Research on the History of Industrial Technology

Survey on the Whereabouts of Materials on the History of Industrial Technology

The Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology collaborates with industry and academic conferences in various fields to discover where materials on the history of industrial technology (defined as any genuine artifacts that reveal part of the development of industrial technology) in Japan are held, and what condition they are in. The results are accumulated in a database and published online.

Japanese Industrial Technology History Database

Survey on the Systemization of Materials on the History of Industrial Technology

This research examines how major industrial technologies in Japan have developed from their origins to the present day, and compiles their history. However, our research goes beyond simply studying the history of technology. We also examine materials related to groundbreaking technological developments and events, complement the “Survey to Locate Historical Materials on Industrial Technology,” and highlight their significance in the broader history of technology.

This research is carried out by engineers and other professionals who have been directly involved in industrial sites within each technological field. The history of technology compiled by engineers with practical manufacturing experience provides unique and valuable insights.

By compiling the history of technological development in Japan in this way and sharing it both domestically and internationally, this research will serve as a valuable source of insight for exploring the direction of future technological development.

Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies

You can view the Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies published to date.

You can view the full PDFs of the Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies by field.

*The reports are not for sale.

They have been sent to the libraries listed below. Please contact each library directly to inquire about availability and access.

- List of Libraries）(113.0 KB)

HITNET

Japan is richly blessed with enterprise-affiliated museums and archives, as well as museums dedicated to themes of industrial technology. These facilities house and display vital materials on the subject of the development of industrial technology in Japan. HITNET is a comprehensive database of representative specimens in these museums. Anyone interested is free to use the database to determine at a glance what materials are housed there and where.

HITNET

Research on the Evaluation, Preservation and Publication of Materials on Industrial Technology

Over a five-year period, from the academic years 1997 to 2001, the National Museum of Nature and Science conducted a study called the Research on the Evaluation, Preservation and Publication of Materials on Industrial Technology.

 The aim of this study was to determine where various original materials on the history of industrial technology are housed and the condition they are in, and also to consider how they should be evaluated and published for the purpose of organizing them. The study also made a trial effort at organizing these resources, investigating the whereabouts of materials in 40 fields of technology, and attempting a systematic organization of three fields. The results were published in a five-volume report.

 The findings of this study provided the basis for the establishment of the Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology. The Center continues the research activities of the original study, evaluating, preserving and publishing materials on the history of industrial technology through a wide range of research activities. The results of a study from the academic years 2002 to 2005 on the whereabouts of various resources were published as a two-disc CD-ROM; later survey results are published in an online database with additional issues reports.

International Symposiums

After the “Research on the Evaluation, Preservation and Publication of Materials on Industrial Technology” was completed between the academic years 1997 and 2001, the Center hosted two international symposiums, in the academic years 2001 and 2002. The purpose of these symposiums, entitled “Putting the History of Technology to Work for the Future,” was to learn about efforts in other countries to understand the history of industrial technology. Participants engaged in lively discussions about efforts to pass on knowledge of the history of industrial technology to future generations, not only at museums but also at universities and local government bodies. The proceedings of these symposiums are compiled in two reports, available from the Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology.

 And additional reports are available from the web page.