Library Establishment Day

What Is Library Establishment Day?

Every April 2nd is "Library Establishment Day" (Toshokan Kaisetsu Kinenbi) in Japan. The day is said to mark the opening of the "Shojakukan," Japan's first modern government-run public library, inside the Yushima Seido compound in Yushima, Tokyo, on the 2nd day of the 4th month of Meiji 5 on the old lunar calendar (May 8, 1872, on the Gregorian calendar). According to the National Diet Library's official history, however, the Ministry of Education decided to establish the Shojakukan on the 28th day of the 4th month, and it actually opened on the 1st day of the 8th month (September 3, 1872). It later became the Tokyo Shojakukan and then the Imperial Library, and its collection has been passed down to today's National Diet Library. This is a day to look back on the history of libraries, which connect the wisdom of the past with the possibilities of the future through books.

A Hub of Knowledge Through History

Japan's libraries have changed the way knowledge is shared as the times have changed.

• The birth of the Shojakukan: To build a modern nation, the Meiji government regarded libraries, along with museums, as essential cultural institutions. The Shojakukan began with a collection based on valuable classical texts held by the former shogunate's Shoheizaka Gakumonjo academy and other institutions. At the time, however, readers had to pay a fee.
• A history of changing names: After a move to Asakusa and other changes, the library restarted in Yushima in 1875 as the "Tokyo Shojakukan," and reading became free of charge. It was later renamed the Tokyo Prefectural Shojakukan and then the Tokyo Library, moved to Ueno, and became the Imperial Library in 1897.
• On to the National Diet Library: After the war, the National Diet Library was founded in 1948, and the former Imperial Library (then called the National Library) was merged into it in 1949. The legal deposit system, which collects and preserves publications issued in Japan, is a role that dates back to the Tokyo Shojakukan era.

The Nickname "Ueno Library"

When the Tokyo Library moved to Ueno in 1885, it gained the nickname "Ueno Library." The Imperial Library building completed in Ueno Park in 1906 still stands today and is used as the International Library of Children's Literature, a branch of the National Diet Library.

Interesting Facts About Libraries

• "Shojakukan" is an old word for library: In the early Meiji era, libraries were called "shojakukan." The national library first used the word "toshokan" in its name in 1880, when it was renamed the Tokyo Library (Tokyo Toshokan).
• One of the world's largest libraries: The US Library of Congress holds more than 100 million items, including not only books but also photographs, maps, and sheet music, making it one of the largest libraries in the world. Japan's National Diet Library was modeled on it.
• Evolving libraries: Modern libraries are no longer just places to borrow books; they have expanded into e-book lending, community spaces with cafés, and more.
• The role of mobile libraries: Mobile libraries that carry books by vehicle around a region bring books to people in areas without a library nearby. They have also been sent to areas hit by disasters.
• Old materials you can read online: The National Diet Library Digital Collections let you browse many materials online, including books from the Meiji era.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Visit your local library and open a specialist book or art book you wouldn't normally pick up, enjoying a chance encounter with something new
• Turn off your smartphone notifications for a while and make time to lose yourself in a book somewhere quiet
• Get a new library card or try the reservation and request services to make good use of public resources
• Visit historic library buildings, such as the International Library of Children's Literature in Ueno

Meeting One Book Can Deepen Your Thinking and Open Up Tomorrow

April 2nd is a day to quietly set out on the vast sea of knowledge humanity has built up. Every book on a library's shelves holds someone's passion, discoveries, and stories. Thinking back on the history of libraries that began with the Meiji-era Shojakukan, why not pick up a book that catches your eye today?