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Japanese Studies

General Biographical Dictionaries

Useful Databases

World Biographical Information System
Web Who
Provides information in Japanese on living and deceased people in all areas of society with a focus on post-1868; includes 4000 historical figures for before the Meiji area.

Biographical Indexes

Jinbutsu refarensu jiten.
人物レファレンス事典
EA Ref: CT1832 .J56 1983
Indexes 37 biographical sources for 180,000 people from ancient times to the present. Provides readings of names, dates, occupation, birthplace, and dictionaries where more information can be found. Index arranged by first Chinese character of surname, by reading, radical and stroke counts.

Jinbutsu refarensu jiten: Meiji, Taishō, Shōwa senzen hen
人物レファレンス事典, 明治、大正、昭和戦前編
EA Ref: CT1836 .J58 1999
Expands the gendai volumes of the previous title. Covers 47,146 people who were active between 1868 and 1945, and provides references to 72 Biographical sources.

English

Biographical Dictionary Of Japanese Art.
Lilly Ref: N7358 .B55 1981
Artists from the Nara period to contemporary Japan are organized by theme.

Biographical Dictionary of Japanese History
Perkins Ref: DS834 .B56 1978
521 individuals are listed alphabetically under four historic periods.

Biographical Dictionary of Japanese Literature
Library Service Center: PL723 .H585 1976 LSC
Contains 300 Japanese literary authors spanning ancient to modern history.

A Dictionary of Japanese Artists
Lilly Ref: N7358 .R6 1976
Includes 3000 artists from various fields, and across all historical periods.

Japanese

Kokusho jinmei jiten
国書人名辞典 5vols.
EAC: PL723 .K63 1993
Covers the 30,000 authors in Kokusho sōmokuroku; provides information about birth and death dates, lineage, career history, authorship.

Nihon jinmei daijiten
日本人名大事典 7 vols.
EA Ref: CT18336 .N48 1979
Covers persons deceased prior to 1953; Gendai (v.7) spans 1938-1978; has cross references; standard tool. Index: Japanese names, surnames, given names and pen names; arranged in Japanese syllabary order and by stroke count; alphabetical index of foreigners. This is the standard tool, but more detailed and/or more accurate information can usually be found in historical and literary dictionaries or other sources.

Nihon josei jinmei jiten
日本女性人名辞典
EA Ref: CT3730 .N49 1993
7000 women from ancient to modern times.

Shinchō Nihon jinmei jiten
新潮日本人名辞典
EA Ref: CT1832 .S55 1991
Covers roughly 18,000 fictional and legendary characters from ancient times to the present.