“文机談” from Kikutei Collection digitalized
Bunkidan (文机談) is a collection of musical stories centered around the biwa (Japanese lute), compiled during the Bun'ei period (1264-1275). The manuscript of Kikutei Collection is believed to be a transcription from the late Kamakura period.
Kitaro Nishida's donated books digitalized
Japanese philosopher Kitaro Nishida donated six books to the library of the Third Higher School (currently Yoshida-South Library of Kyoto University) in memory of his deceased son Ken. Three of the books have photos of Ken and six tanka poems written by Nishida.
When reusing the image of Amabie...
We are amazed by the popularity of our Amabie image and users’ creativity! Open Access data are valuable common property available to anybody. Look into the details you need to know when reusing the data. We sincerely ask for your kind cooperation so that everybody, whether those creating something new or those just seeing the resulting work, can feel good!
Would you become a contributor to our projects?
Rare materials, fragile through time, are usually restricted to secure their preservation. However, if they are digitized and available on the internet, we can learn the wisdom of our ancestors described there even at home. Still, many of them are waiting to be digitized, because the process requires so much care and cost. Your support through our fund would be highly appreciated.
Go to "Kyoto University Rare Materials Digital Archive Fund"
Nakai Collection - Kyoto-related treasures
Nakai Collection, passed down in the Nakai family, a Tokugawa Government's master carpenter family in Kyoto, includes the plans of Nijo Castle, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Shimogamo Shrine and other shrines and temples, related documents or maps.
Otogi Zoshi - outlines with colored illustrations
Kyoto University holds 136 items (90 titles) of Otogi Zoshi, flamboyantly illustrated fairy tale books. So that you can taste the same enjoyment as people in the old days, here are their simplified outlines with beautifully colored illustrations in a picture book style.
Meiji Restoration Collection
A collection of materials relating the Meiji Restoration is available here. Formerly held by Sonjo-do founded by Yajiro Shinagawa in accordance with the wish of Shoin Yoshida, it includes not only documents written by loyalists from Choshu (Yamaguchi Prefecture) but also other items regardless of region or class.
Would you become a contributor to our digitization projects?
In order to accelerate the digitization of our rare collections, Kyoto University Library Network has set up "Kyoto University Rare Materials Digital Archive Fund." Please refer to this site for detail.
Libraries providing digital images freely reusable increase
Digital images of materials held by the Main Library, Yoshida-South Library, Faculty of Law Library, the Graduate School of Economics and Faculty of Economics Library, the libraries of the Graduate School of Science, Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics Library and the Kyoto University Museum publicized on the Internet are freely reusable without application or fee. Please refer to the "Guide for Content Reuse" for detail.
![Yamashiro-no-kuni [Kinai-zu]](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/pickup/2017-08/yamashiro_RB00020007.png?itok=xKgoNNBT)
![[Religious texts in classical Yi scripts]](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2018-02/dep-lit_RB00022840.png?itok=Hf9QmMnI)
![[Letter written by Hideyoshi Toyotomi]](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2019-03/museum_RB00022998.png?itok=Sxg1Pmqq)
![[The Noble Lineage of Prophet Muhammad]](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2018-07/islam_dep-aa_RB00000031_0.png?itok=Pu5T6Tzg)
