Asia | National Library of Australia (NLA)

Asia

Showing 37 - 48 of 79 results
Shelves containing books and journals and a picture of a man in a boat looking at birds that sit on the sides of the boat
History of the Asian collections

The National Library houses the largest and most actively developing research resource on Asia in Australia, with holdings of over half a million volumes.

Information article
Material collected during the Library's Indian Diaspora in Australia collecting project, including books, magazines and ephemera, spread on a table
Indian Diaspora in Australia Collection

Learn about the items collected during the Indian Diaspora in Australia collecting project from curator Cherie Carter and material donor Dr Lariane Fonseca.

Learning activity for adults
Photo of women from the dance group Bollydance Dipti in pink costumes taking a selfie in a crowd

Aishah Kenton, Bollydance Dipti dancers taking a selfie at the Indian Film Festival in Federation Square, Melbourne, Victoria, 17 August, 2024, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3428627828

Indian Diaspora in Australia documented through photography and oral histories

We asked Australians with Indian heritage to help us build our collection and these materials are now online. 

News article
A sample of an emigration pass. It says 'Colonial Emigration Form, Man's Emigration Pass' with signatures and handwritten information.
Indian emigration passes to Fiji 1879 - 1916

Find out how to access over 60,000 passes issued to Indian people who came to Fiji as indentured labourers.

Research guide
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Indonesian collection

The National Library's Indonesian collection is the largest collection of Indonesian language material in Australia and one of largest contemporary collections in the world.

Information article
Michael Raditya standing in the Main Reading Room and smiling

2025 Asia Study Grant recipient, Mr Michael Haryo Bagus Raditya

Indonesian dangdut music: Evolution, connections, perception

Learn about how 2025 Asia Study Grant recipient Michael Raditya used the Library's collection grow his research on the Indonesian music genre dangdut.

Blog
The Japanese print shows the major members of the Satsuma Rebellion, surrounding Takamori Saigo, the leading figure; the text at the back of each image explains more details about each figure.

Yoshitoshi Taiso & 大蘇芳年, Kagoshima bōto shōzō ryakuden Morimoto Junzaburō, Tōkyō, 1877, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-152241305

Japan under the Shoguns (794-1867)

Module

Examine Japan under the Shoguns (794-1867), focusing on the feudal system and its societal impacts.

Digital Classroom
Japanese woodblock print shows a western woman holding the reins of a horse.

Yoshikazu Utagawa & 歌川芳員, Gokakoku no uchi Igirisu nyonin, 1860, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-151442463

Japanese collection

The Japanese collection is a rich source of information on the history, culture and current affairs of Japan.

Information article
Dr Tets Kimura smiling and sitting at a table in the Special Collections Reading Room with material relating to Japanese fashion spread out in front of him

2023 National Library of Australia Fellow, Dr Tets Kimura

Japanese fashion: History, evolution, influences and meaning

Hear from Dr Tets Kimura about his research, his time at the Library and what he’s doing next.

Blog
Collection guide
Kern Collection

950 books on bibliography, history, law, religion, ethnography, archaeology and fine arts of Indonesia, 629 books relating to the languages of Austronesia and some manuscripts, including transcripts of a collection of Sudanese manuscripts.

Collection guide
Blue tile
Korean collection

The Library's Korean language collection of is the largest and most significant Korean collection in Australia.

Information article
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Lao collection

The Library maintains a small but significant collection of Lao language materials.

Information article

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