Graduate Course in Archival Science, Graduate School of Humanities, Gakushuin University

Faculty Members

Professor Toshihiko Takano

[Research interest]
Records and manuscripts studies

[Background]
Education
March 1972 : B. Litt., Department of History, Faculty of Letters, University of Tokyo
March 1974 : Partially completed the master's degree course, Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, University of Tokyo

Career
April 1974 : University of Tokyo Historiographical Institute
April 1981 : Assistant Professor, Faculty of Letters, Gakushuin University
April 1990 : Professor, Faculty of Letters, Gakushuin University

[Academic Societies]
2004 - 2009 : President of the Japan Society for Archival Science

[Publications]
Books
Kindai Nihon no Kokka Kenryoku to Shukyo [State Power and Religion in Modern Japan] (Tokyo University Press, 1989)
Minkan ni Ikiru Shukyosha [Religious Practitioners Living among the people] (Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 2000)
Edo Bakufu to Chotei [The Edo Shogunate and the Imperial Court] (Yamakawa Shuppansha, 2006)
Nihon no Jidai-shi: 15 Genroku no Shakai to Bunka [Japanese History: Society and Culture in Genroku Period] (Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 2003)
Nihon-shi Shiryo: (3) Kinsei [Japanese Historical Records: (3) Pre-modern] (Iwanami Shoten, 2006)
Shin-Taikei: Nihon-shi I: Kokka-shi [New System: Japanese History I: History of the Nation] (Yamakawa Shuppansha, 2006)
Mibun-teki Shuen to Kinsei Shakai 8: Chotei o Torimaku Hitobito [Fringe Social Positions and Pre-modern Society 8: People of the Imperial Court] (Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 2007)
Shinpan Sekai Kakkoku-shi: Nihon-shi [New Edition : History of the Countries of the World: Japanese History] (Yamakawa Shuppansha, 2008; co-author)

Articles
"Kinsei Ishiyamadera no Kaicho [The Opening of Buddhist Figure at Pre-modern Ishiyama-dera Temple]" (Modern Japan Told by Historical Records, Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 2002)
"Akaibuzu-gaku Seido no Kakuritsu no Tame ni [Establishing an Archival Science Institution]" ("NIRA Policy Research," Vol. 17, No. 2, 2004)
"Shiryo Hozon Mondai to Akaibuzu Seido [Archival Systems and Problems in the Preservation of Historical Records]" (Annual Report of the Japanese Historical Council, No. 21, 2006)
"Watashi no Mibun-teki Shuen-ron [My Theory on Fringe Social Positions]" (Buraku Mondai Kenkyu, 2007)

[Message for the students]
Japanese society never had an archival system. This has caused many problems in the past, such as the Social Insurance Agency inadequately disposing of its records. Moreover, up until now, there has been no motivation to fundamentally change the belief that records may be hidden away or discarded. Our society cannot continue functioning by isolating itself from the rest of the world. We must fall in line with the common practice of the world, comply with legislations, administer the organizations, and be accountable. To achieve this, an archival system is essential. Storing and archiving the records produced in the past poses a major challenge. To handle this challenge, it is important to learn from the archival sciences practiced throughout the world and build our own experience. We hope that everyone who will have studied at the Graduate Course in Archival Science contribute to shape a better society in Japan and the world.