Tabi no Toshokan is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its founding this year. Since our founding, in addition to the latest books and magazines related to tourism and travel, we have also collected older materials which include old books, local magazines, and company histories from the Meiji, Taisho, and pre-war Showa eras.
Among these old books are many which had a major influence in their field during their time, and those which offer hints which still have currency today. We have also realized they are a treasure trove of unexpected discoveries and ideas.
In this special feature, we asked academics who are using old books to advance their research to introduce the books which have been vital in discussing the history of their field, or which have directly influenced their own research. We hope that you will learn about the charm of old books and the pleasure of learning from them, and this will prompt you to pick up an old book yourself.