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Annotated Guide to Research in Japanese History: Surveys of problems in J history

Also..

There are many other surveys of the state of more particular fields that will be of tremendous help if you find one in the field of your topic.  These works often combine bibliography with analysis of historiographic trends.  For example, Chihōshi no kenkyū to henshū 地方史の研究と編集 (1968) talks about methodology and kinds of materials and then lists research by prefectures. Chiho shi kenkyū no genjō 地方史研究の現状 (1969) 3 volumes is completely discursive and organized by regions.

 

Also, the May issue of the Shigaku zasshi 史学雜誌 surveys the research published in history in Japan during the previous year. The section on Japanese history is broken down into periods which are further broken down into cultural, economic, political, etc., sections.  In each section new works are listed, sometimes with detailed descriptions of their findings.  An even more recent listing of articles which have appeared in the previous months can be found at the back of each issue of the monthly journal Nihon rekishi 日本歴史.  The Shigaku zasshi, in particular,  is a valuable resource for identifying new works, both monographs and articles.  Start with the most recent May issue, and work back through a few years.

List

 

 

Once you have a topic in mind, these are useful to orient you to the major interpretations and relevant works.  Also, of course, browsing these can help you locate topics.  Comparing entries in recent and older surveys is also important to develop a sense of the changing historiography of a topic.

 

 

 

1.         Nihonshi no mondaiten 日本史の問題点 by Nihon Rekishi Gakkai (1965)

A survey for modern and premodern history, arranged topically.

 

2.         Nihon shigaku nyūmon 日本史学入門 edited by Ōkubo Toshiaki and Ebisawa Arimichi (1965)

 

3.         Nihonshi kenkyū nyūmon 日本史研究入門 Volume 1 edited by Tōyama Shigeki (1949), Volume 2 edited by Tōyama and Sato Shin’ichi (1962), Volumes 3 and 4 edited by Inoue Michisada and Nagahara Keiji (1969, 1975)   

 

4.         Nihon hōken shakai kenkyūshi 日本封建社會研究史 edited by Kimura Motoi (1958, 1972)  

A history of interpretations of major topics in Japanese feudal history from the origins of the shōen system to late Tokugawa Japan.  The second volume, (Zoku...) is mostly research from 1956 on.

 

5.         Meiji ishinshi kenkyū kōza 明治維新史研究講座 by Rekishi-gaku Kenkyūkai, 7 volumes (1959)

This is a six volume work put out by the Rekishi-gaku Kenkyūkai which includes in its purview much of late Tokugawa and early Meiji history.  See also the bekkan to this series, a zadankai covering the years 1959-1969.

 

6.         Kindaishi kenkyū kaisetsu 近代史研究解説 and Gendaishi kenkyū kaisetsu 現代史研究解説 in the fourth volumes of the Kindai and Gendai series of the Iwanami kōza Nihon rekishi 岩波講座日本歴史, Volumes 17 and 21.   


 

7.         Kinseishi handobukku 近世史ハンドブック edited by Kodama Kōta (1972)


Guide to research in different topics from 1568-1868.

 

8.         Chūseishi handobukku 中世史ハンドブック edited by Nagahara Keiji (1973)  

 

9.         Kindai Nihon kenkyū nyūmon 近代日本研究入門 edited by Nakamura Takafusa and Itō Takashi (1977)

 

10.       Nihon kindai shi yōsetsu 日本近代史要說 edited by Takahashi Kōhachirō et. al. (1980)

 

11.       Nihonshi no kiso chishiki 日本史の基礎知識 edited by Sugihara Sōsuke et. al .  One to three page summaries of about 240 topics in Japanese history from ancient to contemporary eras (e.g. The uji system, the silk textile industry).