in the context of economic, security, political, and diplomatic issues.
• Japan Art History Forum (JAHF)
  Affiliated with two professional societies in the United States, the College Art Association and the Association for Asian Studies. Membership is open to anyone worldwide with a serious scholarly interest in the study of Japanese art history, visual and material culture, including faculty and graduate students in art history and related fields, museum professionals, independent scholars, and serious collectors.
• Japan Foundation 国際交流基金
  The Japan Foundation is Japan's only institution dedicated to carrying out comprehensive international cultural exchange programs throughout the world.
  (Note: For list of Associations & Institutions of Japanese Studies on the Japan Foundation website, see here.)
• Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science 日本学術振興会
  An independent administrative institution that promotes science and humanities fields in Japan.
• Japan Studies Association
  Since its foundation in 1994, the JSA has assisted its members – primarily teachers from American colleges and universities – to acquire first-hand knowledge about Japan and infuse it into the curriculum of their home institutions.
• Premodern Japanese studies (PMJS)
  A worldwide network of scholars, students, and professionals who research premodern Japan. With over 1000 members from more than 40 countries, PMJS is the largest and most diverse academic network dedicated specifically to premodern Japan.

• The Historiographical Institute, University of Tokyo, 東京大学編纂所
  Providing free access to a number of collections, including full-text digitized version of Nara, Heian, and Kamakura komonjo (old documents), to the digitized version of the Dai Nihon Shiryo (a database covering all periods of Japanese pre-modern history), and to a number visual image databases.
• Japanese Text Initiatives
  Providing texts of classical Japanese literature. Where possible, the Japanese texts will be accompanied by English translations. From the University of Virginia Library Electronic Text Center and the University of Pittsburgh East Asian Library.
• Laures Rare Book Database and Virtual Library, Sophia University 上智大学図書館・ラウレスキリシタ ン文庫データベース
  The electronic catalogue of rare books contained “Kirishitan Bunko” edited by Johannes Laures, S.J. as well as added material after the publication. The collection includes: The Ancient Japanese Mission Press, Mission Press during the Period of the Restoration of the Catholic Mission in Japan, European Works on the Early Missions in Japan, Maps of East Asia, Christian Artifacts, etc.
• National Institute of Japanese Literature Database 国文学研究資料館 電子資料館データーベース
  The National Institute of Japanese Literature's digital database provides access to various digital collections relating to Japanese literary studies.

Arts

• Open F|S (Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M Sackler Gallery)
  The Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M Sackler Gallery contain some of the most important holdings of Asian art in the world. Together, both Galleries form the national museums of Asian art at the Smithsonian and are dedicated to the acquisition, care, study, and exhibition of works in their collections. Open F|S is the complete digitized collections of the Freer and Sackler Galleries and the Freer Study Collection. With more than 40,000 works being made available for high-resolution download, images can be used for all non-commercial purposes, from desktop wallpapers to artistic gifts for family and friends.

Images

• Japan Archives 1850-2100  ジャパンアーカイブズ
  Japan Archives contains many pictures from 1850 to present.

Japanese American Studies

• Japanese American Relocation Digital Archives
  Containing 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.

Teaching Resources

• Meiji at 150 Digital Teaching Resources
  Collections include Lecture Series, Workshop Series, Digital Teaching Resource, and Podcast Series, interrogating Japan’s position in global history along with the place of the Meiji Restoration in Japanese historical pedagogy. From the University of British Columbia: the Centre for Japanese Research, the Department of History, the Department of Asian Studies, and the Asian Library
• MIT Visualizing Cultures
  Topical units to date focus on Japan in the modern world and early-modern China. The thrust of these explorations extends beyond Asia per se, however, to address "culture" in much broader ways—cultures of modernization, war and peace, consumerism, images of "Self" and "Others," and so on. From Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Natural Disasters

• Digital Archive of Japan's 2011 Disasters
  An advanced search engine for materials from all over the web, including personal stories, tweets, and content from international partners who are building repositories about Japan's 2011 disasters. From the Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies at Harvard University
  (Note: Online Access)
• Great Kanto Earthquake Japan, September 1923
  Containing scanned images and reports taken in Yokohama, Kamakura, and Tokyo. From the University of Hawaii at Manoa
  ​(Note: Open Access)
• National Diet Library Great East Japan Earthquake Archive 国立国会図書館東日本大震災アーカイブ
  A digital database that provides access to images, videos, audio-recording, maps, and other materials related to the earthquake that affected the North-eastern part of Japan in March 2011.
  (Note: Open Access)
• NHK Great East Japan Earthquake Archive NHK 東日本大震災アーカイブ
  Video archive of news footage of the earthquake and testimonies of 3.11 survivors and witnesses.
  (Note: Open Access)

Japanese Universities Digital Collections

• Keio University Media Center Digital Collections 慶應義塾大学メディアセンターデジタルコレクション
  Containing digitalized materials with descriptions and catalog data. Including works by Fukuzawa Yukichi, ukiyo-e, Chinese and Japanese classics, and old medical books.
• Kyoto University Rare Materials Digital Archive 京都大学貴重資料デジタルアーカイブ
  Largest digital collection in Japan. As of the end of November 2019, the number of digitized items reached around 1.29 million images of over 14,000 titles, including Konjaku monogatari-shu (Suzuka Ed.), designated as a national treasure, and 40 important cultural properties.
• Nagasaki University Digital Collection 長崎大学電子化コレクション
  This digital collection includes different sets of old photographs from Edo and Meiji periods, medical texts, scanned old books on economics and foreign relations in the 19th century, and The Nagasaki Shipping List and Advertiser (1861), the first English language newspaper in Japan.
  (Note: Some items not available for download)
• Tohoku Univeristy Library Digital Collection 東北大学デジタルコレクション
  Providing partial online access to five digitized special collections: the Kano collection (maps and illustrated books); the Soseki collections (documents related to novelist Natsume Soseki); the "Wasan collection" (documents on Japanese mathematics); the "Akita Archive" (documents on the Akita family); and the "Precious Books collection."