online --Ainu Komonjo

The Ainu Komonjo (18th & 19th century records) -- Ohnuki Collection can be freely viewed at:
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/EastAsian.JapanRice

The UWDC has scanned Professor Emiko Ohunki-Tierney's collection of books on the Ainu by the Japanese. The books focus on the Sakhalin Ainu, since the books were acquired by Ohnuki-Tierney at the time she was studying them. The books are extremely rare and are either hand-written, with illustrations hand-drawn, or are wood block prints. Many of these early documents were authored by explorers and scholars at the order of the Bakufu or the Matsumae clan...these documents often include a number of detailed maps, including the topography and Ainu place names.

Valentine's Day in Japan 2010

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123635365
Chocolate-giving is a ritual among everyone in Japan from schoolchildren to senior citizens. But the country has developed its own way of celebrating the erstwhile day of romance, and the custom is still evolving.
[www.npr.org on Friday, Feb. 12, 2010]

online Japanese in Manga & Anime

The Japan Foundation, Japanese-Language Institute, Kansai is pleased to
announce that they have launched a new website
"Japanese in Anime & Manga," http://anime-manga.jp.

-update April 2010:
The Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute of Kansai opens "Nihongo-e-na", a new portal for learning Japanese：http://nihongo-e-na.com/

online reading Japanese texts

websites for reading practice, or folktale (translation/creation) purposes.

http://www.e-hon.jp/index.htm デジタル絵本サイト

http://www.alps.or.jp/match/shibai/bknumber.html　紙芝居の部屋

http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/　SurLaLune Fairy Tales (in English, but useful for folktale translation)

http://www.americanfolklore.net/ American Folklore (in English)

http://www.aozora.gr.jp/index.html　青空文庫 (offers "old" books/stories that have passed "copyright protection" period)