Overview of the Institute

The Institute of Folklore Studies at Seijo University was established in April 1973, based on the Yanagita Collection and Folklore Studies Laboratory. The collection was donated by Kunio YANAGITA (died 8 August 1962, aged 87), the founder of Japanese folklore studies and one of Japan's outstanding modern thinkers. The Institute was founded to function as a research center for folk culture in Japan, to research and survey materials on the folk culture of Japan and related fields, and to compile them.
In order to achieve these aims, among other initiatives, the Institute 1) researches and surveys the folk culture of Japan and related fields; 2) publishes its research findings; 3) stores and maintains materials, first and foremost in the Yanagita Collection; 4) collects and maintains folklore materials; 5) maintains relations with other research institutions and researchers of Japan and other countries and exchanges materials with them; and 6) holds academic conferences, lectures and exhibitions.

The Official Site of the Institute of Folklore Studies *Japanese only