2021 2023
Commemorative Issue for the Centennial

Centennial of the Founding of the Institutefor the Study of Japanese Folk Culture
On February 2, 1921, Keizo Shibusawa, the founder of this Institute, and six
others, including Jun Suzuki and Akira Miyamoto, held the first meeting of the
Attic Museum Society (the predecessor of this Institute) in their hometown ofTokyo. On the same day in 2021, the Institute celebrated its Centennial.
The “Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture Centennial Commemorative
Project” will be held for a 5 year period starting in the milestone year of 2021—theCentennial year of the Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture—during
which time commemorative projects have been scheduled, including relevant
symposia and commemorative publications.
Inside the Attic Museum
Catalog no. 1-6-14

Contents
Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture............ 1
Members of ISJFC
Centennial of the Founding of the ISJFC
Activities and Projects
Research....................................................................................................................... 5
Exhibitions............................................................................................................... 7
Courses......................................................................................................................... 8
Folk Cultural Studies Seminar (Jomin Bunka Kenkyu Koza)
Practical Training Workshop for Restoration ofHistorical Documents
Mingu Forum
Holdings..................................................................................................................... 9
Collection of Historical Documents and Cultural Materials
Library Collection
Searching our Collection
Publications.........................................................................................................11
Rekishi to Minzoku (History and Folk Customs)
Mingu Monthly
Monographs, Research Reports, Catalogues, etc.
International Center for Folk Culture Studies..............13

Official Social Media of the Institute for
the Study of Japanese Folk Culture
Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/jomin.kanagawa.univ/

Twitter

https://twitter.com/jomin_official/

YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/
UCbYukzC1LpryLpOiHnn07mg/

The Latest Information is Available on
the ISJFC Website
ISJFC
http://jominken.kanagawa-u.ac.jp/en/
The Research Center for Nonwritten Cultural Materials
http://himoji.kanagawa-u.ac.jp/english/
International Center for Folk Culture Studies
http://icfcs.kanagawa-u.ac.jp/en/
Kanagawa University Digital Archivehttps://www.kanagawa-u.ac.jp/research/digitalarchive/

Message

Toward the Next 100 years of the ISJFC
In the 100 years since its foundation as the Attic Museum in 1921, theInstitute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture has not taken an easy
path. In 1939, for instance, there was a severe decline in the museum
functions of the Attic after the mingu collection was transferred to
the Museum of Ethnology in Hoya. However, the Institute has been
operating as a research facility at Kanagawa University since 1981, andin 2008 the Research Center for Nonwritten Cultural Materials wasestablished within the ISJFC to carry on the work of the COE Program.
Moreover, in 2009, the International Center for Folk Culture Studies waslaunched as a hub for joint research and shared use based out of the ISJFC.
Today, as its first century comes to an end, the ISJFC has begun tocarry out specific activities based on future plans for the next century. Oneof these activities is to enhance the functions of the International Center
for Folk Culture Studies in its existing role as a hub for joint researchand shared use. As an organization for the study of folk culture from aninternational perspective, we are proactively organizing joint research andplanning the shared use of our collected materials and documents. Thus, tocarry out cutting-edge interdisciplinary studies, joint research at the ISJFC
is now split into three categories: Core Joint Research Projects, which arepromoted as Institute-wide activities; Basic Joint Research Projects for theproactive use of collected materials; and Topical Joint Research Projects,
which are based on the interests of individual researchers.
In addition, another activity is the enhancement of the Institute’sfunction as a museum. The aim is for the facility to become a university
museum that newly integrates museum studies. The ISJFC will serve
as a hub for the transmission of research results from joint studies andshared use as well as a center for university education and curator training.
Precisely because of the Institute’s function as a museum, we can promoteresearch approaches that are positioned as integrated museum studies.

YASUMURO Satoru

Director
Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture
Kanagawa University(Cover) The design is based on an “Attic Hand Towel” that was produced as a commemorative item for a mingu collection
by the Attic Museum between 1935 and 1945 (original design by Kikuma Fujiki).

ISJFC

Institute for the Study ofJapanese Folk Culture

ISJFC Website

Organization Structure•Affiliated Research Center

Institute for the Study ofJapanese Folk Culture

Research Center for
Nonwritten Cultural Materials

Director
Academic Staff Council
Steering Committee
Administration OfficeDirector
Center Research Council
Steering Committee
Administration Office•Related On-campus Organizations

Department of History and
Folklore Studies,
Faculty of Cross-Culturaland Japanese Studies
Curator Course

International Center for
Folk Culture Studies

Holdings

Graduate School of History
and Folklore Studies

Courses

Keizo Shibusawa ( 1896-1963 ) was born as a
grandson of entrepreneur Eiichi Shibusawa. He
served as the Governor of the Bank of Japan during
the Second World War and Minister of Financein the early postwar years. He was interested in
the history of jomin, and in 1921 built the “Attic
Museum” in the roof space of his garden shed tostore and exhibit his collection of traditional toysand mingu. A number of fellow researchers joined
him in advancing mingu studies, provincial studies
or research on the history of fisheries. The spirit of“harmonious development” advocated by Keizo
Shibusawa continues to the present day.

Intramural Steering
Committee Chair
Intramural Steering Committee
Administration Office*Ending in FY 2021

(The Japanese Fiscal Year (FY) and Academic Year (AY) both start on April 1 and continue
until March 31. For the purpose of this guide all references to years will be prefaced by FY
regardless of whether they are fiscal or academic.)

Graduate School of History and Folklore
Studies, Kanagawa University
Kanagawa University Graduate School of History
and Folklore Studies is an educational arm of the ISJFC.
Here, education and research activities are carried out inclose relation with the ISJFC and the Research Center for
Nonwritten Cultural Materials.

The new Department of History and Folklore Studies is grounded in
the traditions of the Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture
and systematically linked to the existing program of the Graduate
School of History and Folklore Studies. Its programs facilitate students'
learning in “history” by exploring changes of the times from antiquity
to the contemporary Japan, “folklore studies” by investigating thecustoms and beliefs of various regionsof Japan through field research, and“culture vitalization” by deploying
these cultural resources for regional
revitalization projects and tourism.
The new Minato Mirai Campus was
opened in April 2021.
Minato Mirai Campus
ISJFC

1

ICFCS

The Department of History and Folklore Studies in the Faculty of
Cross-Cultural and Japanese Studies was established in April 2020

Publications

Cooperation with Graduate School
and Curator Course

Curator Course
The ISJFC also supports the operation of the Curator
Course, which provides basic and practical training oncollecting, compiling, studying, and exhibiting materials at
museums to develop curators specializing in the handling of
mingu and historical documents.

Exhibitions

Keizo Shibusawa andthe Attic Museum

Research

The Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture (ISJFC) is anacademic research institute attached to Kanagawa University that carriesout research on the lives, cultures, and history of the Japanese people in awide variety of domains.
This institute was founded in 1921 by businessman Keizo Shibusawa,as the “Attic Museum Society,” in order to advance research on the
lives and cultures of people from various regions of Japan, with a focus
on mingu (folk implements) and the history of fisheries. The institutewas renamed the ISJFC in the period surrounding the cessation of thewar, and was later invited to become a part of Kanagawa University. In
2021, the institute celebrates 100 years since its founding. Embracing Keizo Shibusawa’s perspective of “harmonious
development,” the institute—as an open institute—provides a variety of research opportunities including participationin research exchanges both inside and outside the university. In addition, the institute offers educational activities related
to relevant fields of research.

Members of ISJFC[KEY]
Name (Position)
I : Title II : Degree III : Area of Expertise*The degree section is included only for members with a Ph.D.
*As of October 2021

DOYO Daisuke

I : Associate Professor, Faculty of Business Administration,
Kanagawa Universityity II : Ph.D. in Engineering
III: Industrial Engineering, Digital Fabrication

ONODERA Atsushi

I : Project Professor, Faculty of Cross-Cultural and JapaneseStudies, Kanagawa University
II : Ph.D III : Historical Geography, Map History

HIRAI Makoto

SEKIGUCHI Hiroo (Executive Board Member)
I : Associate Professor, Faculty of Cross-Cultural and JapaneseStudies, Kanagawa University
II : Ph.D III : Early Modern Japanese History

HIRAYAMA Noboru

SENSUI Hidekazu (Executive Board Member)
I : Professor, Faculty of Business Administration, Kanagawa
University
II : DPhil III : Social Anthropology

I : Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Kanagawa University
II : Ph.D
III: Human Geography, Regional Geography
I : Associate Professor, Faculty of Cross-Cultural and JapaneseStudies, Kanagawa University
II : Ph.D III : History of Modern JapanHIROTA Ritsuko

I : Professor, Faculty of Business Administration, Kanagawa
University II : Ph.D
III: Chinese Ritual Ceremonies, Chinese Ritual Performing
Arts, Chinese Folklore

KINOSHITA Naoyuki

I : Project Professor, Faculty of Cross-Cultural and JapaneseStudies, Kanagawa University
III: History of Arts in Japan, Museology, Cultural Resources
Studies

KON Masaaki (Executive Board Member)
I : Project Professor, Faculty of Cross-Cultural and JapaneseStudies, Kanagawa University
III: Folklore, History of Boats and Ships

SHIITADA Atsushi

I : Professor, Faculty of Cross-Cultural and Japanese Studies,
Kanagawa University
II : Ph.D III : Modern Japanese History, History of Ryukyu

SUNAMI Soichiro

I : Associate Professor, Faculty of Cross-Cultural and JapaneseStudies, Kanagawa University II : Ph.D
III : Buddhist Folklore, Material Culture Studies

SUZAKI Fumiyo

I : Assistant Professor, Faculty of Engineering, Kanagawa
University II : Ph.D
III: History of Housing, History of Kitchens, History of Modern
Architecture

TAKAGI Ryo

KURUSHIMA Noriko

I : Professor, Faculty of Business Administration, Kanagawa
University II : Ph.D
III: Cultural Anthropology, Southeast Asian (Thai) Studies

MAEDA Yoshihiko

I : Professor, Faculty of Engineering, Kanagawa University
II : Ph.D
III: History of Japanese Architecture

MARUYAMA Yasuaki

I : Professor, Faculty of Cross-Cultural and Japanese Studies,
Kanagawa University
II : Ph.D III : Folklore, Travel Culture

I : Professor, Faculty of Cross-Cultural and Japanese Studies,
Kanagawa University
III: Japanese History
I : Professor, Faculty of Cross-Cultural and Japanese Studies,
Kanagawa University
III: Ancient Japanese History
I : Associate Professor, Faculty of Cross-Cultural and JapaneseStudies, Kanagawa University
II : Ph.D III : Folklore

UCHIDA Seizo

YAMAMOTO Shino

I : Associate Professor, Faculty of Cross-Cultural and JapaneseStudies, Kanagawa University
II : Ph.D III : Modern Japanese History

YASUMURO Satoru (Director)
I : Professor, Faculty of Cross-Cultural and Japanese Studies,
Kanagawa University
II : Ph.D
III: Folklore (Subsistence Folklore, Environment), Material Culture

OGUMA Makoto (Executive Board Member)
I : Professor, Faculty of Cross-Cultural and Japanese Studies,
Kanagawa University
II : Ph.D III : Folklore, Comparative Cultural Studies

I : Professor, Faculty of Cross-Cultural and Japanese Studies,
Kanagawa University
II : Ph.D III : Chinese Folklore, Chinese Cultural Anthropology

OKAWA Hiromu

2

Members of ISJFCZHOU Xing

Please refer to our website for the latest information.

ISJFC

Centennial of the Founding of the ISJFC

Research

In 2021, the Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture at
Kanagawa University celebrates 100 years since its establishment.
When the Institute first started, it was a small museum located in thegarden-shed attic of the home of Keizo Shibusawa (1896–1963), who
was still a student at the Tokyo Imperial University at the time, where
he and his friends displayed biological specimens and folk toys. In May
1921, when he was preparing to graduate from university, Shibusawa
founded the “Attic Museum Society” with his friends as a club-likeassociation for academic research.
During his spare time from work, Shibusawa took a personal interest
Attic Museum (Late 1920s) Catalog no. 4-1-7-2
in passionately pursuing genuine academic study from his home
attic that would contribute to humankind around the world. While
working at a bank, Shibusawa used the attic museum as a base to conduct
research into history and folk studies with regard to the everyday
culture of “jomin” or common people. Finally, the Attic Museum left
the attic and was relocated to a dedicated building on the Shibusawa
premises. Young university graduates were employed as researchers
who conducted studies and gathered and published documents.
The Attic Museum was renamed the Institute for the Study ofJapanese Folk Culture in 1942. After the death of Shibusawa in 1963,
the Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture continued its
People with mingu at the Attic Museum
activities as a private research facility; in 1981, it was invited to become
Catalog no. -78-12
part of Kanagawa University. With the Institute as its nucleus, theGraduate School of History and Folklore Studies was established in
1993 to provide postgraduate education. The students who studied
at the graduate school are conducting research at universities andmuseums in Japan and internationally. In 2020, the Department ofHistory and Folklore Studies of the Faculty of Cross-Cultural andJapanese Studies was established to provide undergraduate education.
Beginning in an attic, the Institute has grown from a base for domestic
Japanese researchers to a research and educational facility that conducts
collaborations with international researchers where not only Japanese
New Attic Museum building (completed in 1933)
Catalog no. 1-6-15
students but also overseas students come to study.
For a 5-year period between 2021 and 2025, the Centennial Years, the Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk
Culture at Kanagawa University will be holding a course of lectures commemorating its 100-year history and issuing
publications such as a Centennial Commemorative Collection of Essays, with the aim of looking back at the history of
the Institute as it grew and forward to the next 100 years.

Exhibitions
Courses
Holdings
Publications

Please refer to the website for a detailed history of the Institute.

ICFCS

Organizing historical documents at the Institutefor the Study of Japanese Folk Culture Tsukishima
Branch Office (Early 1950s)

3rd mingu research course held
at Keio University (1976)

Looking over historical documents in Oku-Noto,
Ishikawa Prefecture (1989)

Centennial of the Founding of the ISJFC

3

Activities and Projects
1. Publication of Research Findings

23rd Forum: Folk Cultural Studies Seminar / International Research Forum(December 2019)

Research findings are continually publicized through various
publications, seminars, workshops, or databases and otherinformation on the ISJFC website.
2. Collection of Historical Documents
Historical documents collected during field survey are compiled
and catalogued with the cooperation of the owners.
The compilation and cataloguing of ISJFC’s own collections
is also in progress.
3. Institute Seminars
Occasional seminars have been held since 1983 to share researchfindings among the members of the Institute. External specialists
are also invited to read their papers. Open to public. A total of
126 sessions have been held as of June 2021.

• Institute of Oceanic Culture, National Taiwan Ocean University, Taiwan(June 28, 2017)• China Marine Culture Research Center, Zhejiang Ocean University,
China (May 25, 2016)• Center of Japanese Studies, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil (April 1,
2012)• Institute of Korean Cultural Heritage, Chung-Ang University, South
Korea (July 14, 2012)• Institution for Marine and Island Cultures (MIC), Mokpo National
University, South Korea (April 1, 2011)• Youngnam Culture Institute, Kyungpook National University, South
Korea (December 28, 2009)• Institute for Maritime Culture, Pukyong National University, South
Korea (December 25, 2009)• Institute of Oceanic Culture, Ocean University of China, China(November 24, 2009)• Ocean Culture and Economic Research Center, Shanghai Ocean
University, China (November 20, 2009)•

East Asia Island and Ocean ForumThe East Asian Island and Ocean Forum was launched in 2012
with research institutions in Korea, China and Japan. The hostinstitution rotates annually among the three countries.
In FY 2019, the 7th “Deployment and Exchanges of the
Humanities Network in the Sea Region” forum was held at
Pukyong National University in Busan, South Korea.

•

Network of Five University Institutes
Aspiring to advance the achievements and philosophy of the threegreat scholars in the field of folklore studies, Kunio Yanagita,
Shinobu Orikuchi, and Keizo Shibusawa, the following five
university institutes have formed a network and held occasional
research meetings since 2008.
• Institute of Folklore Studies, Seijo University• The Memorial Institute of Dr. Orikuchi, Kokugakuin University• Community Research Institute, Aichi University• Anthropological Institute, Nanzan University• Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture, Kanagawa University

120th The Society for ISJFC Research Seminar (September 2019)

4. Joint Projects with Other Institutions
ISJFC collaborates with various institutions in different regions
and different research fields.
• Yokohama History Museum, Wajima City Board of Education(Ishikawa), Miyake Municipal Board of Education, Japan Fisheries
Research and Education Agency, the Society for Mingu of Japan

5. Academic Exchange
Academic Exchange Agreements
ISJFC conducts academic exchange with the followinginternational institutions to enhance mutual understanding
and cooperation in folk culture studies:•• School of Cultural Resources, Taipei National University of the Arts
(March 28, 2020)• National Museum of Ethnology (March 26, 2020)

4

Activities and Projects

6. Research Center for Nonwritten Cultural Materials
Research Center for Nonwritten Cultural Materials wasestablished and attached to the Institute to develop the 21stCentury COE Program “Systematization of Nonwritten
Cultural Materials for the Study of Human Society.” With thefocus on the forms of human activity that are not expressed by thewritten word, the Center is dedicated to the study and collectionof nonwritten cultural materials. The Center put particulareffort into the dissemination of knowledge of the nonwritten
cultural materials to the international research community.
7. International Center for Folk Culture Studies
The International Center for Folk Culture Studies is a hub forinternational joint research.
In the age of globalization, ICFCS seeks the coexistence ofdiverse cultures by establishing a methodology for research on
everyday life of the ordinary people.
The activities of the organization will come to an end in FY
2021. (Refer to page 13 for details)

ISJFC

ResearchAims and Overview
1. Joint Research Projects•Joint Research Categories

These projects are based on individual topics from medium- and shortterm perspectives, which are positioned as formative joint studies thatmight become core and basic research projects in the future.

C. Topical Joint Research Projects

2. Mingu Studies

A. Core Joint Research Projects"Comprehensive History of Everyday Life”
Pioneering and interdisciplinary joint research projects are carried out
by researchers as a team from medium- and long-term perspectives.
Research is promoted through the collection and processing of materials
acquired in field studies based on the themes of everyday life centering
on daily necessities (primarily food, clothing and housing).

Medium- and long-term joint research projects are carried out based onmaterials held by the ISJFC, leading to enhanced museum functionality,
which is a basic policy of the ISJFC.

3. The Management of Documents and Mingu

Research on overall management (including compilation, recording, repair,preservation and maintenance) of historical documents and mingu.
Furthermore, catalogs of the historical documents owned by the
ISFJC are issued regularly, and these collected materials are madeavailable as study resources.

4. The History of the Attic Museum and the ISJFC

Research on past activities and research materials of the Attic Museum
and the ISJFC.

CoursesB. Basic Joint Research Projects

Research focusing on the relation of mingu and local history. Findings
are shared through the publication of “Mingu Monthly.”

Exhibitions

B. Basic Joint Research Projects

Progress in the joint research projects is shared on the website and via
social media. The research results are published in essay collections,research reports, and academic paper collections and transmitted
through research lectures, research report sessions, and symposia related
to folk culture.

A. Core Joint Research Projects"Comprehensive History of Everyday Life”
Joint
Research
Projects

C. Topical Joint Research Projects
Research

At present, the ISJFC is carrying out several academic research projects
that relate to the following three categories.

A. Core Joint Research Projects “Comprehensive History of Everyday Life”

Duration: 2020- Project Leader: ZHOU Xing
[Geographical scope]

Japan and elsewhere in East Asia
(China, South Korea, and Taiwan)[Purpose]

Duration: 2019- Project Leader: KON Masaaki[Geographical scope]

The specific geographical scope of
the project has not been established.
However, for the time being, the researchhas been conducted within Japan.
Cloth woven from various materials, including
Japanese linden and wisteria (owned by ISJFC)

The History and Folklore of the Toilet
Duration: 2019- Project Leader: SUZAKI Fumiyo[Research Subject]

Toilet Space, Equipment, Treatment of Excrement, and Hygiene in
Historical Materials and Excavated Structures in Japan and Overseas[Purpose]This is a comprehensive study of the history and folklore of toilets andthe treatment of excrement, primarily from the perspectives of historicalstudies, folklore studies, and architecture. Specifically, by (1) collecting
and organizing relevant historical materials, (2) conducting historicalstudies of remains in Japan and other countries, and (3) holding lecturesby specialists in related fields such as sociology and geology, as well as
the fields listed above, a composite investigation is conducted from theperspectives of various fields, regions,and eras.
Educational Poster Describing theIntroduction of Flush Toilets in the Taisho
Period “Let’s Get Familiar with Cultural
Facilities” (Poster from 1919 <Taisho 8>
for the Lifestyle Improvement Exhibition by
the Ministry of Education; Source: National
Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo)
Research

5

ICFCS

General Research on Weaving and Uses of Clothes

This is a comprehensive study of how threads of various materials weremade into cloth and how such cloth was put to use. Cloth is primarily
used for garments, but it has many other uses, and the materials thatare needed to make it vary according to the intended use. The purposeof the present study is to comprehensively examine how usage was
impacted by differences in the characteristics of the cloth dependingon the material.

Publications

In this study, conventionallyaccepted theories on Japanese foodculture are reconsidered in light ofdiversifying food habits, whereby Sasazushi from Tomikura, Iiyama City
(photograph by Satoru Yasumuro)
the consumption of meat exceedsthat of fish while rice consumption is in decline, and the wider foodculture, which includes not only ingredients but also table manners
and tableware, is understood as being representative of a culture thatis “nothing out of the ordinary.” Of course, as with sake compared totea, there are points of contrast in food culture that can be perceived as
being either common or uncommon.

[Purpose]
Holdings“Nichijo-Sahan (nothing out of the ordinary)”:
What Japanese people have historically been eating

B. Basic Joint Research Projects
The Development of Field Sciences in Japan:
Reflections from the Institute for the Study ofJapanese Folk Culture Archive Materials

2. Make further progress in organizing and interpreting documents
pertaining to the Futagami Family in the Early Modern Age toprovide a better understanding of the activities of the family during
this period.
3. Investigate and analyze the activities of the Society for the Study ofthe Futagami Family Record and reveal its social significance.

Comprehensive Studies on the Landscape and Historyof Sea Areas and Seaside Communities
Duration: 2015- Project Leader: YASUMURO Satoru[Geographical scope]
Attic Film Screening at the Paiwan Studies Historical Workshop(Parirayan Village, Dashe, Sandimen Township, PingtungCounty, Taiwan/October 26, 2018)

Duration: 2016- Project Leader: SENSUI Hidekazu[Geographical scope]

The locations where research was conducted by the Shibusawa
Foundation for Ethnological Studies (Minzokugaku Shinko Kai) andthe Attic Museum.
[Purpose]This is a joint research project based on materials passed on to theInstitute from the Shibusawa Foundation for Ethnological Studies,along with the Attic Museum’s photographs and films. In particular,
the project will conduct follow-up surveys and collect information
associated with previous research. It will coordinate the effective use of
the materials between the institutions possessing these materials of thesame origin. Through these efforts we aim to establish a fresh view ofthe development of field sciences in Japan.

The coastal villages and their fishinggrounds depicted on the fishinggrounds maps possessed by the ISJFC.
[Purpose]

The main purpose of this joint
project is to conduct interdisciplinary
research on the history and culture
Fukami Village and Kaiso Village (nowof sea areas and seaside communities Wajima City) Fishing Ground Maps
based on the landscape depictedin the illustrated fishing ground maps and by utilizing the humanresources of the ISJFC.
The expected outcomes include fieldwork, joint research groups,
collected papers, digitized and cataloged fishing grounds maps, and the
publication of the aforementioned as study resources.

Pioneering New Domains Through Comprehensive
Research Study of Porto Nanban Byobu Folding Screens
Duration: 2020- Project Leader: SEKIGUCHI Hiroo

History and Folk Culture of Futagami Island with
Particular Focus on Futagami Family[Geographical scope]

Duration: from 2016- Project Leader: MAEDA Yoshihiko

The purpose of the present study
is to conduct a comprehensive
documentary investigation of thetexts found in the Evora Folding
Screens (replicas to be acquired by
the University) and Porto Namban
Folding Screen under layer sheets
Preliminary investigation of underlayer sheet texts (January 2020)(located in the Museu Nacional deSoares dos Reis in Porto, Portugal).
The study will advance the digitization and cataloging of these
historical Portuguese folding screen texts.

[Geographical scope]

Futagami-jima Island, Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture[Purpose]

We are attempting a new approach to the history and folk culture of
Futagami Island, which has
been the long term focus of
ISJFC research activities.
1. Examine documents on the
Futagami Family in the Awai
district, Matsuyama City,
and reveal multiple aspects ofthe family’s activities in the
Middle Ages.

Porto City (Portugal) and others[Purpose]*This study is supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 21K18119(July 9, 2021, to March 31, 2024).

“Yuri-jima Island” Records on Yuri-jima Island
compiled by Shinshirotaneaki Futagami

C. Topical Joint Research Project
Research on the History and Folklore Materials in
Digital Fabrication Era

Artificial Wood Prototype from a Historical Document

6

Research

Duration: 2020- Project Leader: SEKIGUCHI Hiroo[Purpose]

A “FabLab” is a community-based workshop that is equipped witheverything from digital fabrication equipment to analog machine tools(FabLab Japan: http://fablabjapan.org/english/). In the LAB on thefirst floor of the Minato Mirai Campus of Kanagawa University, which
opened in FY 2021, FabLab Minato Mirai has been established under
the leadership of Associate Professor Daisuke Doyo of the Facultyof Business Administration, a member of the ISJFC. In cooperation
with FabLab Minato Mirai, this joint research project seeks to create
replicas based on either actual historical/folklore materials or precisely
measured drawings and to create 3D scans of genuine artifacts.

The Kesennuma-Oshima Fishing Cooperative Library(Management and practical use)

Publication and Preservation of Miyake Village Local
Historical Materials

Project Leader: YASUMURO Satoru[Geographical scope] Yuasa Town, Arida District, Wakayama
Prefecture, etc. (FY 2019)[Purpose] Compilation and cataloging
of the materials collected by ISJFC on
commission from the Fisheries Agency
during 1949–1955, which is now
carried out as a project commissionedby the Fisheries Research Agency. Field
research is being conducted in relation Investigation of materials in Yuasa
to the cataloging work and explanatory Town (March 2019)
comments are added to the catalogued materials.

Joint Research Achievements
Research reports and catalogues are being edited for the following
completed joint research projects.
• Joint research project:Social History of Japanese Colonies in Brazil[Geographical scope] Settlements and communities of Japaneseimmigrants in Brazil, particularly those in the State of Sao Paulo.
*This study was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number
15H05172 (April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2019).
• Joint research project: Comprehensive Studies of Oyamazaki
Manor in Yamashiro Province[Geographical scope] Oyamazaki-cho, Otokuni-gun, Kyoto
Prefecture• Joint research project: Research on the Oku-Noto region[Geographical scope] Wajima City, Ishikawa

The ISJFC is introducing the history of our activities spanning 100 years
alongside future plans. We are also displaying the historical documents in
our possession. Our aim is to enhance the museum functions of the ISJFC
and to register the entire ISJFC as a museum facility.

Building 3 Yokohama Campus houses
a workshop used to repair historical
documents, to sort and photographmingu, and to store both collections.

•Repair Workshop and Mingu Sorting RoomICFCS

The mast section of a full-size model
bezaisen ship of 15-ton load capacity which
was created by shipwright Tomoichiro
Kondo is displayed in the basement lobbyof Building 3, Yokohama Campus. This
wasen (traditional Japanese ship) model
inspires us to think about our relationshipwith the ocean and its importance inour culture; we also plan to exhibit
photographs of a sailing bezaisen ship.

Restoration of Historical
Documents and the Sorting of
Mingu in the ISJFC Collection
Publications

Full-size Partial Replica of Bezaisen Created by Tomoichiro Kondo

Holdings

Exhibitions

Duration: 2020 to 2021 *Ongoing project since FY 2001. However, in
FY 2020, no contract was made because of the COVID-19 pandemic; only
proofreading work on cataloged manuscripts was carried out.

Courses

Duration: 2020 to 2021 (ongoingproject since FY 2016)
Project Leaders: TAGAMI Shigeru,
SUNAMI Soichiro[Geographical scope] Miyake-jimaIsland, Tokyo[Purpose] As part of the research
Investigation at Miyakejima Folk
project commissioned by Miyake Village, Museum (November 2017)
members visit the island to examine andorganize the village’s folk materials, which are being studied, publishedand preserved. Activities involve compiling a catalogue of the materials

Compilation of Catalogues of Historical Documents
Possessed by the Japan Fisheries Research and
Education Agency

Exhibitions

Library

Commissioned Research:Commissioned Research:

Research

Duration: 2016- Project Leader: YASUMURO Satoru[Geographical scope] Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture[Purpose] As part of the conservation and restoration of materials
owned by the Kesennuma-Oshima Fishing Cooperative, we sorted
and classified over 4,000 items for storage in the Oshima Fishing
Cooperative Library, which was completed in September 2015. The
Library not only conserves the Fishing Cooperative collection but also
serves as a research base for ISJFC, the Graduate School of History and
Folklore Studies and other groups.
The library is expected to fulfill its
expanding role as a base for promoting
the culture of Oshima Island underthe management of “Oshima Gyokyo
Bunko no Kai” (Friends of the Oshima
Fishing Cooperative Library).
The Oshima Fishing Cooperative

held by the Miyakejima Folk Museum and also interviewing seniorislanders about local livelihoods and customs, which will be gathered
into books of oral history.

ISJFC

Project Research Center:

Practical training workshop on the application of
backing to historical documents
Front view of the mast section of the model ship

Until FY 2019, exhibitions were held in the Exhibition Room of the Institute for the
Study of Japanese Folk Culture, Kanagawa University, and in the Special Exhibition
Room (First Floor, Building 3, Yokohama Campus). These locations are currently
closed as of FY 2021.

•Storeroom

Uke (bamboo
basket fish traps)
acquired by theformer ISJFC
foundation

Please check the website for details regarding past exhibitions and future schedules.
Exhibitions

7

Courses
Folk Cultural Studies Seminar (Jomin Bunka Kenkyu Koza)
The Folk Cultural Studies Seminarhas been held annually since 1997 withthe objective of stimulating Japaneseculture research. Each seminar focuses
on a certain theme in the everyday lives,culture, and history of jomin throughlectures and symposiums.

Practical Training Workshop for Restoration ofHistorical Documents

Mingu Forum
A training class to measure mingu artifacts began
in 1974 in association with mingu researchcourses. The class took the form of a mingu researchworkshop in 2015 and became a forum in 2016.
The forum is held two or three times a year
and is closely coordinated with the publication
Mingu Monthly, with each forum planned by theediting staff based on a popular theme.
Since FY 2020, videos have been posted and madeavailable on the official website and YouTube
channel.

The workshop is held alongside the Folk
Cultural Studies Seminar to provide training
on the three basic steps of historical document
restoration work: recording and organizing,
repairing (mending and lining), and restoring(trimming and binding). Participantsalso learn the technique of separating theunderlayer of fusuma (paper sliding doors).
In addition, staff from the ISJFC have been managing public seminars organized by Kanagawa University, and we have also organizedand delivered lectures and symposia co-sponsored by local authorities and newspapers in the field research locations. The ISJFC willcontinue to make the most of these opportunities.
The schedule and content of future seminars, as well as details on all seminars starting with the first edition (June 1997), are available
on the ISJFC website. http://jominken.kanagawa-u.ac.jp/exhibition/list/

Seminars Held in FY 2020
24th Folk Cultural Studies Seminar“Comprehensive Study of Landscape Materials:
Reading Fishing Grounds Maps 2”(December 12, 2020/Held online)•Explanation of aims: Satoru Yasumuro
Stone Quarries: Technological Advances and Changes in theLandscape (Mutsuhiko Matsuda)
Kitayama Forestry and Private Gardens: Based on a Survey of CulturalLandscapes in the Nakagawa District of Kyoto (Hiroko Edani)
Considering Fisheries from the Perspective of Consumption:
Concerning Funazushi from Lake Biwa (Michinori Hashimoto)
The Form and Distribution of Eri: A History Based on “Fishery
Tax Accounts” (Satoru Yasumuro)•

General discussion(March 8, 2021/Held online)
1) Recording and disassembly of damaged historical documents
2) Repair (sewing/back-lining)3) Restoration (trimming and binding)4) Hands-on training for peeling off
documents used as underlay offolding screens and sliding doors
Hiroo Sekiguchi, Satoshi Shirouzu,
Satoshi Yamaguchi, Satoshi
Repair and backing process.
Nakamura, Mariko Hirata

Reinforcing historical documentswith washi backing

24th Folk Cultural Studies Seminar

Mingu Forum 6 “Tottori Prefecture Fishing Baskets (Ugui) ”(Kenji Kashimura) (March 22, 2021/Video)
http://jominken.kanagawa-u.ac.jp/exhibition/list/210322.html (in Japanese)

Venue for the online seminar

8

23rd Folk Cultural Studies Seminar
Training Workshop on Historical Document Restoration

CoursesCommemorative photo of thepresenters

Catching fish by covering themwith a fishing basket

Explanation by Kenji KashimuraISJFC

Holdings
Collection of Historical Documents and Cultural Materials

Research

The diverse holdings of ISJFC are gradually being open for public access, starting from those that have been catalogued.
They are basically available for use for research purposes (prior notice required).
Our Kanagawa University Digital Archive website can be used to search for collection items, photographs and films,
and some of our paintings can be viewed on our Digital Collection of Paintings site. *For details please refer to page 10.
Historical Documents

Catfish woodblock painting:Yoshiwara Visitors and Kashima Deity
Subduing the Earthquake Catfish
with a Gourd (owned by ISJFC)
Futagami Family Collection(owned by ISJFC)

Hand-Copied Texts

Original ebiki (pictopedia):
Wildlife drawings (Photograph:
Deigyu Murata/owned by ISJFC)

Courses

Photographs and Films

Hand-Copied Texts (owned by ISJFC)

Holdings

The fishing and fisheriesrelated manuscripts were
copied at the Tsukishima
Branch on commission
from the Fisheries Agency
from 1949 to 1955. These
hand-copied documents
cover all of Japan and werecompiled into around 1,900
volumes.

Exhibitions

Historical documents include(1) old documents owned by
the Institute and (2) copies ofhistorical documents taken on-site
during field research. Documents
belonging to (1) have been collectedby the Attic Museum and ISJFC;
the copies comprising (2) wererecorded on microfilm or as digital
photographs.

Documents of the Former ISJFC Foundation
Information on the operation of the former foundation covering over
100 years from its inception as the Attic Museum Society.
The documents include records transferred from the former foundation,
papers by Shuhei Uno and in the Takeharu Kawaoka Folklore Studies
Collection, and documents pertaining to the Shibusawa Foundation forEthnological Studies.

Ink and water color paintings collected or copied by the staff of the
Attic Museum mainly depict farming implements and farmer life.
“Shiki Kosaku Kodomo Yugi Zukan (Scroll of Cultivation and Children’s
Play in Four Seasons)” and five paintings of farm implements areavailable online. (For details please refer to page 10.)

Publications

Paintings

Attic Picture: People gathering at
Maehama to make a shipment of pigs
that are inside baskets (Catalog no.
1-7-8/owned by ISJFC)

Attic Photos and Attic Films•
8,000 still pictures and films taken

by Keizo Shibusawa and othermembers of the Attic Museum,mainly recording folk customs ofJapan and its overseas territories inthe early Showa Period.

Attic Film: “Transportation in the
Past: Chuma on Ina-kaido Highway,”
September 1931 (owned by ISJFC)ICFCSYokohama Pictures•
Colored photographs depicting

the city of Yokohama around thetime when its port was opened toforeign countries.

Shiki Kosaku Kodomo Yugi Zukan (owned by ISJFC)

Yokohama photograph: Osanbashi andCustoms House as seen from the water(F47 West Hatoba, Yokohama) (owned
by ISJFC)
Holdings

9

Folk Materials
Materials Produced for ISJFC•
These materials are produced in line withresearch themes. Serving as records of production
techniques made by artisans, the materials include
forged iron samples, a collection of work clothes
produced in a one-fifth scale of the original size,
and wasen (Japanese boat) models by shipbuilder
Kondo Tomoichiro.
Materials Collected by ISJFC•
Clothing, agricultural, household and work goods

Chart of production process of forged steel products(produced for ISJFC)

and religious items. Also, approximately 2,000
mingu items previously owned by merchantfamilies, 2,000 pieces of koema (votive tablets),and 300 handicraft pieces made using small cutsof cloth.

Quilted sleeveless coat, Shonai area, formanure sled pulling (owned by ISJFC)

Pulp cloth and raw materials(owned by ISJFC)

Library Collection
The original holdings were collected when the Institute was an incorporated
foundation. These have been augmented by purchase, exchange, and donation since
it was transferred to Kanagawa University and currently number approximately
100,000 titles. Private collections include the Teizo Iyanaga Ancient Japanese
History Collection and the Takeharu Kawaoka and Noboru Miyata Folklore
Studies Collections. The library holdings of Shibusawa Foundation for EthnologicalStudies (Minzokugaku Shinko Kai) were also transferred to the Institute when it wasdissolved.
The total collections cover the fields of local history, folklore studies, ethnology,
history of fishing, and history of traditional technology. These can be searched andaccessed on the Kanagawa University Library OPAC.

Former collection of the Shibusawa Foundation forEthnological Studies

Kanagawa University Library OPAC
https://ufinity.kanagawa-u.ac.jp/?lang=english

Searching Our Collection
The Kanagawa University Digital Archive allows access to our archives and viewing of video footage; some of our paintings can be examinedon the Digital Collection of Paintings page on the Institute’s website. Both sites have links from the top page of the website.
http://jominken.kanagawa-u.ac.jp/en

Searchable “Digital Archive” Renewal

Digital Collection of Paintings

The Digital Archive provides search and browsing functions
for historical and folk materials, scientific materials, researchfindings, photographs, films, and more that are owned by various
entities within Kanagawa University.

Shiki Kosaku Kodomo Yugi Zukan (Scroll of Cultivation andChildren’s Play in Four Seasons) and all five works of Paintingsof Farm Implements can be viewed on our website.

https://www.kanagawa-u.ac.jp/research/digitalarchive/

http://jominken.kanagawa-u.ac.jp/en/books/painting.html

Kanagawa University Digital Archive10

Library Collection

Paintings of farm implements in Hiroshima (owned by ISJFC)ISJFC

Publications

Rekishi to Minzoku (History and Folk Customs)

ExhibitionsFirst issued in 1986, Rekishi to Minzoku has been
the ISJFC academic bulletin; each issue includes
research papers, introduction of cultural materials,
and reports on seminars and public symposiums
organized by ISJFC. It is issued annually and hasreached its 37th issue as of 2021.
*The periodical can be purchased through Heibonsha.

Vol.35Vol.36

CoursesVol.37

Mingu Monthly

Holdings

Mingu Monthly focuses on research in mingu andmaterial culture with its No. 638 issue publishedin May 2021. It was launched for the purpose of
establishing mingu studies and has served as aplatform for academic exchanges among mingu
scholars. Mingu Monthly stimulated the activities
of mingu research groups across the country,
which led to the founding of the Society for
Mingu of Japan in 1976.

Latest edition; the details of back issues
are published on the ISJFC website.

Research

ISJFC issues the two periodicals: Rekishi to Minzoku (History and Folk Customs) and Mingu Monthly. ISJFC
Occasional publications include Kanagawa Daigaku Nihon Jomin Bunka Sosho (Japanese Folk Culture Monographs),
Chosa Hokoku (Reports on commissioned research), and Chosa Shiryo Mokuroku, (catalogues of materials acquired
through field studies).

Inaugural issueVol. 54 No. 2

Publications

Monographs, Research Reports, Catalogues, etc.

100 Shunen Kinen Jigyo Kankobutsu (Centennial Commemorative Project Publications),
Study of Folk Culture Bulletin 1, Guidebook for the Restoration of Historical
Documents

Kyodo Kenkyu “Brazil Nihonjin Nyushokuchi no Rekishi Minzokugakuteki Kenkyu”(Joint Research Project: Social History of Japanese Colonies in Brazil), History and
Folklore, Architecture Edition 1-2
Publications

11

ICFCS

Kyodo Kenkyu “Setonaikai no Rekishi Minzoku” (Joint research “History and Folkloreof Setonaikai”), photograph collection, collection of materials from the Middle Ages,
Early Modern Period, folklore studies reports, annals, Collection of Sketches) 1-10

Monographs, Research Reports, Catalogues, etc.
Okunoto to Tokikunike (Tokikuni Family in the Okunoto Area), 3 volumes of
document collections and survey reports and 2 volumes of research articles based ona coordinated field program.
Jomin Shiryo Sosho (Japanese Folk Document Monographs), nos.1-2.
Kanagawa Daigaku Nihon Jomin Bunka Sosho (Japanese Folk Culture Monographs),
nos.1-7.
Kokusai Jomin Bunka Kenkyu Sosho (International Center for Folk Culture Studies
Monographs) 1-15
Kanagawa Daigaku Nihon Jomin Bunka Kenkyujo Shozo Shiryo Mokuroku(Catalogue of Material Collection of the Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk
Culture, Kanagawa University) 1-6
Kanagawa Daigaku Nihon Jomin Bunka Kenkyujo Chosa Shiryo Mokuroku(Catalogue of Materials from Field Studies by the Institute for the Study ofJapanese Folk Culture, Kanagawa University) 1-12
Wajima-shi Machino-chiku Kankei Komonjo Mokuroku (Catalogue of Historical
Documents of Machino District, Wajima City) 1-5
Suisan Sogo Kenkyu Senta Shozo Komonjo Mokuroku (Catalogue of Historical
Documents Held by the Fisheries Research Agency) 1-11
Suisan Kenkyu/Kyoiku Kiko Shozo Komonjo Mokuroku (Catalogue of Historical
Documents Held by the Fisheries Research and Education Agency) 12-14

Kanagawa Daigaku Nihon Jomin Bunka Kenkyujo Chosa Hokoku(Reports on Field Studies by the Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture,
Kanagawa University) 10-24
Kokusai Jomin Bunka Kenkyu Kiko Kyodo Kenkyu (shorei) Chosa Hokokusho(International Center for Folk Culture Studies Joint Research Reports; incentive
project) 25-30
Kanagawa Daigaku Nihon Jomin Bunka Kenkyujo Nenpo (Annual Reports of theInstitute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture, Kanagawa University) 2014-2021

Kanagawa Daigaku Nyumon Text Series (Kanagawa University Introductory Text
Series, History and Folklore Studies Primer) 1
Umi to Hinogyomin (Ocean and Non-farming People) with CD of lecture
Komonjo no Hoshu to Toriatsukai (Repair and Handling of Historical Documents)
Emakimono ni Yoru Nihon Jomin Seikatsu Ebiki (Pictopedia of Everyday Life inJapan from Picture Scrolls), New Version, 5 volumes.

Video “Futagami-jima (Futagami-jima Island)” 1-3

12

Monographs, Research Reports, Catalogues, etc.

ISJFCInternational Center
for Folk Culture Studies

Research

The International Center for Folk Culture Studies was established in FY 2009 based on the Institute for the Studyof Japanese Folk Culture at Kanagawa University after it was approved and recognized by the Ministry of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) as a “Joint Usage and Research Center.” The Center carried out
activities during its second phase after being re-accredited in FY 2014. The accreditation ended on March 31, 2020.
For the latest information and further details, please visit the website of the International Center for Folk Culture
Studies.

Ongoing Joint Research Projects
As of FY 2021, two joint research groups are preparing to present their results after being selected through a public competition.
“Incentive” Project

1. Research on the History of Maritime Areas and People(FY2018-2020)• An Ethnographical Study of Traditional Female Divers in Taiwan
Called Hailu, with the Aim of Developing Research on Traditional
Female Divers in East Asia and the Pacific Rim(FY 2019-2020)• Japanese Immigrants in Brazil and Their Lives As Seen throughMingu in Registro, State of Sao Paulo

Exhibitions“General” Project

Courses

A woman goes into
the sea after scattering
her paper money in theair (August, 2018)

Receiving explanations
about a press forcocoa, cassava, etc.
(Tomé Açu settlement/
January, 2020)

The International Center for Folk Culture Studies presents reports on joint research results through joint research forums, international
research forums, and in its publications.
Publications• Joint Research Projects “General” ProjectInternational Center for Folk Culture Studies
Monographs 14
Fundamental Research on Functional Analysis of
Mingu [Including CD] (issued March 2021)• Joint Research Projects “Incentive” Project
Reports on Field Studies by the Institute for the
Study of Japanese Folk Culture No. 29(International Center for Folk Culture Studies joint
research project [incentive project] research report)
Maritime History of Kumano: A Comprehensive
Study of Koyama Family Papers (issued March 2021)

ICFCS• 8th edition of “Reading the Shapes:
The Beginning of the Morphology of Mingu”(March 6, 2021)
Joint Research Project “General” Project:
Fundamental Research on Functional Analysis of
Mingu

Publications

Joint Research Forums• 7th edition of “Samurai and Castles of Medieval
Kumano”(January 23, 2021)
Joint Research Project “Incentive” Project:
Comprehensive Study of Archival Documents on a
Kumano Pirate Clan – the Koyama Family

Holdings

Dissemination of Research Results

This organization has been promoting activities as a joint research center since FY 2009, focusing on project-based joint
research. However, this will come to an end in FY 2021. Some of the projects will be taken over by the Institute for the
Study of Japanese Folk Culture.
ICFCS

13

Convenience Store

Yokohama
Kami-Asou Line

Doutor Coffee

Rokkakubashi Nishimachi(Kanagawa Daigaku Shita)

Kanagawa Daigaku
Iriguchii t
ash stric
kub Dikka ing
RohoppS

Rokkakubashi

Barbershop

Convenience
Store
West GateBank

Rokkakubashi
East Gate

Yokohama Campus

For Shibuya

McDonald’s
Bank

Higashi Hakuraku
StationMain Gate

Hakuraku
StationTokyu Toyoko Line
(Interdirect to Minatomirai Line)

AccessFor Motomachi Chinatown

INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY
OF JAPANESE FOLK CULTURE
KANAGAWA UNIVERSITY
Address: 3-27-1 Rokkakubashi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi,
Kanagawa 221-8686 JAPAN
Telephone: +81-(0)45-481-5661
Email: jomin-office@kanagawa-u.ac.jp
URL: http://jominken.kanagawa-u.ac.jp/en/

Facebook

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http://himoji.kanagawa-u.ac.jp/english/
International Center for Folk Culture Studies

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http://icfcs.kanagawa-u.ac.jp/en/
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Closed on: Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays, other days
when the University is closed (including summer and winter vacation)

YouTubeNovember 2021