In the Western world, a bookplate ("ex-libris") is a popular item to indicate a book's owner, while in the Eastern world, instead of a piece of paper, stamps are used. Ex-libris stamps were first seen in China from where they were brought to Japan in the Nara period (710-794) at the latest. Until the middle of the Edo period (1603-1867), they were used by relatively few owners such as shrines, temples and the nobility. Later on, as books came into circulation, they became widely used by book collectors such as scholars and persons of letters.

Ex-libris stamp of Ishizuka Hokaishi

In the newly available electronic exhibition, "Japanese Ex-libris Stamps", ex-libris stamps of thirty (in Japanese edition, seven in English edition) owners such as Kyokutei Bakin (1767-1848) who was the first professional writer in Japan, and Katsu Kaishu (1823-1899), a politician who played an important role in the transition stage from the Edo period to the Meiji era, are introduced. Brief biographies of the owners and an outline of their collections are included. To introduce the world of ex-libris stamps in depth, we provide columns that explain the characteristics of ex-libris stamps.

Ex-libris stamps tell us the value of the book and how it was passed from hand to hand. Please visit the exhibition and enjoy the charm of ex-libris stamps. 

URL:http://www.ndl.go.jp/zoshoin/e/index_e.html
Contact: Digital Library Division Projects Department 
              Kansai-kan of the National Diet Library 
Tel: +81-0774-98-1487 (direct line) 
Fax: +81-0774-94-9118

What is the Electronic Exhibition? The National Diet Library owns many precious materials. The electronic exhibition, a series of virtual exhibitions, introduces these materials to the people in the world in various ways in digital format via our website. Under the general title "Memories of Japan", electronic exhibitions in English are also available. The exhibitions below are available in the NDL Gallery on our website (http://www.ndl.go.jp/en/gallery/) Birth of the Constitution of Japan The Japanese Calendar  Rare Books of the National Diet Library (Japanese only) Nippon in the World Eyes to Nature -Natural History in East and West (Japanese only)    Edo /  West  An increasing number of exhibitions of Japanese history and culture will be opened to the public.