Regine Matthias-Pauer
Centre Européen d'Etudes Japonaises d'Alsace (CEEJA). Prof. emer for Japanese Studies, responsible for the CEEJA library
Local as a base for global: The CEEJA Japan Library collection of regional and local histories
Despite the fact that the CEEJA Japan Library contains a variety of special collections that, at first glance, might appear more pertinent to the conference theme, this preliminary introduction will focus on the extensive collection of regional and local histories, in Japanese "chihôshi".
This assertion may initially appear counterintuitive; however, upon closer examination of the global image of Japan, it becomes evident that regional and local histories play a pivotal role. The global image of Japan is predominantly influenced by the national narrative, which conveys a generalised representation of the nation. Conversely, regional and local histories have the capacity to contribute to the deconstruction of the national narrative and global image by serving as sources of diversity and variety.
The character of these histories has undergone a transformation over time. Local histories were subject to criticism in their early forms for their amateurish character and low academic standard. However, as time passed, these histories became more official in nature and came to be regarded as an important component of the history of the emerging Japanese nation. In the aftermath of the Second World War, there was a tendency for such publications to be expanded into multi-volume tomes, frequently compiled and authored by academics employing academic methodologies. Among the volumes were comprehensive collections of various documents, which are otherwise difficult for researchers to access, not least because the regional histories are often not yet available online.
In summary, these records form the foundation for research at the local level and also reflect global history in local events, a phenomenon also known as 'glocal history'.