2022

'Samurai: history and legend' explored the historic roots of the samurai and the literary image of the samurai in manuscripts and woodblock-printed books from Japan. This exhibition of treasures from Cambridge University Library's collection of rare Japanese books opened in January 2022, nearly two years after the spring 2020 opening that was originally planned. This was the first major public exhibition based on the collection, more than 100 years after most of the UL's historic Japanese books and manuscripts arrived in 1911 and 1912.

In 2015, Princeton University East Asian Library acquired an ephemera collection from the Yoshino region of Nara Prefecture which contains various types of documents from the medieval to the Showa period. Princeton University and the Historiographical Institute of the University of Tokyo (HIUT) conducted a joint research in 2018 and 2019 to investigate about 150 pieces of fragmentary leaves from 14th century to 17th century in the collection.

This paper brings to light the most representative documents and images of the relations between Portugal and Japan from 1854 to 1952 at the AHD, the most of them never studied neither published. In particular, it will be highlighted how the sources testimonies the Japanese approach to the historical relations with Portugal, for the construction of an identity discourse.

This paper explores the leading role played by the Jesuits in Macau as intermediaries in the circulation of artistic taste and devotion during the Old Society. Alessandro Valignano conceived the College of Saint Paul in Macau to serve as the center of both China and Japan Missions. Accordingly, it should provide a Japanese environment preparing the future missionaries to this area.

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