Nichibunken News

The International Research Center for Japanese Studies has jointly produced the manga "COMMON GROUND: The Beginning of Dutch-Japanese Relations" with the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Osaka.

The manga begins with a boy visiting the Netherlands Pavilion at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo meeting a fairy named ZON. What will ZON show him through time travel to the past?

The manga is published in full via the International Research Center for Japanese Studies Open Access site. Please take a look and embark on a journey tracing the history of Japan and the Netherlands, who have nurtured friendship for 425 years.

◆ International Research Center for Japanese Studies Open Access available here:

https://nichibun.repo.nii.ac.jp/records/2000446

"COMMON GROUND: The Beginning of Dutch-Japanese Relations"

Illustration & Text: MIURA Asano (Technical Assistant, International Research Center for Japanese Studies)
Supervision & Text: Frederik CRYNS (Deputy Director-General, International Research Center for Japanese Studies)
Original Concept: Marc KUIPERS (Consul-General, Consulate-General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Osaka)
Cooperation: International Research Center for Japanese Studies (Nichibunken), Inter-University Research Institute Corporation, National Institutes for the Humanities (NIHU)
Publisher: Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Osaka
Publication Date: July 7, 2025

< If you want to learn more, please check out the following pages >

◆ Animation videos depicting the history of friendship between Japan and the Netherlands are available on YouTube (Topics article here)

• [Part 1] Tale of Japan and The Netherlands [Hirado Chapter] From the Liefde to the Dutch Trading Post in Hirado
• [Part 2] Tale of Japan and The Netherlands [Nagasaki Chapter] Days at the Dutch Trading Post in Dejima

◆ A historical animation about William Adams, a key figure in Japan-Netherlands relations history, is available on YouTube (Topics article here)

The Extraordinary Voyage of William Adams: From English Navigator to the Shogun's Advisor

• "COMMON GROUND: The Beginning of Dutch-Japanese Relations" (Artwork: Miura Asano)
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