Bibliographical History of Japanese Rare Books from an International Perspective

We are pleased to announce that the Subcommittee on Japanese Rare Books, Committee on Japanese Materials (CJM), Council on East Asian Libraries (CEAL) under the Association for Asian Studies will offer a four-day Japanese rare book workshop at Princeton University this summer, from August 19 to 22, 2025. This event is organized in collaboration with Princeton University Library and the Program in East Asian Studies at Princeton. This workshop has been made possible through the generous support of the Toshiba International Foundation (TIFO).

The program will consist of a three-day workshop followed by a half-day symposium, focusing on Japanese rare books from an international perspective. The objective is to provide participants with advanced knowledge of the bibliographical history of Japanese rare books including their historical and cultural connections with neighboring countries.

The instructor, Professor Takahiro Sasaki of Keiō University Shidō Bunko, will give lectures on the physical examination and descriptions of Japanese rare books from ancient to the 19th century by comparison with East Asian and Western rare books. The workshop will be held at the Princeton University Special Collection using examples from the library’s holdings, as well as those brought by the instructor. On the fourth day of the workshop, participants will attend a symposium which discuss the relationship of the Japanese and the East Asian rare books, and a tour to the Cotsen Children’s Library and Special Collections so that they will have the opportunity to look at more materials from the respective libraries.

Prof. Sasaki is an established scholar specializing in Japanese literature and bibliography, and especially known for his unique approach to comprehensive bibliographic research for Japanese rare materials. His Nihon koten shoshigakuron 日本古典書誌学論 (Kasama Shoin, 2016), which is a compilation of his research on the relationship between bibliography and text, is one of the most acknowledged works on the subject by both scholars and librarians.

The Subcommittee on Japanese Rare Books previously offered a one-day general workshop on Japanese rare books at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2015 and a three-day specialized workshop on the Edo printed books at the Library of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution in 2018, and a sequel workshop on Edo printed books at the Library of Congress and at the Library of the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution in 2023.

The details of the workshop are as follows:

Title: Workshop on the Bibliographical History of Japanese Rare Books from an International Perspective
Date: Tuesday, August 19 to Friday, August 22, 2025
Venue: Special Collections, Princeton University, Jones Hall, Department of East Asian Studies

Instructor: Professor Takahiro Sasaki (Shidō Bunko, Keiō University)
Target audience: Librarians and scholars

Registration: Registration is required. The number of participants will be limited to a maximum of 20. If you are interested, please RSVP here

(https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfcArT1MWNAgHk6oUlggnW_mKoRkumyOcPmhmGp1m6tnuBGA/viewform) by May 30, 2025.

When we have more applicants than 20, a selection will be made based on the stated needs. Those who are selected as participants will be notified by June 6, 2025.

Note: Due to the nature of the workshop, it will be offered in person only.

All lectures will be given in Japanese. (The symposium and tours will be given in English)

Travel and accommodation are your own responsibility. For your convenience, we have reserved for 20 rooms at the Princeton Seminary at $90 (plus Tax)/night from August 18 to 23, 2025. If you wish to stay at this hotel, please complete the application form accordingly.

If you have any questions, please email to Setsuko Noguchi.