Japan Studies

Collection Areas

The Japanese collection supports research and teaching related to Japan. Scholars working in Chinese and Korean studies also make frequent use of its resources. At approximately 147,260 volumes, (as of March 2009) it is the largest Japanese collection west of Chicago and north of Berkeley. The collection holds approximately 2,700 periodicals, 6,640 microfilm reels, 1,360 microfiche sheets, 700 videos and 700 DVDs of visual material, 4 online databases, and more than 24 computer files applications.

The primary collection development focus is on materials in the humanities and social sciences. All areas in which teaching and research take place at the university are well represented. The library will continue to emphasize the acquisition of materials in traditional formats while at the same time continuing its efforts to acquire electronic resources and establish access to databases related to Japan studies. (For details on materials acquisition policies, refer to the Collection Development Policy for Japanese Studies Materials.)

The East Asian Law Department of the Gallagher Law Library in Condon Hall has one of the most extensive collections of Japanese law in North America.

Reference materials and monographs on Japanese scientific and technical topics can be found in the Engineering Library. This highly specialized collection supports the research and teaching needs of the Technical Japanese Program.

Materials in western languages relating to Japan studies are located throughout the university library system; particularly in Suzzallo, Undergraduate, Art, and Architecture-Urban Planning libraries. Materials in both Japanese and Western languages can also be found in the Fisheries-Oceanography Library and the Health Sciences Library.

Special Collections

Paine Collection
An outstanding collection of Japanese art books dating from the 1850's through the early 1930's purchased from the estate of Robert Treat Paine.

Edward M. Burke Collection
Collection of materials relating to the pre-war Japanese community in Seattle donated to the library by Edward and Elizabeth Burke.

Henry S. Tatsumi Collection
Books on Japanese language, literature, history, and culture from the personal library of Professor Henry S. Tatsumi who taught Japanese at the university for over thirty years.

Shoyu Club Collection(社団法人 尚友倶楽部コレクション)
Special gift collection by the Shoyu Club on the political history of the Japanese House of Lords. Historical features include documents on the Russo-Japanese War and resources on the modernization of the financial system during the Meiji era. Highlights consist of memoirs by the individual members of the House of Lords and modern laws governing the Constitutional process of Japan.

Pre-Meiji Publications Collection
Books kept in the Special Collection at the Suzzallo/Allen Library.

Yanagisawa Buddhist Art Collection
Collection acquired by Ms. Taka Yanagisawa on Buhhist art.

UW Alumni Japan Collection
Books donated by the UW alumni.

Voice Library
Voice books available on CD.