This web page explains how to search for posters in the collections of the National Diet Library (NDL) and other institutions in Japan. General information on patterns and designs is available from the Searching for Collections of Patterns and Designs research guide.

1. Searching for posters at the NDL

1-1. Poster collections

The NDL has a collection of published posters. Search by title, keyword, and author name or for specific materials as follows: For general illustrations of works of art, please refer to the Searching for illustrations of Japanese artwork or Searching for illustrations of Western artwork, for information on exhibition catalogs, please refer to the Searching for exhibition catalogs and brochures.

Searching by classification

Collections of posters from the postwar and other periods are grouped per the National Diet Library Classification (NDLC) system in class KC524 (posters) or class DH435 (advertising). Alternately, collections of other posters, including those from the prewar period, are grouped per the Nippon Decimal Classification (NDC) system in class 727 (graphic design, patterns) and class 674 (advertising, publicity). Open Narrow down conditions of NDL Search, add NDLC or NDC field and enter each class, as shown above, followed by an asterisk, (e.g., 727*).
Search results can be filtered by entering other keywords in the Keyword or Title fields.
Note that some collections, such as movie posters and public awareness posters from government agencies cannot be found this way because they are grouped in other classes.

Searching by subject

Many posters have been classified under the subject headings “poster” or “advertising.” Recently, collections of movie posters are classified under the subject heading “posters (film)." Use the Refine My Results function of NDL Search, select “Books” as a format, and enter the keywords shown above to the Subject field to search. Open Narrow down conditions of NDL Search, select “books” as a document type, and enter the keywords shown above to the Subject field to search.
Search results can be filtered by entering other keywords or class in the Keyword or Title, or Classification fields.

Search by work

There are several ways to search by title for works in poster collections, including the following.

• “Nihon bijutsu sakuhin reference jiten. Kojin bijutsu zenshu. Dezain/posuta hen” (Reference dictionary of Japanese artwork. Designs and posters) (Nichigai Associates　2019　【K1-M1】)
  Search by name for illustrations of posters and graphic design works from 91 individual collections.

1-2. Collections

The following collections include posters. Please refer to the respective pages for details and usage.

• Okada Poster Collection
  This collection consists of 177 wartime posters classified into 84 types.
• Ashihara Eiryo Collection
  This collection comprises 208 posters related to dance, theater, circuses, and other performance arts.
• The Spanish Civil War Collection
  This collection contains seven posters on the Spanish Civil War.

2. Searching for posters held by other institutions

2-1. Posters at museums

Posters are sometimes classified as works of art and preserved at museums or other institutions. Check the collection catalog or collection database of the museum in question. In addition, posters of past exhibitions are often preserved by individual museums, and some are available on their websites.

• Core Archive Center Creation Model Project (Kyoto Institute of Technology Museum and Archives, Bunka Gakuen University Laboratory for Japanese Dress Culture, Musashino Art University Museum and Library)
  The Institutions of Product Design Materials allows users to search for institutions that hold design-related materials, particularly graphic design, and the annual activity reports also include information on institutions that have design-related materials.
• "The Zenkoku Eiga Shiryokan Roku 2020" (National film archive directory 2020) , edited by the National Film Archive of Japan and Visual Industry Promotion Organization(Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Film Archive of Japan　2021　 【Y111-M1575】)
  This book contains basic data for 69 museums, archives, libraries, and other institutions that store film-related materials and allows users to verify whether or not as well as how many film posters are available. Please note that some of the institutions listed are not open to the public. PDF version (PDF: 2.9MB) is available in the website of the Visual Industry Promotion Organization .
• Ajia yugaku (Intriguing Asia) (111) (Bensei Publishing Inc,.　2008　【Z71-D332】)
  Part II: Locations of Pictorial Materials and Possibilities for Research on East Asian Media History (pp. 116–180) contains an introduction to institutions that have posters, postcards, and other pictorial materials from World War II in their collections.
• Zenkoku bijutsukan kaigi kaiinkan shuzohin mokuroku soran 2014 (The Japanese Council of Art Museums Members Collections List 2014) (The Japanese Council of Art Museums)
  This list contains catalogs from most but not all members of The Japanese Council of Art Museums as of 2014.

2-2. Major collections of posters available on the web

Below is a list of major Japanese poster and graphic design collections available online.

General

• DNP Foundation for Cultural Promotion Collection Database
  Search for information on graphic design works such as posters and related materials owned by the DNP Foundation for Cultural Promotion.
• Musashino Art University Museum & Library collection database
  Filter searches to find posters and advertisements in the collection.
• SHŪZŌ: Japanese Museum Collections Search(Art Platform Japan)
  This is a comprehensive search system for artwork stored in Japanese museums and equivalent facilities. Also search for institutions that have posters.
• Hakodate City Central Library Digital
  Approximately 2,000 prewar and postwar poster images from the library's collection are available for viewing. The works in this collection are also contained in the Meiji Taisho Showa Shoki Nihon Poster Shi Daizukan (Illustrated encyclopedia of Japanese poster history during the Meiji, Taisho, and early Showa eras)』(Kokushokankokai Inc. 2019 【KC524-M7】) edited by Tajima Natsuko.

Exhibitions

• University of Tsukuba Library, Art and Physical Education Library Exhibition Posters Database
  Search for information on the University of Tsukuba's collection of posters for exhibitions held from 1980 to 2016 by name, year, genre, etc.

Theater and Dance

• The New National Theatre, Tokyo Collection Search
  Search for materials such as posters of sponsored performances and contemporary theater at the New National Theatre Information Center. Images of some materials are available on the web.
• The database of posters (Waseda University Theatre Museum)
  Search for information on posters related to Russian theater. The Images can only be viewed in the museum.
• Hankyu Culture Archives (Hankyu Culture Foundation)
  Browse 15,000 images of Hankyu and Takarazuka Revue posters.

Movie

• TOEI Kyoto Studio Park Library Material Search
  Search for information on approximately 8,000 movie posters from various companies in the collection.

Politics & War

• Ohara Institute of Social Research, HOSEI University Material Search
  The institute maintains a collection of posters related to prewar and postwar elections and social movements. These can be searched and viewed by selecting either prewar posters or postwar posters from the categories of historical materials.
• UTokyo Academic Archives Portal Poster Search
  Search and browse images of World War I propaganda posters, World War I propaganda posters Masuda Collection, and the CPAS WWII Propaganda Poster Collection held by the University of Tokyo.
• Manchukuo Propaganda Posters & Bills (Center for Southeast Asian Area Studies, Kyoto University)
  Browse information and images of approximately 340 posters related to Manchukuo.