Experience the Japan collections

Old maps, beautifully coloured drawings, early photographs, rare books, and even a genuine love letter. Leiden University Libraries (UBL) holds an important and diverse Japan collection. From January through December 2026, we will organize various public activities around the Japan collections.

In 2026, it will be 200 years since Philipp Franz von Siebold (1796–1866), as physician for the Dutch trading settlement of Dejima, participated in the chief's quadrennial journey to the Japanese court in the capital, Edo. During this court journey, Von Siebold kept a diary, which he developed into a travelogue.

The extensive collection of Japanese objects that he was able to bring home from Japan in 1829 was later purchased by King William III, who subsequently donated it to the Dutch government. In the late nineteenth century, the collection was dispersed among several museums and Leiden University. The collection transferred to the UBL includes Japanese-Dutch dictionaries, Japanese literature, maps, and drawings.

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Events

All events and broadcasts will be announced individually through news items, calendar items, invitations, and social media. Below, you will find an overview of all upcoming activities.

Connecting with Collections

Want to learn more about the Japan collections? During the Connecting with Collections sessions, the public will have the opportunity to examine unique pieces from the Special Collections up close. Curators will provide detailed explanations of the items. Four separate Connecting with Collections sessions will be organized, focusing on Japanese photography, maps and atlases, Japanese art, and Western bookbindings with a Japanese touch.

Video Podcasts and Blogs

In the new four-part video podcast series Op zoek naar Japan, we'll talk with curators and researchers about the stories behind objects from the Japan Special Collections, including modern Japanese art, travelogues, landscapes, and maps. Curators and guest authors will also write four blog posts for the Leiden Special Collections Blog about their research on interesting objects from the Japan collections.

Books on Nippon and Japanese Photography

In 1826, Philipp Franz von Siebold (1796–1866), as physician to the Dutch trading post of Dejima, participated in the chief's quadrennial journey to the Japanese court in the Empire's capital, Edo. During this court journey, Von Siebold kept a diary, which he developed into a travelogue entitled Nippon. A beautiful reissue of this book is being published in collaboration with publisher Lannoo. Authors Matthi Forrer and Kuniko Forrer shed light on Nippon and provide commentary.

The book Light over Dejima highlights early photography in Japan from the collections of the UBL, the University of Tokyo, and several smaller collections. The book explores the introduction of photography in Japan and is written by photography curator Maartje van den Heuvel and Akiyoshi Tani from Tokyo University. The English-language book is published by Amsterdam University Press.

Reading lists and symposia on modern Japanese literature

In collaboration with Leiden researchers, we are creating two interesting online reading lists featuring books from the modern Japanese collections on relevant social topics. The books discussed will also be available at the University Library (UB) in a dedicated reading list desk in Information Centre Huygens. In addition, two literary symposia on the modern Japanese collections will be organized.

Film Program

The UBL has an extensive collection of DVDs from Japan a representative collection of twentieth-century Japanese cinema. In collaboration with the Tanuki student association, an engaging film program is planned, featuring special, unique, and classic films, introduced by experts.

Giant Robots Event

The UBL's Japan collections also include modern and pop-culture material, such as manga, (animated) films, and academic analyses of these pop culture expressions. During the Giant Robots event, Japanese pop culture, specifically focusing on Giant Robots, Gundams, and Mechas, will be explored through short lectures, screenings of film clips, and panel discussions.

Lectures on Medical Masterpieces

In collaboration with Studium Generale,  lecture series will be held this fall on the magnificent collection of Japanese medical drawings. Renowned speakers have been invited to share their knowledge with the audience. The lecture series will be held in the Kartini Auditorium at the University Library.

EAJRS Congress

The annual congress of the European Association of Japanese Resource Specialists (EAJRS) will be held in Leiden in September 2026. The four-day congress is an excellent opportunity to introduce participants to the Japanese collections and the Asian Library. The congress will have an academic character.