Japanese dictionaries have a history that began over 1300 years ago when
Japanese Buddhist priests, who wanted to understand Chinese
sutras, adapted
Chinese character dictionaries. Present-day Japanese
lexicographers are exploring computerized editing and
electronic dictionaries. According to Keisuke Nakao:
After introducing some Japanese "dictionary" words, this article will discuss early and modern Japanese dictionaries, demarcated at the 1603 CE lexicographical sea-change from
Nippo Jisho, the first bilingual Japanese–Portuguese dictionary. "Early" here will refer to lexicography during the
Heian,
Kamakura, and
Muromachi periods (794–1573); and "modern" to Japanese dictionaries from the
Edo or Tokugawa era (1603–1867) through the present.