常設展示「神戸市史の編纂事業」

神戸市歴史公文書館の別館3階、展示室3では「神戸市史の編纂事業」を振り返る常設展示を公開しています。

神戸市史の編纂事業
Compilation of Kobe City History

『神戸市史』の発行
Publication of Kobe City History

In 1918, the compilation of Kobe City History began as part of a project commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Port of Kobe's opening. The first volume was published in nine parts between 1921 and 1925, covering materials from ancient times up to 1919.

『神戸市史 第二輯』『神戸市史 再版』の発行
Publication of Kobe City History: Second Edition and Kobe City History: Reprint Edition

Compilation of Kobe City History: Second Edition began in 1934 against a backdrop of momentum for municipal development. Covering events from 1919 to 1933, all three parts of this volume were published in 1937. Consequently, demand for the first edition increased, but insufficient stock necessitated a reprint.

神戸市史資料展覧会の開催
Exhibition of Kobe City Historical Materials

The Exhibition of Kobe City Historical Materials was held at the Minatogawa Exhibition Hall in May 1920, displaying historical materials and other items related to Kobe. At a lecture held that same month, a representative of the mayor outlined the kind of approach being taken in compiling the history of Kobe City together with the significance of its compilation, and called upon citizens to cooperate by providing materials.

『神戸市史 第三集』と“市史編集室”
Kobe City History: Third Edition and the Kobe City History Editorial Office

In 1957, the decision was made to compile Kobe City History: Third Edition to commemorate the completion of the new city hall building, and the Kobe City History Editorial Office was established to oversee this project. Although initially planned as a three-part volume covering the period from 1934 to 1957, with a projected publication date in 1961, it required 12 years to complete before its publication in 1968. The editorial office brought together academics and city officials, who were allocated specific sections to write. From 1960 to 1964, they held roundtable discussions on themes such as theater, newspapers, and wartime and postwar life. The records of these discussions remain valuable historical resources long after the work's completion.

編纂完了と“市史資料室”の移転
Completion of Compilation and Relocation of the Archives

The City History Editorial Office continued to operate after the compilation of Kobe City History was completed. Its responsibilities included managing the approximately 2,000 volumes of materials already collected, acquiring new materials, and responding to inquiries. In 1971, it relocated from the city hall in Sannomiya to the library in Okurayama and was renamed the Kobe City History Archives Room. Construction of the new Central Library building began in 1978.

市制100周年と“新修神戸市史編集室”
Kobe City's Centenary and the New Kobe City History Editorial Office

In 1979, plans were finalized to publish Kobe City Centennial: History of Municipal Government in conjunction with the city's 90th anniversary celebrations, and a preparatory committee for its compilation was established the following year. That same year, interviews with former city employees commenced, with around 60 sessions conducted over the course of about one year. In 1980, the inaugural issue of Kobe City History Bulletin: History of Kobe was published. Showcasing the results of roundtable discussions and interviews, this journal served as a fundamental resource for chronicling the city's history until its final issue in 2025.

神戸市文書館の開館
Opening of the Kobe City Archives

The New Kobe City History Editorial Office was established within the Chuo Ward Office in 1982. However, the increasing volume of materials meant that a new facility was needed. In 1989, to coincide with the start of publication of New Kobe City History, the former private Ikenaga Art Museum, which had been utilized as a municipal art museum after World War II, was renovated and opened as the Kobe City Archives.

1980年代神戸の資料保存活動
Efforts in Kobe in the 1980s to Preserve Documents

In the 1980s, several archive facilities were established in Kobe. This decade saw the successive establishment of the War Damage Memorial Archives, the Kobe Fukae Folklore Museum, the Kobe City Museum, and the Hyogo House Prefectural Government Archive Gallery. Starting around the 30th anniversary of World War II's end, efforts to preserve and utilize local historical materials gained significant momentum.

『新修神戸市史』の編纂
Compilation of New Kobe City History

New Kobe City History was initially slated for completion in 1992, but its publication was soon postponed. Subsequently, a new plan was adopted to compile each volume sequentially, starting with the history volumes, and to publish the Kobe City History Bulletin three times a year.

新修神戸市史編集の目的（新修神戸市史編集基本要綱）
Purposes of Compiling New Kobe City History (Basic Guidelines for Compiling New Kobe City History)

1. To describe the history of Kobe City from prehistoric times to the present in an objective and straightforward manner, thereby deepening the general public's understanding of their hometown.
2. To collect and record valuable historical materials and documents that shed light on historical facts, thereby preventing their loss and contributing to the advancement of research on the local area and scholarship.
3. To create a city history that is accessible to citizens, incorporating numerous photographs and illustrations while maintaining a high standard of content.
4. To place emphasis on the period from the modern era onward, reflecting Kobe's rapid development since the opening of its port in 1868.

震災による市史編纂の断絶と再開
The Publication of the Kobe City History and the Disaster

New Kobe City History—History I: Nature and Archaeology was published in April 1989. A photo collection featuring photographs provided by citizens was also issued to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Kobe becoming a city. The publication plan for other volumes was reassessed and extended due to the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995. Starting in fiscal year 2002, the collecting and cataloging of materials and planning of exhibitions proceeded in collaboration with Kobe University. By 2014, the history, administration, and industry and economy volumes had been published, followed by the lifestyle and culture volume in 2020. Thus, more than 40 years after its conception, compilation of the series was finally completed.