Kanagawa Museum of Modern Literature: Kanagawa Museum of Modern Literature (神奈川近代文学館)

About the Facility:

Kanagawa Museum of Literature was opened in 1984. Since its opening, the museum has held various exhibitions in several genres including popular literature, children's literature and poetry.  The museum also holds exhibitions of great Japanese writers such as Natsume Sōseki (夏目漱石), Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (芥川龍之介), Izumi Kyōka (泉 鏡花) and many more.  Additionally, the museum holds exhibitions of literary collections from Kanagawa Prefecture.

The museum owns a variety of materials related to individual writers, for example the Ozaki Kazuo Collection (尾崎一雄文庫) and Nakamura Mitsuo Collection (中村光夫文庫). In addition, the museum owns important collections donated by the collectors and materials from Kanagawa.  Currently, as of 2010,  the museum holds 440,000 books, 460,000 journals and magazines and 180,000 hand-written documents (classified as special documents).

Focus: Modern Literature

Permanent Exhibitions:

• 神奈川の風光と文学 (Literature and Scenery of Kanagawa?): This section introduces the works from 5 regions in Kanagawa: Yokohama, Kawasaki, the mid and west area, the Miura and Shonan area and Kamakura. Each section displays manuscripts, memos and first publication of writers

• Bungaku no mori e (文学の森へ): This permanent exhibition introduces 36 writers who are related to Kanagawa, their interesting lives and works. This section consists of 3 divisions: from the Meji Restoration (1868) to The Great Kanto Earthquake (1923), 1923 to the end of the World War II (1945), and from 1945 to present.  

​Note: The Guide uses the ALA/LC standard romanization, however, it also reflects different romanization system used by an individual institution.

Directions:

1. Minato Mirai line (みなとみらい線) Motomachi-Chūkagai station (元町・中華街駅):

• On foot: About 10 min.
  • From Exit 5: Please go up the Yato hill (谷戸坂), You will see the Minato no Mieru Oka (港の見える丘) park.  Enter from the north entrance . After passing by Osaragi Jirō (大佛次郎) Memorial,  cross the Kirifue(?) bridge (霧笛橋), and you will see the Museum of Literature in the south end of the park. 
  
  
  • From Exit 6: After passing through the America yama (アメリカ山) park, please go straight forward about 150 meters, and you will arrive at the Basu dōri (バス通り).  Then take a left turn, and you will see the Minato no Mieru Oka park.  Enter the park and walk toward the sea. After passing by Osaragi Jirō  Memorial,  cross the Kirifue bridge (霧笛橋), and you will see the Museum of Literature in the south end of the park. 

Visiting the Museum

Admission:

• General Admission Fee:

• Special Admission fees vary depending on the exhibition or event.

Using the Library

Hours:

• Tuesday-Friday: 9:30-18:30

• Saturday, Sunday, Holidays: 9:30-17:00 

Prior to the Visit: No Advance Inquiry and Preparation Required

• For the reference service, please contact:

Upon Arrival:

• Most library materials are stored in the closed stack room.

• Please verify the desired material is available by using their online library catalog

• Reference Service Hours:
  • Tuesday-Friday: 9:30-18:00
  • Saturday, Sunday, Holidays: 9:30-16:30

Accessing Closed Stacks

• Please ask the library staff for further instructions.

Photocopy:

• Service Hours:
  • Tuesday-Friday: 9:30-18:00
  • Saturday, Sunday, Holidays: 9:30-16:30


• Copy Fee:
  • Black: 40 yen
  • Color: 150 yen


• Photocopy services are provided in accordance with Japanese copyright laws.
• Photocopy may be prohibited depending on the condition of the library material.

We are constantly improving the guide contents and we want your opinion.

For all comments and questions about the Guide, please e-mail us:

mlaguide@nccjapan.net