Resources

Resources for the study of kuzushiji and hentaigana

There are a number of online materials that have gathered information about what resources are available to start working on early modern Japanese materials written in cursive.

Kuzushiji Reading Resources | What can I do with a B.A. in Japanese Studies? (shinpaideshou.com) (Paula Curtis)

Digital Resources for Japanese Palaeography – The Digital Orientalist (Dr James Morris)

CJR-Kuzushiji-resources.pdf (ubc.ca) (Bianca Chui)

Kuzushiji – Japanese Digital Resources – Guides at Penn Libraries (upenn.edu) (University of Pennsylvania)

Home – Japanese Kuzushiji & Hentaigana Resources – Research Guides at University of British Columbia (ubc.ca) (University of British Columbia).

Learning 字母 online flashcard course (Joseph Bills)

Check out the following video to learn more.

Recommended reference materials for kana

Recommended reference materials for kanji

Help from digital materials

If you want to try and scribble the sign you are trying to decode, use: AI Tegaki kuzushiji kensaku 手書きくずし字検索

If you have a picture of the sign you are trying to decode, use: 解析:木簡・くずし字解読システム (nabunken.go.jp)

Try out with radicals: 部首のくずし字 | 古文書便覧 (rokumeibunko.com)

For checking itaiji try out: GlyphWiki.

Many more materials are described in detail on Digital Resources for Japanese Palaeography – The Digital Orientalist.

Basic rules for honkoku 翻刻 (diplomatic transcription)

Please read the rules carefully.

An introduction to sōrōbun

Please refer to the manual Reading sōrōbun. A introductory manual (Only accessible to those enrolled on the summer school and password protected).