NCC's Online Guide to Research Access for Japanese Museums, Libraries, and Archives (MLA): About this Guide

NCC's Online Guide to Research Access for Japan Studies (日本研究のためのアクセスガイド)--also known as Research Access Guides--was created to help scholars and students who wish to conduct research in Japanese academic research institutions (Museum Library Archives).  The guide marks its 4th year anniversary on March 11. It was published on that day in 2012 to commemorate the Great East Japan earthquake in 2011.  This would have been the fifth edition, but we decided to call this the 2016 edition for the following reasons:

• Rolling publication: Research Access is now publishing new guides throughout the year.

• New name: This guide used to be known as  NCC's MLA guide.  Why we no longer uses MLA as its title?  The answer is that we have broadened our perspective from physical institutions and their collections to other resources, including digital archives.  Many online resources are open access. NCC strongly believes that many users will find this guide even more useful than before.  

• Broadening our view to outside of Japan:  Like hidden gems waiting to be discovered, there are many resources available in North American and European collections.  

From this edition, the guide will focus more on research affiliation programs sponsored by a various academic communities or interest groups.  Of course, we will still be introducing institutions and physical collections as well, especially in the North American and European section of the guide.  Finally,  there are 10 newly added guides in the Japan section of the guide.  Please feel free to visit the new pages. Thank you!

Please see below the sample page for the typical layout and contents provided in this guide.

Websites are constantly changing, therefore the English-language summaries contained in this Guide may not be fully up-to-date. Institution policies and programs can change at anytime.  Although NCC will try to keep information current, there is no guarantee that information on the Guide is always accurate.  If you encounter any changes in contents or any broken links between the English pages displayed here and those on an institution's Website, please notify us. We appreciate your cooperation.

Main page:

• Institution Index: The location of each guide page may be browsed using the A-Z index, by Academic Subject, and by use of the interactive map.

• General Procedures: Procedures required for using research facilities in Japan (short visit up to 90 days and long visit) are provided.  Editable bilingual templates of Letter of Introduction and Material Request forms can be downloaded.

• Further Resources: Links to Grant Resources, Cultural Organizations, and Academic Societies Discussion Groups are provided.

• Glossary: Explains Japanese terms that appear in the guide.

Each page may contain:

• Parental Institution: URL and introduction for the related institutions.
   
• Contact information: Address, phone, Fax, and e-mail, Library schedule and the overview of the research facility, when appropriate.
   
• Access: Links to the institution's access information page, and embedded google maps.
   
• How to Use the Facility: Service hours, special procedures required for use of an individual institution and its facilities.
   
• Summary of Collection: Collection size, specialty, notable collections, links to their library page and online catalog when appropriate.
   
• Databases: List of the database available through the research facility.
   
• Digital Collections: The institution's digital collections, including image archives.
   
• Online Resources: Other useful information found on the research facility's webpage.
   
• Related Links: Links to information resources both inside and outside the institution's website.