Museum of Modern Japanese Literature: Komaba Main Building (駒場本館）

About the Museum of Modern Japanese Literature:

The Museum of Modern Japanese Literature officially opened in April 1967, 4 years after its incorporated foundation was established. 

In September 2007, due to the increase of materials, the museum opened its branch in Narita, Chiba prefecture.

The museum’s mission is to collect and preserve literary materials for scholars and researchers. Over 15,000 people donated either information materials or funds.

Today, the museum holds 1,070,000 information materials, mainly books and magazines. It also holds manuscripts of masterpieces.  These materials are also available in digital forms.

Collection Size: The Museum of Modern Japanese Literature currently houses 1,070,000 items.

Notable Collection(s): There are 145 collections (as of 2012). The following five collections are from the first five catalogs (日本近代文学館所蔵資料目録) which were published by the institution.

• Takami Jun Bunko 高見順文庫: 49,081 items, including manuscripts, drafts, letters, etc. Later, over 400 manuscripts, drafts and 5000 letters were added.

• Akutagawa Ryūnosuke Bunko 芥川竜之介文庫: 2,876 items including drafts of his works including Spinning Gears 歯車, Kappazu 河童図, letters, etc. Later, 226 items including his suicide note, letters by Akutagawa and Natume Soseki 夏目漱石, calligraphy 書画 by Saitō Mokichi 斉藤茂吉 and Satō Haruo 佐藤春夫

• Nomura Kodō Bunko 野村胡堂文庫: 2,585 items including books about literature, magazines, letter from Takuboku 啄木, etc.

• Shikiba Ryūsaburō Bunko 式場 隆三郎文庫: 1,036 items, books relating to the Shirakaba 白樺派

• Suzuki Mosaburō Bunko 鈴木 茂三郎文庫: 14,692 items on socialism, documents including handwritings of Kōtoku Shūsui 幸徳 秋水 and Sakai Toshihiko 堺利彦, books, magazines, newspapers, fliers, etc

Note: A full list of their 145 collections is available on their webpage (Japanese). Please click "日本近代文学館とは" from the bottom menu, then click "館収蔵の文庫・コレクション" from the left menu.

Directions:

• By Odakyu Line 小田急線 : 10 minutes walk from Higashi-Kitazawa station 東北沢駅

• By Keio Inokasira Line 京王井の頭線:  7 minutes walk from Komaba Todai-mae station (the west exit) 駒場東大前駅西口

• By Tokyu Bus (Shibuya-Hatagaya route) 東急バス (渋55): 2 minutes walk from Yoyogi-Uehara 代々木上原

Reading Room

Open to the Public

Admission: 300 yen

• Please show your photo ID.

• Referencer service is available by letter fax and phone.

• The handwriting documents such as manuscripts can be viewed for the purpose of research and investigation.  Please inform the purpose and make a reservation to 利用係 over a telephone (by writing) beforehand.

Photocopy:

• Photocopy services are provided in accordance with Japanese copyright laws.

• Copy Fee

• Black: 100 yen 

• Color: 300 yen

Exhibition Hall

• Regular Exhibition: 100 yen

• Special Exhibition: 200 yen

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