About HINAGIKU
Table of Contents
1. About the National Diet Library Great East Japan Earthquake Archive (Nickname: HINAGIKU)
In order to convey the records and lessons related to the great earthquake to future generations..."
The National Diet Library and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications have collaborated and contributed to the creation of the "National Diet Library Great East Japan Earthquake Archive" (Nickname: HINAGIKU) portal site for centralized searching and utilization of digital data related to the Great East Japan Earthquake, and officially opened the site on Thursday March 7, 2013. The National Diet Library carries out all maintenance and operation of HINAGIKU since its release. The portion of duties, responsibilities, etc. of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications related to the site were transferred to the National Diet Library starting in fiscal 2013.
The archive allows for the comprehensive searching of relevant sounds, videos, photos, web information and other materials in order to convey the record and lessons learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake to later generations and to use in recovery and revitilization projects for stricken areas, as well as future disaster prevention and mitigation measures.
Please refer to the Searchable database list for a list of the archives of various institutions which are linked to the National Diet Library Great East Japan Earthquake Archive. Integrated search of these items is available on the National Diet Library Great East Japan Earthquake Archive.
In the language of flowers, hinagiku (daisy) ― "future," "hope" and "sympathy" ― includes the aim of the project supporting the earthquake recovery.
Please refer to the Great East Japan Earthquake Archive Project for the library's efforts to collect records and other materials related to the Great East Japan Earthquake.
About the efforts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications during the construction of the National Diet Library Great East Japan Earthquake Archive, please refer to "the project to construct the infrastructure for the "Great East Japan Earthquake Archive"".
2. Collection of records
2.1. Collection of records
The National Diet Library carries out distributed collection and preservation of records and other materials related to the Great East Japan Earthquake through cooperation and collaboration with related organizations(Reference:"The Great East Japan Earthquake Archive Action plan.").
The candidate items which are given particular precedence for inclusion are as follows. The majority of items are in digital content formats.
- Records and primary data (observed data/measured data, questionnaires, etc.) possessed or created by public institutions
- Records related to activities of NPOs, volunteer organizations and other groups and disaster area conditions (Particularly videos and images not collected by other institutions)
- Surveys, research and primary data from academic institutions and organizations
- Records related to business activities
- Records related to earthquake-caused nuclear power plant damage and incidents
- Videos, images and other items which include valuable academic and historical information related to damage
2.2. Collection methods
Domestic Japanese publications are collected under a legal deposit system. Collected materials include domestically published books, magazines, newspapers, maps, sheet music, records, microforms, Braille materials, as well as electronically published materials including videos, CDs and DVDs. We ask that publishers of published materials view the "legal deposit request" or the "e-legal deposit of online publications"and cooperate by depositing materials with the library.
Please use our inquiries contact for unpublished digital contents (websites, databases, data saved on various media formats, etc.).
*Collection candidate materials may be recommended for submission to earthquake archives operated by different institutions depending on the content, quantity or other aspects of the materials.
**Public institution websites are collection targets for the National Diet Library Web Archiving Project (WARP), however please consult with us if you wish to have contents such as images, photos, etc., on the websites included in and made searchable through the National Diet Library Great East Japan Earthquake Archive.
For paper media and other non-published materials (fliers, collections, memos, etc.), the following libraries and other institutions collect and preserve these items as regional related materials, so please consider providing them to the following institutions.
2.3. Collecting institutions
- Collaborative campaign by libraries "Let's donate records of the earthquake disaster to libraries"
- Iwate Prefectural Library "Request for donation of materials"
- Miyagi Prefectural Library "Request for donation of earthquake materials"
- Fukushima Prefectural Library
- Ibaraki Prefectural Library
- Yamagata Prefectural Library
- Chiba Prefectural Library
3. Collaboration operation with the National Diet Library Great East Japan Earthquake Archive
Collaborating with HINAGIKU by providing Data dataProvision and Cooperation with HINAGIKU
HINAGIKU enables In order to realize the nationwide distributed collection and preservation of records related to the Great East Japan Earthquake on a nationwide scale through collaboration , HINAGIKU cooperates with archives operated by related relevant organizations. Collaboration makes records in archives across Japan and enables users to searchable these records throughvia the HINAGIKU platform.
To make aAn archive can be made searchable via HINAGIKU by , collaborating through cooperation must be established using one of the following methods.
Please refer to the collection targets described in Collection of Records for details on note that the subject areas of archives we hope will collaborate assumed for cooperation with HINAGIKU are described in the “Collection Policy” under “Collection of Records.”
1. System-based collaboration-based Cooperation
System-based collaboration can be initiated by
Organizations are requested to implementing an application programming external data provision interface (API), such as OAI-PMH in for theanir archive systems.
The Using this interface, the National Diet Library will then periodically harvest metadata via this API.from the archive.
2. File-based Cooperationcollaboration
File-based collaboration can be initiated by
Organizations are requested to converting an archive’s the metadata used in their systems into TSV- or CSV-format text files, as in formats specified by the National Diet Library, , such as TSV or CSV, and periodically to sending these files to the NDLLibrary on a regular basis.
Organizations wishing to establish collaborate operation using the above methods are asked to contact us via the “Contact Us” form on our websitepage.
4. Reproduction of contents / Links to website
4.1. Copyright
The National Diet Library Great East Japan Earthquake Archive (HINAGIKU) allows searching of materials collected by the National Diet Library and materials included in partner institutions' databases. The copyright for each individual material belongs to the data-providing institution, the creator of the material, or other relevant parties. Furthermore, the entire HINAGIKU website is also subject to copyright as an edited work.
When using this website, including for linking or reproduction (such as reprinting, re-engraving, publication, broadcasting, or exhibition), please refer to the provisions in “4.2. Use of Contents” and “4.4. Links”.
4.2. Use of Contents
Content published on the HINAGIKU website (pages whose URL begins with “https://kn.ndl.go.jp” or “https://dl.ndl.go.jp/iframepid/kn/”) is available for use in accordance with the “Terms of Use of the National Diet Library's website”. However, for content contained within linked databases (including metadata and thumbnail images displayed within HINAGIKU), please use it in accordance with the terms and conditions of the linked database's site policy. For a list of linked databases, please refer to the “Database” page on the HINAGIKU website.
4.3. Important notes when inquiring about content
To inquire about using content published on HINAGIKU, please contact the Great East Japan Earthquake Archive Section of the National Diet Library. When contacting us, please include the following information in your email sent to the address listed under “Contact Us.” Please note that we may not be able to respond regarding rights status or other matters. We appreciate your understanding in advance.
- Name of the requesting organization or individual
- Contact information for the requester
- URL of the desired content
- For searchable content, use the URL starting with “https://kn.ndl.go.jp/item/”. If multiple images are displayed, please also include the frame number.
- Name of the destination for reproduction, planned date of reproduction, URL (if a website), and creator's name
4.4. Links
No application is required to link to HINAGIKU. When linking to individual materials, please use the URL starting with “https://kn.ndl.go.jp/item/” found in your browser's address bar.
When linking to specific pages within HINAGIKU, please clearly indicate that the page is located within HINAGIKU.
You may use the following logo when linking.
5. Privacy Policy, Other Related Pages
- Privacy Policy
- This page provides information about HINAGIKU’s Privacy Policy.
- Brochure
- A page featuring publications related to HINAGIKU.
- about us
- Please refer to this page for more detailed information about our activities.
- Chronology(History)
- This page provides information about the history of HINAGIKU.

