Research Help
Welcome
Welcome! This guide is to support the JAPN 453 students in their work on the projects, presentations and examinations for this research intensive course on modern Japanese literature. Check out also the regular Japanese Studies Resources guide for more complete listing of available resources.
If you have any questions, please contact your librarian, Tomoko Kitayama Yen.
Having an urgent question after hours? Online chat reference service, staffed by B.C. academic librarians, is available at AskAway.
Quick Links
Finding Literary Text
- 青空文庫 Aozora Bunko
A digital library containing almost 19,000 titles of freely accessible Japanese e-books from the public domain as well as works made openly available by the author. - 国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション National Diet Library Digital CollectionsChoose "Books" and limit the search to "Available Online" for open access materials.
Get Started
When you have the literary text, consider your project topic and come up with useful keywords for your library research. Questions to think about:
- Who is the author?
- What is the author's background that affected the author's works (upbringing, family, education, etc.)?
→ Find biographical information
- When was the work published?
- What happened in Japan around the published year? What was the historical context of the work?
→ Find historical information
- How was the original work published? Which literary journal was the work published? Was the work collected in an anthology? Which literary journal was the author associated with?
Online Databases for the Translated Works
- Japanese Literature in Translation Search List Search (Japan Foundation)This database covers Japanese literary works translated into other languages, mostly after World War II. Searches can be made either in Japanese character or Roman letters. Limit the language of translation to English.
- Japanese Literature in EnglishA searchable database that compiles all literary works translated from Japanese to English and available in the United States for purchase.
- Japanese Literature Publishing ProjectJLPP was founded in 2002 by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs, in order to promote awareness and appreciation of contemporary Japanese literature. There is a list of award-winning published translations.