The Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture (ISJFC) is an academic research institute attached to Kanagawa University that carries out research on the lives, cultures, and history of the Japanese people in a wide variety of domains.
　This institute was founded in 1921 by businessman Keizo Shibusawa, as the “Attic Museum Society,” in order to advance research on the lives and cultures of people from various regions of Japan, with a focus on mingu (folk implements) and the history of fisheries. The institute was renamed the ISJFC in the period surrounding the cessation of the war, and was later invited to become a part of Kanagawa University. In 2021, the institute celebrates 100 years since its founding. Embracing Keizo Shibusawa’s perspective of “harmonious development,” the institute—as an open institute—provides a variety of research opportunities including participation in research exchanges both inside and outside the university. In addition, the institute offers educational activities related to relevant fields of research.