Faculty

Library and Information Science
Bibliography, History of the Book, Library and Information Science

I'm interested in the history of printing in Europe, namely the Gutenberg Bible and subsequent incunabula, the transition from manuscripts to printed books, and changes in the perception of books and styles of reading. My special focus has been on the Gutenberg Bible, and I have studied it using digital images. Other research interests include preservation and digitization of books, digital archives, and digital humanities.

Library and Information Science
Ethnomethodology, Information Behavior, Knowledge Management, Service Design

My central interest is in examining and understanding the practices of people from their perspective, following the interdisciplinary approach of the Ethnomethodology’s Program. More specifically, I am interested in considering issues such as sharing, creating, and handing down knowledge and expertise in organizational settings and communities by examining and understanding how knowledge and expertise is produced and shared in and through actions. This has taken on an increasing importance as this expertise sharing often takes place in technology mediated contexts.I have so far conducted fieldwork in a number of organizational settings, including libraries, hospitals, and corporate organizations. A through understanding of professionals' practices allows for a more nuanced view of the important issues which arise from practical management of knowledge efforts and in my research, has resulted in the co-design of services and technology with stakeholders.

Library and Information Science
Information Retrieval, Text Mining

I am interested in the theory and technology of information retrieval, especially statistical techniques for enhancing retrieval performance. More specifically, I have proposed some algorithms for cross-language information retrieval in which the language of a search query is different from that used in the documents being searched. Automatic clustering of documents is another one of my research topics. For example, I have recently conducted experiments using clustering algorithms that generate a tree structure from a large-scale document collection.

Library and Information Science
Digital Humanities, Buddhist Studies

I am engaged in digital humanities. I am interested in making the humanities more accessible for the digital age and in opening up new horizons for academic research. I have been focusing on the construction of digital environments for textual scholarship, but recently I have been expanding my research to include video and 3D within an international framework. Although Buddhist studies is my main focus as a case study, I've been collaborating with research institutions and researchers in various fields in the world in order to address all aspects of the humanities.

Library and Information Science

Before assuming my current position at Keio University, I worked at the Kyoto Prefectural Library and Archives and served as a specially appointed associate professor at the University of Tokyo's Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies. At the Kyoto Prefectural Library and Archives, I was in charge of the conservation of modern administrative documents as cultural assets, the release of materials from the prewar Showa era (1926–1940), the use of detailed Kyoto City maps, and the registration of the Hyakugo Archives (the archives of Toji Temple) as a UNESCO “Memory of the World” as well as their online publication under the Creative Commons Attribution license (CC BY), for which we received the Library of the Year award in 2014. At the Kyoto Prefectural Library, I was in charge of formulating a service plan, establishing a library council, examining evaluation criteria, and speeding up cross-search capabilities. I researched the construction of knowledge information infrastructure and digital archives.

Library and Information Science
Library and Information Science

In Japan, there are nearly 3,300 public libraries, established and managed by local governments. Although laws regulate the basic functions of public libraries, the quality and quantity of services depends substantially on the commitment of local governments and residents. I therefore studied the administration and management of these public libraries. In particular, I adopted an interdisciplinary approach to examine the interaction between the external environment and the public libraries. I aim to explore the possibility of public libraries existing as centers for community knowledge.

Library and Information Science
Library and information science

Recently my research interests are in exploring the formalization process of academic disciplines both quantitatively and qualitatively using library and information science as an example. I am also engaged in collaborative research about media usage and the web.

Library and Information Science
Library and Information Science

My research interests are in the relationship between public libraries and social minorities. So far, my research has mainly adopted qualitative methods such as interviews and observational surveys. I aim to study the current state and future direction of public libraries from various aspects, including institutions, library staff, and users.