This webpage introduces 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 art and architecture.

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 period, and format of the selected and cataloged bibliography of interest.

1. General

• "Nihon bijutsu nenkan" (Yearbook of Japanese art) (Chuo Koron Bijutsu Shuppan　【Z42-82 et al.】)
  [Range] 1910- (incomplete). Books, parts of art exhibition catalogs, periodicals and newspaper articles (depending on the period)
  [Index] None
  [Notes] Includes 'Bibliography of published art exhibition catalogs' since 2000.
• Bijutsu Kenkyujo, ed., "Toyo bijutsu bunken mokuroku: teiki kankobutsu shosai kobijutsu bunken" (A bibliography of Oriental antique art: bilbliography of published journals) (Hakurinsya Shoten　1967　【K1-3】)
  *Reprint of the 1941 edition 【703.1-B79t】
  
  Tokyo Kokuritsu Bunkazai Kenkyujo Bijutsubu, ed., "Nihon Toyo kobijiutsu bunken mokuroku :teiki kankobutsu shosai. Showa 11-40" (Bibliography of Japanese and Oriental antiquities: published in periodical publications. 1936-1965) (5th edition　Chuo Koron Bijutsu Shuppan　1997　【K1-G4】)
  Tokyo Bunkazai Kenkyujo Bijutsubu, ed., "Nihon Toyo kobijiutsu bunken mokuroku: teiki kankobutsu shosai. 1966-2000" (Bibliography of Japanese and Oriental antiquities: published in periodical publications. 1966-2000) (Chuo Koron Bijutsu Shuppan　2005　【K1-H12】)
  [Range] Meiji period-2000. Journal articles
  [Order] Subject > region, period
  [Index] Author name
  [Notes] Includes journal articles on Japanese and Oriental antique art and architecture from the published bibliography in the "Nihon bijutsu nenkan" (Yearbook of Japanese art).
• References on Cultural Properties (Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties)
  [Range] Bibliography related to art (articles included in the "Nihon bijutsu nenkan" (Year book of Japanese art) from the Meiji period-2010 as well as periodicals and newspapers, art exhibition catalogs, bulletins and official museum bulletins. In addition, bibliography of reference resources included in the publications related to the Tokyo Bunkazai Kenkyujo (Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties) (books, periodicals, art exhibition catalogs since 1929, "Bijutsu kenkyu" (Art research) general table of contents, and "Hozon kagaku" (Preservation science)). Bibliography of publications from collected works of art (published between 1920s-2000s) as well.
• "Bigaku bijutsushi kenkyu bunken yoran" (A research bibliography of aesthetics and art history) 1985-1989, 1990-1994, 1995-1999, 2000-2004, 2005-2009 (Nichigai Associates　1996-2010)
  [Range] 1985-2009. Books, parts of books, journal articles
  [Index] Item index, author name index

2. Fine Art

• Tadashi Kobayashi, ed., "Bijutsu kankei zasshi mokuji soran. Meiji Taisho Showa senzen hen" (A directory of the table of contents of periodicals related to the arts. Meiji, Taisho, and prewar Showa periods volume) vol.1, 2, 3 and Name Index (Kokusho Kankokai　2000　【K1-G11】)
  [Range] Meiji period-early Showa. Journal articles
  [Order] Periodical title in Japanese alphabetical order> volume title
  [Index] Author names (authors of articles and papers, the producers of works of art, names printed in the headings of articles and papers)
  [Notes] Collected from 53 major art periodicals
• Masatoshi Nakajima, ed., "Bijutsuka shoshi no shoshi :Sesshu kara Tabaimo , Van Eyckkara Lee Bulmade" (Japanese sources on visual arts: from Sesshu to Tabaimo, Van Eyck to Lee Bul: a bibliography of bibliography) (Bensei Shuppan　2007　【K1-J1】)
  [Order] Last name in Japanese alphabetical order (non-Japanese names are rendered into katakana)
  [Index] Western name index in original spelling
  [Notes] Collected bibliography in Japanese of approximately 2,600 artists and people involved in art in and outside Japan from the Middle Ages to the present
• "Bijutsuka bunken mokuroku. Nihon hen" (Bibliography of artists. Japan volume) (Nichigai Associates　2013　【K1-L4】)
  [Range] 1991-2010. Books, journal articles
  [Order] Names in Japanese alphabetical order
  [Index] None
  [Notes] A collection of approximately 28,000 references related to 3,899 Japanese artists from ancient to the present
• "Bijutsuka bunken mokuroku. Gaikoku hen" (Bibliography of artists. Countries outside Japan volume) (Nichigai Associates　2014　【K1-L9】)
  [Range] 1980-2010. Books, journal articles
  [Order] Names in Japanese alphabetical order
  [Index] Name index in original spelling
  [Notes] A collection of approximately 22,000 references related to 1,866 artists from outside Japan from ancient to the present

3. Architecture

For resources on individual architectural works (buildings), please consult the research guide Articles on Architectural Works. *in Japanese

3-1. Prewar

• "Meiji Taisho Showa zenki zasshi kiji sakuin shusei. Jinbun kagaku hen. Dai 10kan (geijutsu, bunka 1)" (Composite index of Japanese magazine and journal articles. Humanities volume. Volume 10 (fine arts and culture 1))(Koseisha　1995　【UP54-E16】)
  *reproduction of the "Daitoa kenchiku ronbun sakuin" (Index of monographs on architecture in Greater East Asia) (Seikansha　1944　【522.039-Ky995d】)
  [Range] Meiji Period-1942. Journal articles
  [Order] Country/Region > subject
  [Index] Subject index, Manchuria/Mongolia/China geographic name index, author index
  [Notes] Articles on the architecture of each Asian nation (excluding Japan) have been collected. Users can also search with Koseisha's The Complete Database for Japanese Magazine and Periodicals from Meiji Era to the Present (Zassaku Plus) (Database subscribed to by the NDL: in-library use only).

3-2. Prewar-Postwar

• Hirotaro Ota, "Nihon kenchikushi josetsu" (An introduction to the history of Japanese architecture) (3rd revised and enlarged edition　Shokokusha　2009　【KA71-J20】)
  [Range] Meiji Period-1988. Books, journal articles
  [Index] None
• Nihon Kenchikushi Kenkyukai, ed., "Nihon kenchikushi bunken mokuroku (Bibliography of Japanese architectural history). 1987-1990*"* (Japanese Association for Conservation of Architectural Monuments　1996　【KA1-G3】)
  [Range] 1987-1990. Books, parts of books, journal articles
  [Index] Author index
  [Notes] Supplement to the "Nihon kenchikushi josetsu" (An introduction to the history of Japanese architecture) above.
• Library Catalogue (Library, Architectural Institute of Japan)
  [Range] Meiji period-. Monographs, journal articles
  [Notes] Prewar data chiefly consists of articles from "Kenchiku zasshi" (Architectural magazine) (Architectural Institute of Japan　monthly　【Z16-80】).

3-3. Postwar

• "Kagaku gijutsu bunken sokuho. Doboku kenchiku kogakuhen" (Current bibliography on science and technology. Civil engineering and architecture volume) (Japan Information Center of Science and Technology　semimonthly　【Z16-548】)
  [Range] 1958-March 1991. Books, journal articles
  [Index] End of a book index (1960), annual item index and author index in the annual index (since 1961)
  [Notes] Abstract focusing on leading journals in the fields of science and technology. Users can browse up to March 1975 in the National Diet Library Digital Collections. Users can search data since 1975 with JDream III (Database subscribed to by the NDL: in-library use only (Business and Science, Kansai)).
  
  "Bunsoku. Doboku kenchiku kogakuhen" (Current bibliography on science and technology. Civil engineering and architecture volume) (G-Search　 monthly 　【Z16-548】)
  [Range] April 1991-. Books, journal articles
  [Index] None
  [Notes] This journal is the successor to "Kagaku gijutsu bunken sokuhou. Doboku kenchiku kogakuhen" listed above. Searchable with JDream III (Database subscribed to by the NDL: in-library use only).
• JDream III (Database subscribed to by the NDL: in-library use only)
  [Range] 1975-. Books (anthologies of papers from academic conferences, etc.), journal articles
  [Notes] Users can search bibliographies in science and technology related fields (including construction) with "JST7580" and "JSTPlus".
• Architectural Journal Article Search Service (Osaka Prefecture Architects Society)
  [Range] 1993-March 2011. Journal articles
  [Notes] A collection of 13 architectural journals. Users can search with related keywords for items since January 2003 not found in the table of contents.
• Bibliography of Architectural History and Design (Library, Architectural Institute of Japan)
  [Range] 1995-. Books, journal articles

Related Search Guides

• Subject Bibliography (Lists of Related Publications) Published in the Japanese Language
• Articles on Architectural Works *in Japanese