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Profile
Museum and Public Outreach
Department Head
TAKATA Tokio
Takata Tokio was born in 1949. He is a Professor Emeritus at Kyoto University. His academic intersts are in philology and Dunhuang studies.In 1987 he was awarded the Tōhō Gakkai Prize (Oriental Society Prize) and in 1988 the Dr. Kyosuke Kindaichi Memorial Award. His major publications include History of the Chinese Language from Dunhuang Documents (敦煌資料による中国語史の研究) 1988 and Personal Seals of Naitō Konan (内藤湖南自用印譜) 2023. He has been the Librarian of Toyo Bunko since 2022 and the Director of the Museum and Public Outreach since 2025.
Toyo Bunko is a research library dedicated to Asian studies. Its origins trace back to the purchase of the Morrison Collection by Iwasaki Hisaya, the third president of Mitsubishi. Since the Morrison Collection primarily consisted of research materials written in European and American languages, Toyo Bunko has built an exceptionally diverse collection upon that foundation, acquiring classical Chinese books as well as books and documents in Korean, Vietnamese (historically called Annam), and various other Asian languages, including those of India and Central Asia. In addition, because Iwasaki Hisaya donated his personal collection, known as the “Iwasaki Collection,” Toyo Bunko holds numerous valuable documents, including many designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties of Japan. Last year, Toyo Bunko celebrated the 100th anniversary of its official establishment as an incorporated foundation and is now recognized as a unique research library of international significance.
Toyo Bunko Museum was established relatively recently, in 2011. Since its opening, the museum has hosted several special exhibitions each year, each focusing on a specific theme, in order to help the general public understand the significance and achievements of Asian studies. Naturally, these exhibitions center around the valuable documents and historical materials held by Toyo Bunko, which have attracted many visitors. In recent years, the exhibitions have also traveled to cities across Japan—such as Sendai, Mito, Kyoto, Nagasaki, and Kanazawa—in addition to being shown at the Toyo Bunko Museum itself.
In addition to exhibitions, Toyo Bunko Museum also carries out a variety of projects aimed at raising interest in Asian studies across various segments of society. In particular, we focus on educational and outreach activities for young people, including elementary, junior high, high school, and university students. These efforts include guided museum tours for young people, internship programs for university students studying museum curation, and work experience opportunities. Through these initiatives, we hope to make the field of Asian studies more widely known and appreciated.
Takata Tokio, Director
Toyo Bunko Museum
Museum Calendar
Museum
10:00a.m. - 5:00p.m. (Admission ends 30 minutes before closing time.)
Every Tuesday closed
Tel.03-3942-0280