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Japan & Korea in the SOAS Library

  • The Library collects books, journals, audio-visual materials, electronic and multimedia items on Japan and Korea.
  • The Japan/Korea Section holds books in Western, Japanese and Korean languages.
  • Main focus is on the humanities & social sciences.
  • Materials on art and archaeology are located in the Art Section
  • Law books in Western Languages are located in the Law Section

Tips for Japanese and Korean vernacular material searching in the SOAS online catalogue

Japanese titles

1. Japanese books are romanized with the modified Heppbern system. The following are a few of the more frequently encountered mistakes: (please view in Shift-JIS)

“Œ‹ž Tokyo (not Toukyou)

ŠwK Gakushu (not Gakushyuu)

2. Japanese titles should be searched for with proper word divisions. Please try with as many divisions as possible if a title is not found in an online search. Examples of word divisions are:

Hyogo kenshi

Nihon bunka wa ishitsu ka

Korean titles

1. Korean language books are romanized using the McCune-Reischauer system.

References:

McCune. The romanization of the Korean language(Ref DK411/91777)

Guide to the romanization of Korean(L DK411/464017)

2. The breve in o, u, yo and ui, and the apostrophe in kf, tf, pf and chf may be omitted when a search is being made.

3. Korean titles should be searched for with proper word divisions. Please try with as many divisions as possible if a title is not found in an online search. Examples of word divisions are:

Hanguksa sillon

Hyondae ui chongchi

A selection of key journals in the Library

Far eastern economic review. Vol.1 (1946)- (Per 65L /163074)

Harvard journal of Asiatic studies. Vol.1 (1936)- (Per 34/31593)

The Journal of Asian studies. Vol.16 (1956)- (Per 34/42151)

  • The Japanese economic review. Vol.45 (1995)- (Per 60 /604151)
  • Japanese journal of political science. Vol.1 (2000)- (Per 56 /656259)
  • Japanese journal of religious studies. Vol.1 (1974)- (Per 25 /312425)
  • Journal of Japanese linguistics. Vol.12 (1990)- (Per 25 /498174)
  • Journal of Japanese studies. Vol.1 (1974)- (Per 25 /327835)
  • Monumenta Nipponica. Vol.1 (1938)- (Per 25 /34205)
  • Social science Japan. Vol.1 (1994)- (Per 25L /662421)
  • Social science Japan journal. Vol.1 (1998)- (Per 25 /655964)
  • U.S.-Japan women's journal. No.1 (1991)- (Per 25 /655876)
Korea
  • Korea annual : a comprehensive handbook on Korea. (1965-) (Per 25 /194306)
  • Korea focus. Vol.1(1993)- (Per 25 /653436)
  • Korea observer Vol.1 (1968)- (Per 56 /238087)
  • Korean literature today. Vol.1 (1996)- (Per 25 /664188)
  • Korean social science journal Vol.10 (1983)- (Per 25 /345104)
  • Korean studies Vol.1 (1977)- (Per 25 /426040)

Please check the Library catalogue for specific journal titles and also refer to Electronic journals.

Key English reference materials in the Library

Japan
  • A collectors guide to books on Japan in English. 2001. (Ref D016.52 /807116)
  • Encyclopedia of Japanese business and management. 2002. (Ref D650/843838)
  • A guide to reference books for Japanese studies. 1997. (Ref D016.952/734735)
  • An introduction to Japanese government publications. 1981. (Ref D015/453902)
  • An introductory bibliography for Japanese studies. 1974- (Ref D010/331367)
  • Japan a country study. 1992. (Ref D952/589437)
  • Japanese literature in foreign languages 1945-1990. 1990. (Ref D800/6079057)
  • Japanese literature in foreign languages 1945-1995. 1997. (Ref D800/6079057)
  • Kodansha encyclopedia of Japan. 1983. (Ref D030/479659 or CD-ROM)
  • Modern Japanese writers.2000. (Ref D836.01/829386)
  • New Kabuki encyclopedia. 1997. (Ref D792.9/748758)
Korea
  • Encyclopedia of the Korean War.2000. (Ref DK951.9042/825450)
  • The Harvard Korean Studies bibliography (CD-ROM)
  • Korea a historical and cultural dictionary. 1999. (Ref DK951.9/785122)
  • Korea company yearbook 2002/2003. (Ref DKS670/600946)
  • Korean government publications. 2000. (Ref DK070.595/801300)
  • North Korea a country study. 1994. (Ref DKN351.93/740050)
  • North Korea a political handbook. 1983. (Ref DKN351/495207)
  • South Korea a country study. 1992. (Ref DKS951.95/740063)
  • Recent research topics on Korea. 1999. (Ref DK951.9/805443)
  • Whofs who in Korean literature.1996. (Ref DK810/734724)

More reference materials are available in the Japan/Korea Reading Room (C18)

Bibliographies & indexes to the SOAS special collections

  • Rondon Daigaku Toyo Afrika-ko shozo Nihon kotenseki zenpon kaidai narabi ni mokuroku / Nozomu Hayashi --- Catalogue for our woodblock prints holdings (Ref/D026/663223)
  • A catalogue of books dealing with the Ainu in the Library of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London / B.Hickman, with a foreword by Prof. C.J.Dunn. (Ref D397/301460)
  • A catalogue of Jōrurihon (maruhon and yukahon) in the Library of the School of Oriental and African Studies / Susumu Matsudaira and Brian Hickman (Ref D824/301428)
  • A descriptive catalogue of the pre-1868 Japanese books, manuscripts and prints in the Library of the School of Oriental and African Studies / by D. G. Chibbett, B. F. Hickman and S. Matsudaira (Ref D010/348099)

Enquiries

Fujiko Kobayashi
Librarian for Japan/Korea Studies
Room C17
Tel: 020-7898-4174
E-mail: fk2@soas.ac.uk