The Japan Society is delighted to invite members and friends to an exclusive private tour of the Japanese collection at the Bodleian Libraries, followed by a guided visit to the historic Old Bodleian.

The Bodleian Libraries hold one of the oldest institutional collections of Japanese rare books and manuscripts in Europe, with origins dating back to 1629. Spanning more than 1,200 years—from the Nara period to the twentieth century—the collection offers a remarkable insight into Japan’s literary, artistic, and cultural heritage.

In this special show and tell session, members will have the rare opportunity to view some of the collection’s most significant treasures. Highlights include a document bearing Tokugawa Ieyasu’s original seal, marking the start of diplomatic and trade relations between England and Japan; the oldest printed book in the Japanese collection (and in the entire Bodleian); one of the earliest Japanese books printed using movable type; and a selection of exquisitely illustrated luxury picture books, handscrolls, and more.

The visit will be followed by a guided tour of the Old Bodleian, including the Divinity School and Duke Humfrey’s Library. These remarkable 15th-century spaces are among the University of Oxford’s oldest purpose-built buildings and vividly illustrate the central role the library has played in the University’s history.

The session will be led by Dr Anna Sharko, Manager of the Bodleian Japanese Library, and Dr Mamtimyn Sunuodula, Head of the East Asian Section and Curator of Chinese Collections at the Bodleian.

Dr Anna Sharko, a Waseda University PhD graduate, specialises in Japan’s linguistic and cultural exchanges with China and the West, and has contributed to major Bodleian projects including the digitisation and conservation of Japanese scrolls and the development of a new catalogue of East Asian manuscripts and rare books.

Dr Mamtimyn Sunuodula oversees the Bodleian’s East Asian collections, with research interests focused on language, identity, and power in multilingual and multicultural contexts.

If you have any questions, please call The Japan Society office on 020 3075 1996 or email events@japansociety.org.uk.