Yale University Library Research Guides: Japan Studies: Major Online Resources at Glance

Top Reference Tools

A large collection of language dictionaries, encyclopedias, biographical dictionaries, and other Japanese reference works, ebooks and journals. Click here for more information on individual sources.

For more comprehensive information on reference tool for Japan Studies, please click here

Other Reference Tools

Encyclopedias

Language / Character Dictionaries

Biographies

History

Cambridge History of Japan
Kokushi daijiten 国史大辞典 (JK)
Nihon Rekishi Chimei Taikei 日本歴史地名大系 (JK)
more... less...

The information is related to the natural history of the nation. The online version allows for the full-text search and quick cross-referencing of locations whose names have changed over time. An interactive map interface allows users to view certain historical maps from the Meiji Fukkatsu Chizu collection (1884-1887), with a larger selection of historical maps available in PDF format. This database is included in the JapanKnowledge database. Patrons must begin their search of Nihon Rekishi Chimei Taikei, by accessing JapanKnowledge first.
Koji Ruien 古事類縁 (JK)

Religion

Digital dictionary of Buddhism 電子佛教辭典

E-J / J-E dictionaries

Find Journal Articles / Book Chapters

For more information about finding journal articles / book chapeters, click here.

Japanese Language

Koseisha Zasshi Kiji Sakuin Shusei Database 皓星社雑誌記事索引集成データベース
more... less...

This is one of several major journal index databases available for Japanese journals. It is the only one that provides an index of journal articles published in the Meiji, Taishō, and early Shōwa periods to the present. It also contains important local journals that were published in prefectures and cities that are not in the NDL journal index. Users can search terms in the modern language for words changed historically. In addition, each search clarifies which Japanese university library holds the specific journal and desired article.
Web Oya
NDL Zasshi Kiji Sakuin 雑誌記事索引
CiNii
JAIRO
国文学論文目録データベース
20世紀メディア情報データベース
NDL search 国立国会図書館サーチ

English Language

Also, search other full-text databases such as EBSCO, JSTORE, Project Muse, etc.

Major electronic resource platform

JKBooks
Ebooks and ejournals in this platform including volumes from 新編日本古典文学全集 (小学館）、新編国歌大観、東洋文庫、新編国史大系、太陽［日本近代文学館］、風俗画報、古事類苑、群書類従（正・続・続々）、鎌倉遺文 and 東洋経済新報／週刊東洋経済デジタルアーカイブ
Maruzen eBook Library
Provides ebooks acquired by Yale including 新日本古典文学大系 (岩波) and 大日本仏教全書
Kinokuniya KinoDen
Provides ebooks purchased by Yale including the full set of 日本隨筆大成
HathiTrust Digital Library
more... less...

Many Japanese books in this database are full texts. The search functions for Japanese titles and texts. Searching for titles in English transliteration is advised.
NDL Digital Library デジタルライブラリー
Aozora Bunko 青空文庫
J-DAC
Online platform for Japanese humanities and social history materials.

Major ebook sets

Dissertations

Japanese

English

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global

Images, Audio, Film, etc

Images

Films / Moving images

Audio

歴史的音源

Online Fulltest Journals

Japanese language

Fūzoku Gahō 風俗画報 (JK:1889-1916)
Taiyō 太陽 (JK:1895-1928)
Tokyo Keizai 東洋経済新報/週刊東洋経済 (JK:1895-1945)
Taiwan Nichi Nichi Shinpō 臺灣日日新報 (1898-1911)
Bijutsu shinto 美術新報 (JK: 1902-20)
Mita Bungaku Online 三田文学 (1910-1945)
Bungeishunjū 文藝春秋 (JK:1923-50)
more... less...

Issues also include articles on various topics reflecting the general interests of people in the era. The database provides full-text search functions on 90,000 PDF pages of the original magazine.
Asahi Graph アサヒグラフ (Kikuzō: 1923-1945)
AERA アエラ (Kikuzō:1988-)
Shūkan Asahi 週刊朝日 (Kikuzō: 2000-)
Shūkan Economisuto 週刊エコノミスト (JK: past 2 years)

English language

Online Newspapers

For more information about all the newspaper resources, click here.