Reference

Reference is a service that uses library materials to help you find research, materials and information.
"Do you have any materials related to XX?" We accept consultations such as "I'm investigating XX, do you have any reference materials?"

Please ask at the library counter when you visit the library. We also accept telephones, letters, and electronic applications.
＊However, we may not be able to answer homework, quiz answers, medical / health / legal consultations, etc.
In that case, we will help you find a clue.
＊Those who can use it: Those who live, work, or attend school in Yokohama.
＊If you are outside the city, please consult with your local library first.
However, questions about materials related to Yokohama or held only by Yokohama City Library will be accepted from outside the city.

Inquiries by phone
045-262-0050 (Chuo-toshokan)

For inquiries by letter
〒220-0032 1, Oimatsucho, Nishi-ku, Yokohama-shi
Municipal Central Library Research Materials Division

Application for electronic application
In this electronic application, we are accepting applications for reference.
Please note that the time required to respond is only one week.
＊If you do not receive a response, please also check the spam folder.
(Please set (address) so that you can receive e-mails from "reference@lib.city.yokohama.lg.jp".)

• Reference application: Japanese (outside site)(Reception by electronic application)
• Reference Shinsei: Hiragana (outside site)(Denshishinsei)
• Reference Application:English (external site)(Acceptance of electronic application)

＊For inquiries other than the reference, please refer to "Inquiry".

Here are some examples of the questions sent to the library.
In addition, the content is edited in consideration of the privacy of the questioner.

Here are 10 reference examples published by the Yokohama City Library on the Reference Cooperative Database, which had many accesses in 2024.
You can see the answer by clicking the question.

1　 Why do you say "octopus" in bad words? (External site)

2　 I want to know the meaning of "red feathers", "green feathers" and "blue feathers". (External site)

3　 I want to know the definition of "Hamako". Where in Yokohama are you born "Hamako"? (External site)

4　 I would like to know the materials about Nobunaga Oda's black servant, Yasuke. (External site)

5　 What is the difference between the three major rivers in Japan and the three major rivers (outside site)?

6　 The Shiba Tunnel, located near 57 Shibamachi, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, is believed to have been built around 1937 inKanazawa Ward, a tunnel connected to the U.S. military's Koshiba oil storage facility. (External site)

7　 On the anniversary of the opening of Yokohama, elementary schools in Yokohama City are closed. When was this first decided? The opening anniversary of the opening of the port was June 2 at the beginning of the port, but it was July 1 at the time of the 50th anniversary of the opening of the port in 1909, and returned to the current June 2 in 1928. I would like to know about the background. (External site)

8　 The proverb may become cloudy halfway, "What do you do?" Is there any material that describes its meaning or purpose? Also, are there any materials that can confirm when such a usage has been made? (External site)

9　 I would like to know if there was a "dodwell trading company" in Yokohama during the Meiji era. If so, I would like to know if it still exists, its history, its employees (Japanese) at that time, and what kind of things were handled. (External site)

10　 I would like to know about the history of the establishment, collection and reconstruction of the statue of Soichiro Asano at Asano Gakuen and Mt. (External site)

You can search for reference examples from the Yokohama City Library online catalog page.

• Yokohama City Library online catalog page "Reference Case Search": Japanese (outside site)
• Yokoharitsu and Shokanzo Kensaku page "Reference Jirensaku": Hiragana (outside site)
• Yokohama City Library collection search page[Referense Search]: English (outside site)

The Reference Cooperative Database is a project implemented by the National Diet Library and public libraries, university libraries, specialized libraries, etc., and provides them through the Internet to support reference services at libraries and research activities by general users. It is a project implemented by the National Diet Library for the purpose of supporting
＊The list of cases provided by Municipal Central Library (in the new order of registration) is displayed by clicking on the National Diet Library Reference Cooperative Database (List of cases provided by Municipal Central Library) (external site).
＊In addition to the case of Municipal Central Library, you can search for reference examples from libraries nationwide.

• National Diet Library “Reference Collaboration Database” (outside site)

To help you conduct research, you can find tips on how to look up, a list of books by theme, and a list of materials that are difficult to find in online catalog.

• Chousa no Mikata (materials and information useful for research)

We have gathered sites that are useful for doing research.

• A collection of useful links for research