Cover Graphics

April 1284 volume of the "kyoki" diary of Fujiwara Kanenaka
and the 1284 volume of the "rekki" diary of Fujiwara Kanenaka

These are the diaries of Fujiwara Kanenaka, a court noble who lived during the latter part of the Kamakura period. Kanenaka came from a middle ranking aristocratic family that was in charge of events and judicial business at the imperial court. Details of this occupation are also reflected in the descriptions in his diaries. His diaries also contain writings on the Mongolian invasion, and the excerpts depicted in the above photographs concern the death of Hojo Tokimune. In addition to using the reverse side of daily records that are no longer in use to record daily entries written in chronological order called "hinamiki," Kanenaka has also used the blank spaces in the calendar to compile a type of diary known as "rekki." The relationship between the "hinamiki" diary and the "rekki" diary is by no means a simple one. This rare example of extant "hinamiki" and "rekki" diaries from the Kamakura period make Kanenaka's diaries valuable research materials.

Kazuki Takahashi
(Research Department, National Museum of Japanese History)

Index

Special Feature

* Diaries and History Important documentary value for not only historical studies, but for folklore studies and archeology as well (Atsushi Nito )

A Witness to History

A photographic introduction to items from the collection
Diaries from the Middle Ages
(Kesao Ihara)

Special Feature:Diaries and History

"Burui-ki" - Materials for the study of court nobles (Masayuki Yoshioka)
Diary of the training of a young armored vehicle soldier (Toshiya Ichinose)
The diary and war of Nobuo Naora (Hideji Harunari)
Reading farming diaries - A study of the "Magotsuki" (Satoru Yasumuro)

Column

Reading regional history from the diaries of court nobles from the Middle Ages (Kazuki Takahashi )
The fascinating aspects of diaries (Masato Miyachi )

An Invitation to History

Scenes of summer -
"yukata, ukiyo-e and ghost stories"
(Yoshifumi Ueno)
Japanese Musical Instruments:Heirloom of Kishu-Tokugawa Family (Kaori Hidaka)

Introducing Our Researchers - Part 19

From a fascination in a "beautiful planet" to the delights of analysis, research and verification (Emi Koseto)

Museum displays today - Part 2 Lake Biwa Museum

Special exhibitions at a place for experimental trials (Kazuo Nunotani)

Exhibition Review

Special Exhibition: "Sea Routes of East Asia During the Middle Ages
- Maritime Commerce, Ports and Sunken Ships"
People and objects that crossed the oceans - A stirring exhibition
Reviewed by Mitsuo Hagiwara
 

Rekihaku Chat (readers' page) July 20, 2005

Rekihaku News

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