The study analyzes the competencies in the Japanese social studies curriculum for elementary school including the analysis of textbooks. The curriculum guidelines for elementary schools in Japan were revised in 2017 from a content-based to a competency-based education. This study compares the description of the 2008 curriculum to the 2017 version using objective data from a quantitative text analysis called KH Coder3 and clarifies the competencies in Japanese education. In addition, the specifics of learning expected in the 2017 edition were clarified from the textbook analysis. The findings show that in the 2008 edition, there is a tendency to describe content as the subject of knowledge and skills, whereas in the 2017 edition, the tendency is about fostering pupils’ ability to think, make judgements, and express themselves. In addition, in the 2007 edition of the Elementary School Curriculum Guidelines for Social Studies, nouns that correspond to contents are the characteristic words. However, in the 2017 edition, verbs such as learn and understand are ranked higher. From 2008 to 2017, the description in the course of study changed from content to method.