Yurii Kyogoku was a Serials Cataloger at OSU Libraries until her retirement in 1982. Born on April 13, 1916 near Hiroshima, Japan, Yurii came with her family to the United States in 1919 and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley.
When she retired and moved to Virginia, Yurii donated 523 volumes of Japanese books to the Ohio State University Libraries. Most of them were acquired by her father in California during the 20s and 30s, providing a rare glimpse into Japanese-American history.
Itzuzo Kyogoku from「 明るい仏教 アメリカより日本仏教徒に」
For more information on Yurii Kyogoku:
- Ohio State University Library Newsnotes (January 30,2001) – Page 6-7, “Yurii Kyogoku April 13, 1916 – January 7, 2001” by Maureen Donovan
The donation largely covers literary, cultural, religious, and philosophical topics. Yurii’s father, Itsuzō Kyōgoku (京極 逸藏) brought the books to the Central Utah Relocation Center, an internment camp in Topaz, Utah where Japanese-Americans were held during World War II. They became part of that camp’s Japanese library.
Itsuzō Kyōgoku (京極 逸藏) was born on January 8, 1887 in Japan and immigrated to the United States in 1919. Mr. Kyogoku had a habit of writing the date and the location at which he acquired a book on its first page. The map and the table at the bottom capture some of these inscriptions, although only a portion of the collection was reviewed and recorded.
On September 18, 1942, Itsuzo Kyogoku arrived at the Topaz relocation camp. As a Buddhist clergyman and member of the camp’s Adult Education Committee, he was instrumental in bringing his book collection into camp for the library, although internees were generally restricted to bringing only very few personal items. He was the largest donor to the camp’s Japanese library. The books were returned to him after the war, but many had to be discarded as they were badly damaged. A portion of his collection was donated by his daughter, Yurii, to the OSU Libraries where they originally were added to the circulating collections. Later some volumes were moved into the Rare Book collections, out of respect for their special history and provenance and with recognition that the dates and places recorded have significance for Japanese-American history.
For more information on the Japanese library in the Central Utah Relocation Center:
- Japanese American Community Libraries In America’s Concentration Camps by Andrew B. Wertheimer (2004) – Chapter Six describes the development of the Japanese library as well as Itsuzo Kyogoku’s leadership role in establishing it. See especially p. 168-181. (OSUL login required)
- Note: That chapter also discusses the English language library collection at the Topaz camp for which another OSUL colleague, Toyo Suyemoto Kawakami, served as librarian. The Toyo Suyemoto papers are held at Ohio State’s Rare Books and Manuscripts Department.
- Topaz Japanese-American Relocation Center Digital Collection at Utah State University
- Map of the camp – Central Utah Relocation Project Guide Book (Page 2)
- Topaz Times-
- Books Gathered for Issei, Kibei (January 28, 1943)
- Topaz Public Library (November 28, 1942) – announcement of 600 books donated by Itsuzo Kyogoku (November 28, 1942)
For more information on Itsuzo Kyogoku:
- Ancestry.com link for Kyogoku’s relocation date (OSUL login required)
- Topaz Japanese-American Relocation Center Digital Collection at Utah State University
- Topaz Times
- November 28, 1942 Fourfold Graces – Discrimination Itsuzo Kyogoku faced during his times in California, as recounted in this article
- December 5, 1942 Fourfold Graces – Article by Itsuzo Kyogoku
- Topaz Times
Inscription Data
| TITLE | AUTHOR | CALL # | Inscription (Date) | Inscription (Location) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indo rokuha tetsugaku 印度六派哲學 | Kimura Taiken 1881-1930 | B131 .K47 1915 | 12/14/1919 | L.A. |
| Indo tetsugaku shūkyōshi | Takakusu Junjirō | B131 .T3 | 12/14/1919 | L.A. |
| Indo tetsugaku kenkyū 印度哲学研究 | Ui Hakuju | B131 .U5 v.1 | 2/5/1926 | Fresno |
| Indo tetsugaku kenkyū 印度哲学研究 | Ui Hakuju | B131 .U5 v.2 | 6/5/1926 | Fresno |
| Indo tetsugaku kenkyū 印度哲学研究 | Ui Hakuju | B131 .U5 v.3 | 8/27/1935 | Fresno |
| Seiyō kinsei tetsugakushi 西洋近世哲學史 | Abe Yoshishige 1883-1966 | B798.J3 A24 1917 | 11/23/1920 | L.A |
| Gendai no tetsugaku 現代の哲學 | Takahashi Satomi 1886-1964 | B804 .T33 1917 | 11/23/1920 | L.A |
| Ethica. Japanese. 1918,"Supinoza tetsugaku taikei (Echika) スピノザ哲學大系(エチカ) | Spinoza Benedictus de 1632-1677 | B3973.J3 O24 1918 | 1/15/1926 | San Francisco |
| Yameru tetsugakuto no shuki 病める哲學徒の手記 | Minami Dentarō | B5244 .M55 1948 | 3/21/1949 | Fresno |
| Ninshikiron 認識論 | 紀平正美著 | BD161 .K55 1915 | 11/11/1919 | L.A. |
| Reikon no kenkyū 靈魂の硏究 | Kashiwabara Yūgi | BD421 .K35 1925 | 2/10/1926 | Fresno |
| Rinrigaku no konpon mondai 倫理學の根本問題 | Nishi Shinʼichirō 1873-1943 | BJ37 .N48 | 4/11/1924 | None |
| Kokumin dōtoku yōryō kōgi 國民道德要領講義 | Tanaka Yoshitō 1872-1946 | BJ970 .T33 1918 | 12/14/1919 | L.A. |
| Rinrigaku no konpon mondai 倫理學の根本問題 | Abe Jirō 1883-1959 | BJ1185.J3 A23 1920 | 11/23/1920 | L.A |
| Wesen der Religion. Japanese,"Shūkyō no honshitsu 宗敎の本質 | Bousset Wilhelm 1865-1920 | BL80 .B6143 1914 | 12/14/1919 | L.A. |
| Yūshinron taikei 有神論體系 | Tominaga Tokuma 1875- | BL200 .T68 1917 | 12/14/1919 | L.A. |
| Shūkyōron | Tsuchida Kyōson 1891-1934土田杏村著 | BL2203 .T95 1931 | 6/26/1931 | L.A. |
| Shinri eno shibo | Takagami Kakushō 1894-高神覺昇著 | BQ44 .T35 1926 | 1/7/1947 | San Francisco |
| Kumabe Jimei kun 隈部慈明君,"隈部慈明 " | BQ683 .K83 1919 | 11/10/1919 | L.A. | |
| Butten setsuwa zenshū 佛典說話全集 | Suzuki Daisetz Teitarō 1870-1966監修常盤大定 | BQ1036 .B88 1927 v.1 | 5/13/1928 | Fresno |
| Butten setsuwa zenshū 佛典說話全集 | Suzuki Daisetz Teitarō 1870-1966監修常盤大定 | BQ1036 .B88 1927 v.2 | 1/28/1928 | Fresno |
| Butten setsuwa zenshū 佛典說話全集 | Suzuki Daisetz Teitarō 1870-1966監修常盤大定 | BQ1036 .B88 1927 v.3 | 5/25/1928 | Fresno |
| Butten setsuwa zenshū 佛典說話全集 | Suzuki Daisetz Teitarō 1870-1966監修常盤大定 | BQ1036 .B88 1927 v.4 | 9/5/1928 | Fresno |
| Butten setsuwa zenshū 佛典說話全集 | Suzuki Daisetz Teitarō 1870-1966監修常盤大定 | BQ1036 .B88 1927 v.5 | 9/27/1928 | Fresno |
| Butten setsuwa zenshū 佛典說話全集 | Suzuki Daisetz Teitarō 1870-1966監修常盤大定 | BQ1036 .B88 1927 v.6 | 1/17/1928 | Fresno |
| Butten setsuwa zenshū 佛典說話全集 | Suzuki Daisetz Teitarō 1870-1966監修常盤大定 | BQ1036 .B88 1927 v.7 | 4/8/1929 | Fresno |
| Butten setsuwa zenshū 佛典說話全集 | Suzuki Daisetz Teitarō 1870-1966監修常盤大定 | BQ1036 .B88 1927 v.9 | 1/8/1929 | Fresno |
| Butten setsuwa zenshū 佛典說話全集 | Suzuki Daisetz Teitarō 1870-1966監修常盤大定 | BQ1036 .B88 1927 v.11 | 3/11/1928 | Fresno |
| Butten setsuwa zenshū 佛典說話全集 | Suzuki Daisetz Teitarō 1870-1966監修常盤大定 | BQ1036 .B88 1927 v.12 | 10/22/1928 | Fresno |
| Bukkyō dokuhon 佛敎讀本 | Takakusu Junjirō 1866- | BQ4016 .T33 1947 | 6/21/1929 | San Francisco |
| Bukkyō gairon 佛敎槪論 | Sasaki Gesshō 1875- | BQ4150 .S33 1921 | 11/23/1922 | Fresno |
| Jōdokyō hihan 淨土敎批判 | Nonomura Naotarō | BQ8616 .N6 1924 | 5/23/1925 | Fresno |
| Works. Selections. 1928,"Kiyozawa bunshū | Kiyozawa Manshi 1863-1903 | BQ8716 .K582 1928 | 9/1/1928 | Fresno |
| Muchū mondōshū. 1934,"880-03 Muchū mondō 夢中問答集.,"夢中問答" | Musō Soseki 1275-1351 | BQ9265 .S67 1934 | 11/5/1936 | L.A. |
| Chʻan yüan chu chʻüan chi tu hsü. Japanese & Chinese,"Zengen shosenshū tojo ; fu Zenmon shishi shōshūzu | Zongmi 780-841 | BQ9265 .T9 7143 | 8/24/1947 | L.A. |
| Tun wu ju tao yao men lun. Japanese & Chinese,"Tongo yōmon | Huihai active 8th century | BQ9268 .H8143 1938 | 8/18/1939 | L.A. |
| Zenkai ichiran 禪海一瀾 | Imakita Kōsen 1816-1892 | BQ9269.4.C65 I43 1935 | 8/12/1935 | L.A. |
| Bi yan lu. Japanese & Chinese,"880-03 Hekiganroku 碧巖錄.,"碧巖錄" | Yuanwu 1063-1135 | BQ9289.H78143 A8 | 7/10/1940 | L.A. |
| Rinzai Sōshi 臨済。荘子 | Maeda Togama 1898-1931 | BQ9362.3 .M33 1929 | 12/15/1934 | Lompoc |
| Rinzairoku / Asahina Sōgen yakuchū | Yixuan -867 | BQ9399.I554 L55143 1930 | _/_5/1936 | L.A. |
| Rinzairoku / Asahina Sōgen yakuchū c.2 | Yixuan -867 | BQ9399.I554 L55143 1930 c.2 | 1/7/1947 | San Francisco |
| Shōbō genzō,"Shōbō genzō Dōgen cho Etō Sokuō kōchū" | Dōgen 1200-1253 | BQ9449.D654 S5 1939 | 8/18/1939 | L.A. |
| Shōbō genzō zuimonki : Dōgen goroku 正法眼藏隨聞記 : | Dōgen 1200-1253 | BQ9449.D654 S55 1929 | 9/13/1929 | Fresno |
| Gaikō yoroku 外交餘錄 | Ishii Kikujirō 1866-1945 | DS845 .I79 1930 | 4/26/1931 | Fresno |
| Kojiki | 幸田成友校訂 | DS851.A2 K6 1927 | 11/5/1927 | Fresno |
| Nihon shoki,"Kundoku Nihon shoki | DS851.A2 N6 1928 | 11/18/1929 | Fresno | |
| Tokushi yoron 讀史餘論 | Arai Hakuseki 1675-1725 | DS851 .A7 1936 | 7/10/1940 | L.A. |
| Oritaku shiba no ki | Arai Hakuseki 1657-1725 | DS872.A7 A3 1939 | 7/1_/1940 | L.A. |
| Hōtokuki 報德記,"二宫尊德 " | Tomita Kōkei 1814-1890 | HB125.N68 T68 | 8/21/1947 | L.A. |
| Fujin mondai no hanashi 婦人問題の話 | Suzuki Bunshirō | HQ1121 .S94 | 6/19/1929 | Fresno |
| Toshi to nōson 都市と農村 | Yanagita Kunio 1875-1962 | HT147.J3 Y26 c.2 | 4/1/1929 | Fresno |
| Gikai no hanashi 議會の話 | Ogata Taketora 1888-1956 | JF1051 .O32 | 1/15/1929 | Fresno |
| Yomikata kyōiku 讀方教育 | Iida Kōtarō | LB1573 .I33 1931 | 12/19/1931 | Fresno |
| Isoho monogatari : Amakusa-bon 伊曽保物語 : | PA3855 .J3 1939 | 1947 | San Francisco | |
| Heike monogatari,"Heike monogatari | Hinatsu Kōnosuke | PL790 .H4 1929 | Torn off | Torn off |
| Shukke to sono deshi | Kurata Hyakuzō 1891-1943 | PL810.U7 S56 1929 | 5/21/1930 | Fresno |
| Reigan | Kikuchi Kan 1888-1948 | PL832.I4 R4 1919 | 8/__/1921 | San Francisco |
