Yale University Library Research Guides: Japanese Studies Primary Sources in Western Languages: Visual Materials

Databases for digital images

MIT Visualizing Cultures This site is established to provide "a gateway to seeing history through images that once had wide circulation among peoples of different times and places." It contains visual images representing various perspectives on Japan since the mid-19th century on such topics as Westernization, imperialism, militarism and commercialization. Each image is complemented by a description, video clips of interviews and explanations of images by John Dower.
Visual resources for Japan Excellent database for Japanese image related websites. This site enables you to sort by format, subject and/or historical period. Includes sites devoted to architecture, calligraphy, ceramics, folk arts, maps, painting, photography, posters, prints, scrolls, sculpture.
ARTstor
ARTstor is an image database and presentation tool, which currently contains approximately 300,000 digital images. The image collections cover architecture, painting, sculpture, photography, decorative arts, design, and many other forms of visual materials. All periods and many cultures are represented.
Visual Resources Collection (Yale University Library) 265,000 images digitally available to the Yale community. Search by geographical area, time period, or media (architecture, paintings, etc).
East Asian Studies Image Resources This guide, created by Christina Corrigan from Visual Resource Collections, is the most comprehensive guide for images available on the web for East Asia Studies

Finding/identifying images

There are thousands of printed publications that provide various types of images such as paintings, scriptures, architecture, photography, advertisements as well as manga/cartoons. Categories for those images can be specified by periods, geographic locations as well as subjects such as labor movements, Atomic bomb and festivals.

Orbis Use the keywords "pictorial works" combining with specific research topics. For example, a keyword search for "Atomic bomb" and "pictorial works" in Orbis will yield 8 different results. Another option is to do a keyword search combined with the "limit" function by selecting the “More Limits” button on the Orbis search screen and highlighting “Visual Materials" or “Projected Medium” from “Item Type.”

Special collections at Yale

Chirimen-bon Collection Beinecke Rare books and Archive Library Chirimen-bon is a book made of chirimen paper (crepe paper), usually illustrated by colored woodblock prints. Produced from the Meiji to early Showa periods as souvenirs for foreigners visiting Japan, chirimen books were usually picture books of Japanese folk stories like “Momotaro”, “Hanasaka jiji” and “Kachi-kachi yama” translated into Western languages such as English, German and French. Keyword search "crepe paper" and "hasegawa".
The Cary Collection of Playing Cards Beinecke Rare books and Archive Library Acquired by Melbert B. Cary, Jr, this distinguished collection contains playing cards, card sheets, wood blocks, metal plates, ephemera, and prints from all over the world. In the collection, there are some different types of Japanese playing cards such as Hyakunin isshu awase, as well as hanafuda.
Todd-Bingham Picture Collection Manuscripts and Archives Collection (MS 496E) “Travels to Japan on expeditions (1887, 1896) are recorded in several folders of photographs. The people of the Ainu region of Japan are portrayed in their native costumes. The Todds were apparently the first outsiders to explore this area in 1896. Mounted photographs of the Mount Fuji terrain, the area David Peck Todd and his expedition surveyed in 1887, are also arranged here.” - From the finding aids, Manuscripts & Archive Collection.

Newspaper and Journal Caricatures

Manga zasshi hakubutsukan
Compilation of political and social cartoon caricatures published in newspapers and journals from Meiji to early Showa period. Many cartoons are labeled with English or Chinese captions.
Tokyo pakku 1905-1912 Mimicking the successful magazine "Puck" in the United States, "Tokyo Pakku" was published by Rakuten Kitazawa (1876-1955) as a magazine of cartoon caricatures for political satire and social criticism.
Garakuta chinpō = The Japanese comic paper, garakuta-chimpo.
A reprint of a journal for political social cartoon caricatures in 1879 - 1883. Some cartoons are labeled with English captions. However, some issues carry inaccurate parallel English chronological designations.

Copyright

NCC Image Use Protocol Very useful guides for getting permission to use images from copyright owners in Japan. The guide include bilingal permission request templets as well as section for "When permission is required" with sample cases.
Copyright and Image Citation Info. Information on Copyright and Citation for visual resources. There are some links catered for using visual images in Yale community.

Using Japanese Sources

Asahi Kuronikuru 20-seiki
This ten-volume collection covers the entire twentieth century, with a focus on Japan's interactions with the world at large.

Collections of images published in Japanese-language collections can also be useful, even if you do not read Japanese. Images tend to be organized chronologically and thematically, but captions will often include dates with Western calendar years. (For information regarding Japanese calendar systems, see this Duke University Library guide.)

Shashin kaiga shūsei Nihon no onnatachi
Collection of Photographs and Illustrations about Women in Japan: A six-volume collection ordered thematically. Within each volume the images are divided into chronological chapters.
Visual resources for Japan Excellent database for Japanese image related websites. This site enables you to sort by format, subject and/or historical period. Includes sites devoted to architecture, calligraphy, ceramics, folk arts, maps, painting, photography, posters, prints, scrolls, sculpture.

Japanese Studies Primary Sources in Western Languages: Visual Materials