Kyoto University Library Network

In Main Library, Materials located in the "Books bound in Japanese style" area on B3F become available for borrowing!

Floor Map：
https://www.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/mainlib/wp-content/uploads/img/map/floormap_kumainlib.pdf

Borrowing Limits

• Period: 1 month
• Number of books: (Student) 10 volumes / (Staff) 30 volumes
  * Total with other lending books in the stacks.

Notes

• Please read the "京都大学附属図書館 和装本利用の手引き (Guide to using Japanese style books)" before using the library.
• Users can take a photo of Japanese style books by themselves in Main Library. (application required)

Links

• Kyoto University Library > Service > Using Japanese style books (This page is available only in Japanese.)
  https://www.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/mainlib/service/japanesestylebooks

Contact

User Support Section, Main Library
E-mail: unyou660 [at] mail2.adm.kyoto-u.ac.jp

225 titles from the Daiso-bon collection held by the Main Library have been newly digitized and released.

Daiso-bon is a collection of books formerly owned by Daiso (大惣), a book lender run by Sohachi Onoya (大野屋惣八) and his family in Nagoya from the middle of the Edo period to the middle of the Meiji period. Book lenders at the time usually kept books in high demand in their stock and sold the ones out of fashion away to buy new ones. Daiso, however, had a policy not to sell away books they had bought and increased their inventory until the end of the Edo period when they became the largest book lender in Japan. After the arrival of mass production of books in the Meiji period, many book lenders disappeared, Daiso being no exception. Around 1898, Daiso decided to close the business and sold its enormous inventory of 16,734 titles of books, most of which were acquired by the Imperial Library (current National Diet Library), Tokyo Imperial University, Kyoto Imperial University and the Higher Normal School (current University of Tsukuba). Daiso Collection owned by Kyoto University amounts to 3,667 titles, or 13,081 volumes. 
 

▼Daiso-bon
 

The majority of the items released this time are play scripts. They encompass a wide range of performances including revenge plays, courtesan purchasing, double suicide plays, and ghost stories.
Ehon Iroha kana Yotsuya Kaidan (絵本いろは假名四谷怪談) is an illustrated edition of Iroha kana Yotsuya Kaidan (いろは假名四谷怪談), a kabuki script. Its compelling and eerie illustrations draw the eye.

"絵本いろは假名四谷怪談"  Left: Illustration / Center: Back cover / Right: Front cover

As of May 23, 2024, Kyoto University Rare Materials Digital Archive provides 2,138,775 images of 25,402 titles.

* The digitization of this collection is conducted under the “Project to Build an International Collaborative Research Network for Pre-modern Japanese Texts” by the National Institute of Japanese Literature in which Kyoto University Library participates.

Main library will hold "Your First Book in KU Library" and "Main Library Self-Tour" for freshers!

We are looking forward to your participation.
All participants will receive original library goods.

●Your First Book in KU Library

What was the first book you borrowed from Kyoto University?

Please submit the title of the first book you borrowed and a brief comment using the webform.
For details, check the poster!

●Main Library Self-Tour

You can study with friends while having discussions, use old materials in the stacks, etc.
There are many ways to use the library!
Let's go around the library with a floor map in hand and get an overview of each area and how to use it!

The starting point is the bulletin board in front of Learning Commons on 1st Floor!
Useful information about using the library is also posted on the bulletin board.

【Contact】
附属図書館利用支援課情報企画掛
Email:ref660(at)mail2.adm.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Thanks to the Kyoto University Rare Materials Digital Archive Fund, six Hanging rolls from the Kikutei Collection have been newly released.

Kikutei Collection is an assembly of manuscripts and books handed down through the Kikutei Family founded by Kanesue (1281-1339; 兼季), the forth son of Sanekane Saionji (1249-1322; 西園寺実兼). The Kikutei (Imadegawa) Family was designated one of the highest status court families called the Seiga (清華) family which members can be appointed as Daijō-daijin (太政大臣) and served as biwa (Japanese lute) players. The collection includes many records of the court rituals, documents on music and instruments, and diaries hand-written by nobles.
The collection deposited in 1921 and 1923 and additional documents and scrolls of portraits related to the Kikutei Family were donated to the Main Library, Kyoto University by the owner of the collection and were formally registered as the holdings of the library in January 2021.

▼Kikutei Collection

"Kinnori-kō waka" (公規公和歌) is a letter from Kinnori Imadegawa (今出川公規) when he asked Michishige Nakanoin (中院通茂) to correct his waka.

"Kinnori-kō waka" (公規公和歌)

The four Buddhist paintings all depict Myōonten in vivid colors.
Myōonten, holding a biwa (Japanese lute), is the god of music, and it is evident that the Kikutei (Imadegawa) Family, who served as biwa players, worshipped in this god.

"Shihon chakushoku Myōonten goson zo" (紙本著色妙音天五尊像)

The digitization of the above-mentioned rare materials has been realized thanks to the Kyoto University Rare Materials Digital Archive Fund.
We sincerely extend our appreciation to their generosity, with our determination to continue this digitization project to preserve and make the best use of our rare materials at the same time, which we believe will lead to the promotion of research and culture.

▼Kyoto University Rare Materials Digital Archive
Six Hanging rolls from the Kikutei Collection have been newly released

・Those who would like to order documents from other universities (photocopy, loan), please apply by Wednesday, 6 March.
・Those who have borrowed books from other universities, the deadline for returning them is Wednesday, 20 March.
・Those who haven't received or paid yet, you should do so as soon as you can.
・If you will be enrolled after April, please indicate that in the comments on your application.

*This news is for users of Kyoto University Main Library.
*The deadline differs for libraries other than the main library. Please check with each library for details.

[Infomation Service Section, Kyoto University Library]