The purpose of this research project is to conduct a comprehensive and documentary investigation of the Evora Folding Screen texts (a replica to be acquired by ISJFC) and the Porto Namban Folding Screen underlining texts (located in the National Museum of Soares dos Reis in Porto, Portugal).
　The Evora Folding Screen (replica) texts are documents that were discovered in the underlining of folding screens in the early 20th century in Evora, Portugal. These historical documents from around the year 1600 provide records including documents related to a close associate of Toyotomi Hideyoshi named Ai and to the propagation of Christianity.
　The Porto Namban Folding Screen underlining texts are mid-early modern period historical documents that were owned by the Hishiya confectionary shop in Kyoto (approximately 2,000 sheets). The folding screen paintings are 17th-century Kano school pieces that are considered valuable records of the manners and customs of the early modern era. The underlining documents were extracted when the folding screens were restored in 2002.
　In this study, these Portuguese Folding Screen documents are digitized and cataloged. In the future, it is anticipated that this study will be developed into an international and interdisciplinary research project, with a view to incorporating other underlining texts located both overseas and within Japan. Future projects will integrate academic knowledge, including the study of history, mingu, art history, the history of Christianity, informatics, architectural history, and cultural anthropology, with empirical knowledge, including the restoration of historical documents.