Reference works provide background information on important people, events, concepts, and topics central to a particular field of study—in this case Japanese Studies. Below, you will find a variety of encyclopedias, handbooks, biographical dictionaries, and other research aids. Wikipedia is an accessible and very useful resource, but it is just one of many encyclopedic resources. The reference works listed below can help you quickly gain background knowledge you need for your Japanese Studies research project. And if you are still looking for a research topic, these resources can introduce you to research ideas you might never consider on your own.
E-Books
Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Japan by 
Historical Dictionary of Japan to 1945 by 
Modern Japan: An Encyclopedia of History, Culture, and Nationalism by 
Historical Dictionary of Japanese Foreign Policy by 
Historical Dictionary of United States-Japan Relations by 
Japan: A Global Studies Handbook by 
Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan (9 vols)
The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Japan
Japan Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia of Contemporary Japanese Culture
The Encyclopedia of Japan by 
Handbook of Christianity in Japan by 
Japan Encyclopedia by 
Handbook of Contemporary Japanese Religions by The New Cambridge History of Japan
(eBook Collection)
Volume 1: Not Yet Published
Volume 2: Early Modern Japan in Asia and the World, c. 1580–1877
Volume 3: The Modern Japanese Nation and Empire, c.1868 to the 21st Century
The Cambridge History of Japan
(eBook Collection)
Volume 5: The Nineteenth Century
Volume 6: The Twentieth Century
We also have physical copies of these books in the library located on Level 1 at call number: DS 835 .C36 1988
Excellent Dictionary Apps for Your Mobile Device
Shirabe Jisho Includes the ability to write text with your finger, multiple grammatical forms, and sample sentences for each entry
Jisho Japanese Dictionary Includes finger writing lookup and besides the dictionary it provides a ton of short news articles to practice your Japanese reading skills and some materials for working on your Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N levels.
These books are located in the Japanese Section of the Asian Collection on HBLL Level 4.
