Shinko Taniguchi

Shinko Taniguchi is a Professor at Waseda University's Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, holding a Ph.D. in History from Waseda University. She specializes in Japanese historical studies with particular focus on military history, comparative history, and global history perspectives, examining 19th century Japan through lenses of military, knowledge systems, books, travel, war, information, and diplomacy.

Her research interests center on samurai culture, bushido, military thought, and historical events like the Chushingura incident. She has published extensively on topics including early modern Japanese military evolution, Nishi Amane's military philosophy, historical pardons ("sha"), and the reception of texts like Hagakure across different historical periods. Her work bridges intellectual history with military history, offering nuanced perspectives on samurai ethics and social structures.

Professor Taniguchi's recent publications reveal a trend toward examining military thought in comparative contexts, particularly focusing on Nishi Amane's contributions to Japanese military philosophy during the Meiji period, while also investigating how historical texts like Hagakure were reinterpreted across different eras, especially during the 1930s militarist period. Her research combines textual analysis with institutional history to understand how military ethics evolved alongside Japan's political transformations.

• 3rd Japanese Historical Association Award (2002.07)

She actively supervises graduate students through Japanese History Seminars and has led numerous research projects, including major grants from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science on military history, historical pardons, and the interaction of people and books surrounding military knowledge in the 19th century. Her work demonstrates strong international collaboration, with presentations at European conferences and joint publications with international scholars. She has also contributed to public understanding of history through media appearances on NHK programs discussing historical topics including bushido and the Chushingura incident.