TheUniversity of Virginia Japanese Text Initiative (JTI) is a project intended to provide a comprehensiveonline database ofJapanese literary texts. Sponsored by the University of Virginia and theUniversity of Pittsburgh East Asian Library, the online collection contains over 300 texts from Japan's pre-modern and modern periods (generally defined as before and after theMeiji Restoration of 1868). Pre-modern texts include theMan'yōshū, theTale of Genji, theKokin Wakashū, and theHōjōki. Modern texts include works byNatsume Sōseki,Mori Ōgai, andAkutagawa Ryūnosuke.

The stated aim of the initiative is "In the short term... to put online most or all of theTwenty Classical Works in J. Thomas Rimer'sA Reader's Guide to Japanese Literature, revised edition (New York: Kodansha, 1999)"^[1]. The aim is also to add pre-20th century literature and as much 20th century literature as copyright restrictions will allow.

The database is still a work in progress, and it is not completely comprehensive; generally, the later in time one goes, the fewer works are featured. There are relatively few Edo-period pieces, and someMeiji andTaishō period authors are either absent, or not all of their works are available. As of October 2014, the last update was in March 2004.

The database can be browsed either by author or by title, and includes a search function which, among other things, can be used to search for specific or phrases occurring in the works available.

• ^"Scope and Goals"

• The UVA Text Initiative's home pageArchived 2009-03-29 at theWayback Machine

• Japanese studies
• University of Virginia
• University of Pittsburgh
• Japanese literature websites

• Webarchive template wayback links