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Japanese Collections

Author: Yasuhiro Aihara

Introducing the Toyo Keizai Archives (東洋経済アーカイブズ)

August 19, 2017 / / Comments Off on Introducing the Toyo Keizai Archives (東洋経済アーカイブズ)

The suite of 5 databases offered through JKBooks at OSU appears in the left margin. The Toyo Keizai Archives is listed at the bottom.

Japanese Studies at OSU Libraries (OSUL) is delighted to announce that the Toyo Keizai Archives (東洋経済アーカイブズ) has been added to our suite of online offerings. It is an extraordinary database of one of Japan’s oldest economic magazines and one of the three leading business magazines in Japan, along with Nikkei Business (日経ビジネス) and Weekly DIAMOND (週刊ダイヤモンド). The full-text, searchable digital archives includes 120 years of publications, or 58,000 issues, from the inaugural issue of November 15th, Meiji 28 (1895) to Heisei 27 (2015).

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Focus on Japan in WWII: Kōa Shingun Ezu Iri (興亜進軍絵図入)

May 4, 2017 / / Comments Off on Focus on Japan in WWII: Kōa Shingun Ezu Iri (興亜進軍絵図入)

Interior of aerogram depicting Japanese battles in the Pacific

On February 14th, I wrote a blog introducing the Pearl Harbor Exhibit that was hung last winter in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor (December 7, 2016). In order to showcase the Japanese military perspective, the exhibit included a very special document, a fold-up aerogram that was made by the Japanese wartime government.  The present blog will feature that document, known as gunji yūbin (軍事郵便), or “military mail” in English.

Gunji Yūbin (軍事郵便)

Gunji yūbin was the military mail service that connected soldiers on the front lines to their families back in the metropole. It was established in 1894 (Meiji 27) during the Sino-Japanese War. Because the gunji yūbin was responsible for handling all letters going back and forth between the soldiers and their families, its extant pieces can be a treasure trove for researchers of war-time and Imperial Japan.

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New to OSU Libraries: The Japan Times Digital Archive!

March 2, 2017 / / Comments Off on New to OSU Libraries: The Japan Times Digital Archive!

Japanese Studies at OSU Libraries is delighted to announce that The Japan Times Digital Archive is now available at The Ohio State University. It is an extraordinary archive of Japan’s oldest English language newspaper and only independent English-language newspaper in existence today.  The digital archive allows you to search the full text of all issues of The Japan Times published since its inauguration in March 1897 (Meiji 30) until 2014.

“The Japan Times Archives” search interface

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Pearl Harbor Exhibit at Thompson Library of The Ohio State University

February 14, 2017 / / Comments Off on Pearl Harbor Exhibit at Thompson Library of The Ohio State University

On December 7, 2016, the National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Commemoration was held at Kilo Pier, located in the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The 1941 Japanese attack on the US naval base Pearl Harbor was one of the defining events of the twentieth century. In that single moment, the U.S. was dragged out of its post-WWI isolationism and into a role of world leadership. The U.S. put away half a century of Mahan naval doctrine, with its emphasis on naval superiority, and moved into the age of naval air combat.

In commemoration of this historic event, Area Studies at Thompson Library created the Pearl Harbor Exhibit, which can be found on the 3rd floor at reading area Room 341. This exhibit fills two glass cases, each divided into several distinct sections.

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NHK Drama DVDs in the Japanese Studies Collections

March 11, 2016 / / Comments Off on NHK Drama DVDs in the Japanese Studies Collections

The following is a list of NHK dramas offered through the Japanese Studies Collections. Brief plot synopses for each series are provided along with links to their pages in the library’s catalog. Continue reading

Travelling to Japan – Resources on Japanese Etiquette and Mannerisms

May 4, 2015 / / Comments Off on Travelling to Japan – Resources on Japanese Etiquette and Mannerisms

Learning the everyday mannerisms necessary to operate in a foreign society like Japan can seem overwhelming. However, taking the time to research some common social practices can go a long way in deepening your understanding. For those looking to visit Japan, or those just researching at home, OSUL has numerous resources available on Japanese culture and etiquette. There are also studies, such as 在日留学生に必要なソーシャル・スキル (Necessary Social Skills for International Students in Japan) by 田中 共子(Tomoko Tanaka),  高井 次郎(Jiro Takai) and  神山 貴弥 (Takaya Kohyama), that analyze and give suggestions on how to successfully cope with these social difficulties. Continue reading

DVD Resources in OSUL: プロジェクトX (Project X) and プロフェッショナル (Professional)

February 18, 2015 / / Comments Off on DVD Resources in OSUL: プロジェクトX (Project X) and プロフェッショナル (Professional)

OSUL contains several different resources which can serve as valuable insight into modern Japanese innovations and professions. Among these are the two documentary television series from 日本放送協会 (NHK) known as プロジェクトX (Project X) and プロフェッショナル (Professional). プロシェクトX delves into the historical backgrounds for major advancements in Japanese industry, science, technology, public affairs, and sports. プロフェッショナル focuses on the detailed analysis of different professions by shadowing those who work in them, providing a glimpse into their daily work and motivations.

Project X and Professional

(Left): プロフェッショナル – 盲導犬訓練士多和田悟の仕事 (Right): プロジェクトX –  ゆけチャンピイ奇跡の犬 日本初の盲導犬・愛の物語

  • プロジェクトX (Project X) can be accessed through the library’s wiki here
  • プロフェッショナル (Professional) titles in OSUL catalog are listed below:

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