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Yumiko Ishihama is a Professor at Waseda University's School of Education, specializing in the history of Tibet, Mongolia, and the Qing dynasty, with a focus on Buddhist political thought and Tibetan Buddhism. She earned her PhD in Literature from Waseda University and has led numerous JSPS-funded research projects. Her work extensively utilizes Tibetan, Mongolian, and Manchu sources to explore the intersections of religion and politics in Inner Asia. She is an active member of the Society for Inner Asian History, Mongolian Studies Association, and Tibetan Studies Association. In addition to her academic roles, she maintains an educational website on Tibetan culture and has had personal encounters with the 14th Dalai Lama, which significantly influenced her scholarly direction. Education: PhD in Literature, Waseda University Research Interests: Ishihama's research centers on the historical relationships between Tibet, Mongolia, and the Qing dynasty, with a particular emphasis on how Tibetan Buddhism influenced political structures and ideologies. She examines primary sources in Tibetan, Mongolian, and Manchu to reconstruct the religious and political narratives of Inner Asia. Her work sheds light on the concept of 'Buddhist government' (chos srid) and how it was shared and implemented across Tibetan, Mongol, and Manchu polities. Recent Articles and Trends: Her recent publications focus on the rituals and political symbolism of the Dalai Lama and Jebtsundampa incarnations, the role of Mongol princes in bridging Tibetan and Mongolian Buddhist worlds, and the intricate diplomatic relationships during the Qing dynasty. These works highlight her expertise in analyzing ceremonial practices, political expressions in religious texts, and cross-cultural exchanges in Inner Asia. Research Projects and Grants: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Tibetan Buddhist interactions under Russian rule (2017–2020) Comprehensive studies on Tibet and Mongolia during nation-building periods (2014–2017) Medieval Tibetan church history and biographies of Tsongkhapa (2004–2005) Basic research on Buddhist terminology in Sanskrit, Tibetan, Mongolian, and Chinese (2000–2001) Teaching and Seminars: She offers a wide range of courses in Asian history, Tibetan history, and social education content studies at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Her seminars are known for their depth and use of primary sources, encouraging students to engage with historical texts in their original languages.

• Tibetan History
• Mongolian History
• Qing Dynasty History
• +5 more

Nobuyoshi Yamabe is a Professor at Waseda University's Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences (School of Humanities and Social Sciences) since 2015. Previously, he served as Professor at Tokyo University of Agriculture (2003-2015) and Kyushu Ryukoku Junior College (1996-2003). He earned a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Yale University (1999) and holds multiple advanced degrees from Yale and Osaka University. Current roles: Professor at Waseda University Professional memberships: American Academy of Religion, International Association of Buddhist Studies, The Association for Asian Studies Research interests focus on the intersection of Buddhist philosophy, meditative practices, and visual culture. His work spans Yogācāra theory (ālayavijñāna, bīja theory), Central Asian Buddhist cave monasteries, Chinese meditation texts, and comparative studies between Buddhist traditions. Recent projects integrate digital image restoration with Buddhist art analysis. Recent publications emphasize Yogācāra causality models, visualization sutras, and cross-disciplinary studies of meditation's mind-body implications. His 2024-2023 articles analyze selfhood in Yogācāra, comparative Zen texts, and spatial practices in rock-cut monasteries. Key trends: Meditative theory across Buddhist schools Visual narratives in Buddhist texts and art Historical development of Sino-Indian Buddhist traditions Grants include multiple Japan Society for the Promotion of Science projects on digital Buddhist practices, ālayavijñāna theory, and Sanskrit-Chinese textual analysis. He leads interdisciplinary collaborations bridging Buddhist studies with psychology and neuroscience.

• History of arts
• Chinese philosophy
• Indian philosophy
• +3 more

Atsuko Kobayashi is a distinguished Professor at Waseda University's School of Education, with over two decades of academic leadership since 2000. She maintains significant international collaborations as a Part-time Researcher at Beijing Normal University's Center for Chinese Ethnic Education and Yuduan Culture Research (since 2014) and previously served as a Visiting Professor there (2013-2018). Her academic profile reflects deep expertise in comparative education between Japan and China, with additional appointments including Visiting Professor at Academia Sinica's Institute of Modern History (2016) and Visiting Scholar at London University's SOAS (2016). Professor Kobayashi's research interests span Social Education, Comparative Education, Educational History, Ethnic Minority Education (particularly Muslim/Hui communities in China), Chinese Education, Family Education, and Lifelong Learning. Her scholarly work demonstrates particular strength in examining educational practices through historical, cross-cultural, and gendered lenses, with a focus on East Asian educational systems. She has conducted extensive field research across China, including studies of ethnic minority education in Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, and other regions. Her recent scholarly output reveals several key trends: a growing focus on intergenerational cultural transmission through family education practices; comparative analysis of educational technology implementation in Japan and China; exploration of war memory and peace education; and continued investigation of ethnic minority education in China. Her publications demonstrate methodological diversity, employing life history analysis, comparative case studies, and policy analysis approaches. Professor Kobayashi has served in numerous leadership roles including Editor-in-Chief of the Asian Association for the Study of Education Journal (2024-present), President of the Asian Society for Educational Studies (2018-2024), and Chairman of Shinjuku Ward Multicultural Coexistence Urban Planning Council (2020-present). She has directed multiple significant research projects funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, particularly focusing on ethnic education in China and East Asian educational comparisons. Her professional engagement extends to community work through committee memberships with Arakawa Ward, Tokyo Board of Education (2009-2025), and various educational policy bodies. She maintains active participation in numerous academic associations including the Japan Association for Contemporary China Studies, Asian Educational History Association, and Comparative Education Society.

• Social Education
• Comparative Education
• Educational History
• +7 more

Akira Yanagisawa is a Professor at Waseda University's Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences and affiliated with the Institute for Central Eurasian History and Culture . His research focuses on Qing Dynasty history , Mongol studies , and Russo-Chinese diplomatic relations . He leads the Graduation Research course and teaches Modern Asia and Asian History seminars. Degree: Master's in Asian History Research Themes: Ethnic reorganization in Manchuria, Qing military logistics, Inner Asian cultural contacts Grants: 20+ Japan Society for the Promotion of Science projects, including studies on Eight-Banner system and trade route development His work analyzes Manchu archival materials from Beijing, Taipei, and international collections, focusing on ethnic identity formation through imperial policies. Key publications include studies on Qing state caravans and Kiakhta Treaty negotiations . Fieldwork includes expeditions along the Amur River (2004) and Nerchinsk (2005). Current projects examine multilingual translation challenges in Qing-Russia diplomacy and ethnic mobility across East Asian borders.

• Asian History
• Mongol Studies
• Qing Dynasty History
• +5 more