National Museum of Japanese History
FY 2025 Application Guidelines for Collaborative Research*All applications have to be completed in Japanese.
1. Overview
The purpose of collaborative research hosted by the National Museum of Japanese History(Rekihaku), a member institution of the National Institutes for the Humanities, is to conductcollaborative, interdisciplinary, and empirical research in the fields of history, archaeology, and thestudy of folklore and folklife, as well as other related areas. To further facilitate the collaborative andinterdisciplinary character of the research projects, and, in line with the mission as an InterUniversity Research Institute, to provide opportunities in research and education at universities andother institutions, applications from both within and outside the Museum are invited through thisopen call.
2. Categories of Collaborative Research
Applications for FY 2025 can be made under the following categories:(1) Principal Research
Principal research refers to collaborative research that aims for interdisciplinary collaboration
based on the core research topics of Rekihaku.
Principal research consists of two categories: 1) research challenges to pioneer advanced
historical research through examination of resources and methodological considerations; 2) research
into contemporary issues based on a broad overview of the history and culture of Japan. The firstcategory is for topics geared towards innovation in historical research with emphasis oninterdisciplinary and international perspectives. The second category is for topics in a leading positionin academia that are interdisciplinary and respond to social circumstances and demands. Principal
research is particularly expected to put an emphasis on the sophistication and visibility of researchachievements.
For the FY 2025, we are looking for 2 research projects within the range of Principal Research I"Dynamic Studies of Japanese History from the Perspective of Environment and Interaction".
The Objective of “Principal Research I”
The objective of this research is to conduct a comprehensive study on how history on the Japanesearchipelago was cultivated through various exchanges with other overseas regions. Based on fieldresearch and the analysis of artefacts, it is to clarify how people and goods moved and interacted witheach other, and what kind of cultural influences shaped the region. It will be interdisciplinary research,
conducted from a cross-period perspective, that transcends specific disciplines such as archaeology,
literature history, folklore studies, art history, and chronological studies.

Research Topic

Research projects related to Principal Research I "Dynamic Studies ofJapanese History from the Perspective of Environment and Interaction."

Research Period

3 years, starting from FY 2025

Research Meetings

3 to 4 times per year, at the Rekihaku etc.

Principal
Investigator (PI)The PI is responsible for preparing the research plan, organizing teammeetings, and synthesizing research achievements. In addition, the PI isrequired to submit a report for each FY and present a report at the outcome
report meeting after the end of the research period.

Deputy Principal

The DPI must be a faculty member of the Rekihaku

Investigator (DPI)
Research TeamUp to 15 members , including researchers who are able to carry out research

Organization

collaboratively and faculty members of the Rekihaku

Research Budget

Up to 2,700,000 yen per year (travel expenses, expendable supplies etc.)

Planned number

2of approvals(2) Fundamental Research 1 (Research question centered)
The goal of this category is to develop new research foundations, such as new research
perspectives and methods, through, for example, the digitalization and interdisciplinary research ofarchaeological, historical, and folk materials and their conversion into research resources. As the leadresearcher of the project, the principal investigator (PI) can freely determine the research topic.
However, it is a condition for proposed research topics to aim to contribute to the “Museumbased Research Integration” the Rekihaku implements.
Research Topic

Interdisciplinary research with the central objective of convertingarchaeological, historical, and folk materials into research resources, as wellas their digitalization.

Research Period

3 years, starting from FY 2025

Research Meetings

3 to 4 times per year, at the Rekihaku etc.

Principal

The PI is responsible for preparing the research plan, organizing team

Investigator (PI)meetings, and synthesizing research achievements. In addition, the PI isrequired to submit a report for each FY and to present a report at the outcome
report meeting after end of the research period.

DeputyPrincipal

The DPI must be a faculty member of the Rekihaku

Investigator (DPI)
ResearchTeam

About 10 members, including researchers who are able to carry out researchOrganization

collaboratively and faculty members of the Rekihaku

Research Budget

Up to 2,250,000 yen per year (travel expenses, expendable supplies etc.)

Planned number of

2approvals(3) Fundamental Research 2 (Pre-selected topics on the Rekihaku collections
This type of fundamental research is designed for research topics and research proposals focusing
on materials included in the Rekihaku’s collections. For a list of applicable materials, please refer tothe “Rekihaku Target Collections” table below.
Research Topic

Collaborative research on resources held and designated by the Rekihaku (tobe selected from the items listed below)

Rekihaku Target

1. The Clothing Materials of the Mizushima Family Collections (H-1911-1)

collections(Assoc. Prof. SAWADA, Museum Science Division）)
2. Iwami Kamei Family Documents (H-1031) (Assoc. Prof. Amano, HistoryDivision)
3. Asakawa Noritaka Collection of Ceramics Found in Kiln Sites of theKorean Peninsula (A-229) (Assoc. Prof. MURAKI, Archaeology Division)
4. Collection of Ōzassho books (F-511) (Prof. KOIKE, Folklore Division)

Research Period

3 years, starting from FY 2025

Research Meetings

3 to 4 times per year, at the Rekihaku etc.

Principal

The PI is responsible for preparing the research plan, organizing team

Investigator (PI)meetings, and synthesizing research achievements. In addition, the PI isrequired to submit a report for each FY and to present a report at the outcome
report meeting after the end of the research period.

Deputy Principal

The DPI must be a faculty member of the Rekihaku.

Investigator (DPI)
Research Team

About 10 members, including researchers who are able to carry out research

Organization

collaboratively and faculty members of Rekihaku

Research Budget

Up to approximately 2,250,000 yen per year (travel expenses, expendable
supplies etc.)

Planned number of1

approvals(4) Fundamental Research 3 (Topics regarding Rekihaku Research Films)
This type of fundamental research is designed for research topics and research proposals that, forexample, utilize the Rekihaku Research Video Materials accumulated by the museum for studies onculture and history, or that produce video materials on new research questions.
Research Topic

Collaborative research conducted with the main purpose of using films
related to Japan’s history and culture for research

Research Period

3 years starting, from FY 2025

Research Meetings

3 to 4 times per year, at the Rekihaku etc.

Principal

The PI is responsible for preparing the research plan, organizing team

Investigator (PI)meetings, producing one or more films during the three years, andsynthesizing research achievements. In addition, the PI is required to submit
a report for each FY and to present a report at the outcome report meeting
after the end of the research period.

DeputyPrincipal

The DPI must be a faculty member of the Rekihaku

Investigator (DPI)
Research Team

About 10 members, including researchers who are able to carry out research

Organization

collaboratively and faculty members of the Rekihaku

Research Budget

Up to 4,000,000 yen per year (travel expenses, film production expenses etc.)

Planned number of1approvals
3. Eligibility
1)
Researchers employed by universities or other research institutions in Japan or overseas(full-time or part-time)
2)
Researchers who have research capabilities equivalent to criteria (1) above (not including
graduate students)
4. Application procedure• Applicants are asked fill out the designated “FY2025 Collaborative Research Proposal”
application form (download URL below, form in Japanese only), and to obtain the approval of
their immediate superior or supervisor at the research institution of their employment, prior tosubmitting their application. A written notice of approval will not be required at the time of theapplication, but has to be submitted after the research project has been approved.
•If graduate students enrolled in a doctoral program are being included in the members of a
proposed research project, please add an outline of their peer-reviewed papers to the“Achievements” column of the research proposal and attach a letter of recommendation(designated form) from the student’s supervising faculty member.

[Download URL for “FY2025 Collaborative Research Proposal” and letter ofrecommendation forms Rekihaku official web site)]https://www.rekihaku.ac.jp/research/list/public_offering/
Before making a formal application and preparing the research proposal, applicants should contact
the Rekihaku faculty member expected to act as Deputy Principal Investigator and adequately discuss
the research plan and research methods. Contact information for the faculty members is available uponrequest at the Research and Education Section of the Research Affairs Division[kenkyo@ml.rekihaku.ac.jp].
5. How to Apply
Please submit the completed application form (” FY2025 Collaborative Research Proposal”) as
an e-mail attachment to the e-mail address listed under [11. Contact & Inquiries]. (Please submit thedocument by email.)
6. Submission Deadline for Proposals
Must be received by 17:00 of Tuesday, August 27, 2024
7. Selection Process and Notification of Results
Applications will be evaluated on the basis of the collaborative research proposals by faculty
members of the Rekihaku and external members of the Collaborative Research Committee of theExecutive Council in a first screening between September and October. If necessary, interviews will
be held in addition to the review of the application documents. In a second screening, to be held
between mid November and early December, the Collaborative Research Committee of the ExecutiveCouncil will interview selected applicants. The Director-General will make the final decision basedon the recommendations of the Executive Council. Applicants will be notified about the results of thefirst screening in October. The results of the second screening will be announced in late December.
Research proposals and other documents submitted will not be returned.
8. Use of Facilities
Collaborative researchers gain access to the Rekihaku facilities, library resources, the museum
collections, computers, and various research instruments.
9. Report of Research Achievements•
An annual report is to be submitted each year.
•Publication of the research achievements in the Rekihaku research bulletin (“Bulletin of theNational Museum of Japanese History”) is required within 3 years from the completion of theresearch.
10. Other
Budget allocations may be adjusted after the approval of the respective research proposals.
11. Contact & Inquiries
Collaborative Research Applications,
Research and Education Section,
Research Affairs Division, Administration Department,

National Museum of Japanese History
National Institutes for the Humanities, Inter-University Research Institute Corporation
117 Jonai-cho, Sakura City, Chiba 285-8502, Japan
Phone: +81-43-486-6473
Fax: +81-43-486-6494
E-mail: kenkyo@ml.rekihaku.ac.jp