Umi Oyabu: Historical Sources are Fascinating!

2023/08/14

My specialization is history, and I am conducting research with a particular interest in Japanese medieval history (from the Insei period to the Sengoku period).

The primary research materials for history are historical sources (shiryo). While historical sources include archaeological artifacts and artworks, I mainly handle documentary sources such as kokiroku (ancient records, such as diaries of court nobles and monks) and komonjo (ancient documents). Searching extensively for such documentary sources and interpreting them accurately is essential for historical research.

Students sometimes ask me, "Why did you decide to study medieval history?" While I have an academic answer prepared for that question, to be honest, it is because reading historical sources is fun and fascinating.

Particularly interesting are the diaries of the court nobles (kuge) who served the Emperor in Kyoto. There is a wide variety of diaries, and the descriptions vividly reflect the position and personality of the kishu (the author of the diary).

For example, the diary of Tokifusa Madenokoji, a court noble of the Muromachi period (titled "Kennaiki"), contains many political topics because Tokifusa held the position of Nanto Tenso—a liaison between the Imperial Court/Shogunate and Kofuku-ji Temple—and personally met with the Shogun to discuss policy. The diary records the Shogun's statements and includes meticulous transcriptions of related documents, making the descriptions extremely detailed. Perhaps because he was handling multiple matters simultaneously, a single day's entry often spans several pages.

On the other hand, the diary of Tokitsugu Yamashina, a court noble of the Sengoku period (titled "Tokitsugukyoki"), is also rich in political topics but not to the extent of "Kennaiki." Instead, it contains many descriptions of Tokitsugu's daily life, giving it an atmosphere quite similar to a modern diary. Regarding the writing style, while Tokifusa's prose is elaborate and can be difficult to decipher even for a few lines, Tokitsugu's writing is very easy to read despite the wealth of information. The people appearing in the diary are diverse, documenting the lives of not only court nobles but also samurai, townspeople, and others. Reading "Tokitsugukyoki" makes me feel very close to the people of that time.

As I read through these diaries full of personality, I sometimes encounter facts that were previously completely unknown or find errors in the interpretation of sources in previous research. Every time I have such an experience, I think, "History is profound." The future is not yet determined, but the past is by no means fixed either.