This special collection, unique in Europe, includes books and documents on Japanese mining, an often neglected sector of the Japanese economy. Even though Japan is often described today as a country without natural resources, mining of ore and later coal played an important role in the history of Japan and its East Asian neighbours.

The mining history collection includes a large number of works on ore mining in the Middle Ages and the early modern period, as well as publications on coal mining and its role in the industrialization of Japan. It also deals with technical developments, social issues and cultural factors in this economic sector.

Photos, other images, postcards and personal notes complement the holdings.