1.   Research in Japanese Sources: A Guide, by Herschel Webb. This discusses not only sources but a great variety of the problems encountered by the student in working on Japanese historical sources.

2.   Guide to Japanese Reference Works. An English translation of Nihon no sankō tosho  日本の参考図書  (of 1962), but a 1965 Japanese revision has also appeared.

3.  Japanese History: A Guide to Japanese Reference and Research Materials, by John W. Hall (University of Michigan, Center for Japanese Studies, Bibliography Series, No. 4) Not up-to-date (1954) but still useful.

4.   Kokusho sōmokuroku  国書總目錄  (Iwanami, 1963-76). Comprehensive list in eight volumes (with Vol. 9 as index) of premodern books and manuscripts, giving author, classification, and series in which published, if any.

5.   Kokushi bunken kaisetsu  國史文獻解說  and Zoku kokushi taikei  續國史大系. A description of premodern historical works and premodern and modern collections.