This webpage explains how to use search tools (subject bibliographies) chiefly in the Japanese language available mainly in the Tokyo Main Library Humanities Room to find reference resources (books, journal articles, etc.) related to Japanese literature.

To search for journal articles, please refer to Article Index of Periodicals in Japanese.

Numbers shown in brackets 【 】 indicate the NDL call number for an item.

The [Range] field lists the publication year and period, and format of the selected and cataloged bibliography of interest.

1. General

• Database of Research Theses in Japanese Literature and Archival Studies (National Institute of Japanese Literature)
  [Range] 1888-. Parts of books and journal articles
  [Notes] Indexed chiefly from the collections of the National Institute of Japanese Literature
• "Meiji Taisho Showa zenki zasshi kiji sakuin shusei. Jinbun kagaku hen" (Composite index of Japanese magazine and journal articles (1868-1948)) vol.1 (Japanese language and literature 1), vol.2 (Japanese language and literature 2), vol.3 (Japanese language and literature 3) (Koseisha　1995-　【UP54-E16】)
  [Range] Meiji period-1935. Journal Articles
  [Index] None　
  *Reproduction of the "Kokugo kokubun kenkyu zasshi sakuin" (Japanese language and literature research article index) vol.1, [2]　【910.39-N627k】). Users can also search with Koseisha's Zasshikijisakuinshusei Database Zassaku Plus(Koseisha) (Database subscribed to by this library: available within the NDL only). For a writer index and tables of contents, users can search the Koseisha Database .
• "Nihon bungaku kenkyu bunken yoran. Koten bungaku" (Japanese literature research bibliography catalog-classical Japanese literature) (Nichigai Associates　1976-2015)
  Classical Japanese literature: 1975～1984, 1985～1989, 1990-1994, 1995-1999, 2000-2004, 2005～2009, 2010～2014 【KG1-J47 et al.】
  Modern Japanese literature: 1965-1974, 1965-1974. Suppl., 1975～1984, 1985～1989, 1990-1994, 1995-1999, 2000-2004, 2005～2009, 2010～2014, 2015～2019 【KG1-L35 et al.】
  [Range] 1965- . Books, parts of books, journal articles
  [Index] Item index, author index, title index of literary works
• Teiji Ichiko, ed., "Kokubungaku kenkyu shomoku kaidai" (Annotated bibliography of Japanese literature research books) (Tokyo Daigaku Shuppankai　1982　【KG1-72】)
  [Range] Meiji period-1980. Books
  [Organization] Period> genre> publication date
  [Index] Book title index

2. By Period

2-1. Classical Literature (General)

• Masashi Nishizawa, Takeshi Tokuda, ed., "Nihon koten bungaku kenkyushi daijiten" (Dictionary of the history of classical Japanese literature research) (Benseisha　1997　【KG2-G23】)
  [Range] Books, journal articles
  [Index] Item index
  [Notes] References are introduced in the explanatory notes for each item.
• "Koten bungaku zenshu, honkokusho, kenkyusho somokuroku" (A general catalog of anthologies,reproductions and research books of classical literature) (Nichigai Associates　1996　【KG1-G10】)
  [Range] Meiji Period-1995. Books
  [Order] Period> genre> title of work in Japanese alphabetical order
  [Index] Author name index, item index
• Teiji Ichiko, ed., "Shin koten bungaku kenkyu hikkei" (A new handbook for classical Japanese literature research) (Gakutosha　1992　【KG12-E72】)
  [Range] Books, parts of books, journal articles
  [Index] None
  [Notes] References are introduced in the explanatory notes for each item.
• Tetsuya Ito, ed., "Kaigai ni okeru nihon bungaku kenkyu ronbun 1+2" (Overseas research papers on Japanese literature 1+2) (Tetsuya Ito　2006　【KG1-H38】)
  [Range] Journal articles presented and published outside Japan
  [Order] Language> period> genre
  [Index] None

2-2. Early Japanese Literature (Pre-Nara Period)

• Hiroshi Ono, Mitsuru Sakurai, ed., "Jodai bungaku kenkyu jiten" (Dictionary of research on Japanese literature from the Jodai period) (Ofu　1996　【KG16-G12】)
  [Range] Books, journal articles
  [Index] None
  [Notes] A 'Basic bibliography' has been provided for each item.

2-3. Chuko Period Japanese Literature (Heian Period), Japanese Medieval Period Literature (Kamakura and Muromachi Periods)

• Noboru Tanaka, Tokuro Yamamoto, ed., "Heian bungaku kenkyu handbook" (A handbook to Heian period Japanese literature) (Izumi Shoin　2004　【KG16-H44】)
  [Range] Books, parts of books, journal articles
  [Index] None
  [Notes] References are introduced in the explanatory notes for each item.
• Naoto Yoshikai, ed., "Genji monogatari kenkyu handbook:kan betsu , themebetsu kenkyu bunken mokuroku" (The tale of Genji research handbook: research bibliography by volume and theme) 3 volume set (Kanrin Shobo　1999-2001　【KG57-G4】)
  [Range] Books, journal articles, etc.
  [Organization]
  　Vol. 1: By chapter (Kiritsubo-Suetsumuhana ), by theme
  　Vol. 2: By chapter (Momiji no ga-Akashi ), by theme, related quotations
  　Vol. 3: By theme, related flora and fauna, related vocabulary
  [Order] By publication date
  [Index] None
• Overseas HEIAN literature Information (Tetsuya Ito)
  [Range] Journal articles presented and published outside Japan
  [Notes] The above "Kaigai ni okeru nihon bungaku kenkyu ronbun 1+2" (Overseas research papers on Japanese literature 1+2) 【KG1-H38】 is updated with the latest information when available. Some articles are available for downloaded (after applying for the required password) and links to PDF files (external sites) have been provided.

2-4. Early Modern Japanese Literature (Edo Period)

• Masaru Okamoto, Sueo Kira, ed., "Kinsei bungaku kenkyu jiten" (Research dictionary of early modern Japanese literature) (Ofu　2006　【KG2-H42】)
  [Range] Books, journal articles
  [Order] Item index, title, name> period
  [Index] Title index, name index, item index
  [Notes] References are introduced in the explanatory notes of the research history field or in the references field for each item.

2-5. Modern Literature (since the Meiji Period)

• Takeo Okano, "Meiji bungaku kenkyu bunken soran" (A survey of research references on Meiji period literature) (Fuzanbo　1976　【KG1-30】)
  *Reproduction of 1944 edition (Fuzanbo　【910.31-O526m】).
  [Range] 1868-1943. Books, parts of books, journal articles.
  [Index] Title index, title index of literary works (In some cases, details of the contents may not be included)
• Sakka Kenkyu Daijiten Hensankai, ed., "Meiji, Taisho, Showa sakka kenkyu daijiten" (Dictionary of research on Meiji, Taisho and Showa writers) (Ofusha　1992　【KG2-E35】)
  [Range] Books, parts of books, journal articles, etc.
  [Index] None
  [Notes] References are introduced in the explanatory notes for each item and the 'Bibliographical Survey'.
• Izumi Hasegawa, ed., "Gendai bungaku kenkyu :joho to shiryo" (Contemporary literature: information and materials) (Shibundo　1987　【KG2-E7】)
  [Range] Books, journal articles
  [Index] None
  [Notes] References are introduced in the 'Annals, author bibliography, reference bibliography, etc.', 'Biographical materials', 'Summary of criticism and research', 'Author criticism', 'Criticism of literary works', etc.
• "Kindai bungaku kenkyu sosho" (Library of Modern Literature Research) vol.1-76, separate vols. (Showa Women's University Institute of Modern Culture　1956-2001　【910.26-Sy961k】)
  [Range] Books, parts of books, journal articles, newspaper articles
  [Index] Name index, work and item indexes are included at the end of each volume.
  [Notes] References are introduced in the 'Content chronology', 'References', etc.

3. By Genre

• "Haikai kenkyu bunken mokuroku: renga, haikai, zappai, senryu" (A haikai research bibliography: renga, haikai, zappai, and senryu) (Nichigai Associates　2008　【KG1-J7】)
  [Range] 1945-2006. Books, parts of books, journal articles
  [Order] By publication date
  [Index] Catergories, author index
• "Gunkimono kenkyu bunken somokuroku" (A general catalog of research references on military tales) (Gunkimono Danwakai　1987　【KG1-E1】)
  [Range] 1960-1985. Texts, books, parts of books, journal articles
  [Order] 9 categories including general military tales, the Heike Monogatari, the Taiheiki, etc.> publication date
  [Index] Author index
  [Notes] 'Bibliography manuscript' (Meiji period-1959) also collected (not included in the above-mentioned index)
• Akio Fukasawa, Shinichi Kikuchi, ed., "Kanazoshi kenkyu bunken mokuroku" (A research bibliography of Kanazoshi) (Izumi Shoin　2004　【KG1-H22】)
  [Range] Books (1896-2002), journal articles (1906-2002)
  [Organization]
  Part 1: Kanazoshi works (bibliography of reprints and facsimiles)
  Part 2: Kanazoshi related research monographs (collected content information)
  Part 3: Kanazoshi related articles, etc.
  [Index] Name index (part 2 and 3) title index (part 2)
• "Yomihon kenkyu bunken mokuroku" (A bibliography of yomihon research) (Keisuisha　1993　【KG1-E60】)
  [Range] Meiji/Taisho-1990. Books, journal articles
  [Order] By publication date
  [Index] None
  [Notes] A collection of general yomihon, yomihon (early and late), Takebe Ayatari, Ueda Akinari, Santou Kyoden, Kyokutei Bakin, and a bibliography of jitsurokutai shosetsu (fictionalizations of actual events)
• "Hikaku bungaku kenkyu bunken yoran: 1945-1980 Nihon kindai bungaku to seiyo bungaku" (A bibliography catalog of comparative literature research: 1945-1980 modern Japanese literature and Western literature) (Nichigai Associates　1984　【KE111-27】)
  [Range] 1945-1980. Books, journal articles
  [Order] Introduction, literary criticism of authors (Japanese and Western authors)> family name in Japanese alphabetical order (literary criticism of the authors)
  [Index] Author index

Related Search Guides

• Subject Bibliography (List of Related Publications) Published in the Japanese Language
• Foreign Language and Literature Bibliography (Subject Bibliographies) Published in the Japanese Language