USSH opens Nishimura Masanari Reading Room

Dr. Nishimura Masanari is a Japanese scholar with more than twenty years of research on Vietnam in the fields of Archaeology, History, Culture, Anthropology, etc. In particular, Dr. Nishimura Masanari is a foreign scholar with a deep and broad understanding of Vietnamese Archaeology; not only in terms of space (regions), time (from prehistoric to historical times) and ancient cultures, but also in terms of specific subjects: bronze drums, early agriculture, urban archaeology, ceramics and commercial ceramics, etc.

Japanese scientist with many ties to Vietnam - Dr.Nishimura Masanari. He died in Vietnam in 2013 while on his way to investigate Dam Pagoda in Bac Ninh.

Dr. Nishimura Masanari, together with archaeologists from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, the Institute of Archaeology, the National Museum of History, etc., conducted many excavations, explorations, and archaeological investigations in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. He possesses a valuable amount of documents on history, archaeology, culture, and anthropology not only of Vietnam but also of Southeast Asia.

Dr. Nishimura Masanari and his wife, Dr. Noriko Nishino, have contributed to the construction of two museums: the Duong Xa Pottery Kiln Relic Museum in Bac Ninh and the Kim Lan Ceramics and History Museum in Hanoi. He also established the Southeast Asia Underground Heritage Protection Fund in 2001 and is active in training students and young officials on heritage protection in Vietnam.

In June 2013, Dr. Nishimura Masanari had an accident and died on his way to investigate Dam Pagoda (Bac Ninh). His passing is a great loss to the regional archaeology industry, especially to those working in Vietnamese archaeology.

Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lam Thi My Dung, Dr.Noriko Nishino and Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Van Quan performed the opening ceremony of Nishimura Masanari Reading Room

With a deep attachment to the country, people and culture of Vietnam, and a desire to continue to express Dr. Nishimura Masanari's love for the country he considered his second home, the scientist's family decided to donate his entire bookcase to a prestigious social sciences and humanities training and research unit in Vietnam. His wife - Dr. Noriko Nishino chose the Faculty of History, University of Social Sciences and Humanities as the place to receive and exploit the valuable documents he left behind.

The school decided to build the Nishimura Masanari Reading Room to express gratitude for the Japanese scientist’s contributions to the development of Archaeology in Vietnam. This reading room stores about 7,000 books and magazines in five main fields: Stone Age, early agriculture, Dong Son culture and bronze drums, East and Southeast Asian citadels, ceramics and the history of East and Southeast Asian ceramics, etc.

Mr. and Mrs. Nishimura Kenji and Nishimura Mariko - his father and mother - also donated 500,000 yen to the Faculty to create a fund to preserve and use the Bookcase most effectively.

At the opening ceremony of the Reading Room, Dr. Noriko Nishino said she was very moved to receive the valuable scientific documents that her husband had accumulated over nearly 30 years of research. Spreading and sharing the value of this collection of documents with Vietnamese colleagues was also Dr. Nishimura Masanari's dream during his lifetime. She hopes that this will be a trusted address, a meeting place and exchange space for science enthusiasts; so that friends and colleagues will always remember him as well as Dr. Nishimura Masanari's love for Vietnam.

Associate Professor Dr. Vu Van Quan - Head of the History Department - said that the Department will preserve and effectively exploit this source of documents. The Nishimura Masanari Reading Room will also be a place to inspire and support passion for scientific research, as a symbol of affection and friendship between scientists - historians and archaeologists of Vietnam and Japan.

On behalf of the University, Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh (Principal of the University) expressed his appreciation for the contributions and affection for Vietnam of Dr. Nishimura Masanari's family. The University will always remember him and his family as its own relatives and is ready to be there to share and help in any situation that Dr. Nishimura Masanari's family needs.