The Form of Holdings and Circulation of Books in Ancient Japan

—A Note of the History of Libraries in Japan I—

Abstract

This short essay is the brief description of the ancient Japanese history of libraries until 13 century. Instead of persuing the development of famous libraries, means and ways of people's touching with books, in other words, collections and circulations of books are particularly researched. On this base the process of library development is surveyd. Conversely speaking, from the following view point the history is observed: What part has a library taken in people's reading and as a result what relation has it had in other fields.