The Agency for Cultural Affairs designates tangible cultural properties as National Treasures in thirteen categories based on type. The agency generally distinguishes between and . Each main category is divided into subcategories. The designated structures represent the apogee of Japanese castle construction, and date from the end of the
Sengoku period, from the late 16th to the first half of the 17th century. the castles were military fortifications as well as political, cultural, and economic centers. They also served as residences for the
daimyō, his family, and his
retainers. The oldest structure in the category is a
Bunroku-era secondary
donjon called the Northwest Small Tower, which is located at Matsumoto Castle. Fourteen National Treasures, dating from between 1485 and 1657, were listed in the historical residences category, ten of which are located in
Kyoto. The structures include teahouses,
shoin, and guest or reception halls.
Schools One of Japan's oldest schools, the
Kaichi School in
Matsumoto,
Nagano Prefecture, was designated in 2019 as the only National Treasure in the category of . The institution was established shortly after the Meiji Restoration and relocated to the extant
western-style building in 1876.
Shrines '') of
Ujigami Shrine National Treasures in the category of included main halls (
honden), oratories (
haiden), gates, offering halls (
heiden), purification halls (
haraedono), and other structures associated with
Shinto shrines. Currently, there are 43 National Treasures in this category, dating from the 12th century (late
Heian period) to the 19th century (late
Edo period). According to the tradition of '', the buildings or shrines were faithfully rebuilt at regular intervals, adhering to the original design. In this manner, ancient styles have been replicated through the centuries to the present day. The oldest designated extant shrine structure is the main hall at
Ujigami Shrine, which dates from the 12th century (late
Heian period). About half of the designated structures are located in three prefectures: Kyoto,
Nara, and
Shiga, all of which are in the
Kansai region of Japan.
Nikkō Tōshō-gū has five National Treasures. The structures cover more than 1,000 years of Japanese Buddhist architecture, from the 6th century (
Asuka period) to the 19th century (late
Edo period). About three-quarters of the designated properties are located in the
Kansai region, with 59 National Treasure temple structures in
Nara Prefecture and 32 in Kyoto Prefecture. The temple
Hōryū-ji has the largest number of designated National Treasure buildings, with 18 structures. Built during the mid-
Edo period in 1701, the Auditorium of the Shizutani school, an educational institute for commoners, is a single-story building. It has a hip-and-gable (
irimoya) tile roof composed of flat, broad, concave tiles and semi-cylindrical convex tiles that cover the seams. The structure is built of high-quality woods such as
zelkova, cedar, and camphor. Ōura Church was established in 1864 by the French priest
Bernard Petitjean of Fier to commemorate the
26 Christian martyrs executed by
crucifixion on February 5, 1597, at
Nagasaki. The façade of the church faces Nishizaka Hill, the place of their execution. It is a Gothic structure and the oldest extant wooden church in Japan. Built in 1501 by King
Shō Shin, the
Tamaudun consists of two stone-walled enclosures and three tomb compartments that, in compliance with tradition, temporarily held the remains of Ryūkyūan royalty.
Tsūjun Bridge is an long arch bridge and aqueduct built in 1854, used for irrigation and representing the highest level of technology at the time. The designated facilities of the
Lake Biwa Canal include the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd tunnels, the Keage incline used to transport boats up by , and the Suirokaku Aqueduct at
Nanzen-ji, which was used to supply water to Kyoto's gardens. Built in the mid-Meiji period, the facilities are located in Kyoto and
Shiga prefecture.
Ancient documents with handprints Valuable
Japanese historical documents are designated in the category . There are 63 items or sets of items in this category, ranging from letters and diaries to records. One National Treasure is a linen map, and another is an inscription on stone. However, all other objects in the category were created with a writing brush on paper and, in many cases, present important examples of early
calligraphy. The oldest item dates from the late 7th century and the most recent from the 19th century (late Edo period). Approximately half of the entries in the category are located in Kyoto.
Archaeological materials The category includes some of the oldest cultural properties, with 52 designated National Treasures. Many of the National Treasures in this category consist of large sets of objects originally buried as part of graves or as offerings for temple foundations, and subsequently excavated from tombs,
kofun,
sutra mounds, or other archaeological sites. The oldest items are stone tools from the
Paleolithic period and flame-shaped pottery and
dogū clay figurines from the
Jōmon period that reflect early Japanese civilization. Other items listed include bronze mirrors and bells, jewelry, ancient swords, and knives. The most recent object, a hexagonal stone column, dates to the
Nanboku-chō period, 1361. Most of the materials (32) are located in museums, with six National Treasures in the
Tokyo National Museum. However, 86 of the items are from the
Kamakura period, with the most recent object from the
Muromachi period. The designated items are located in Buddhist temples,
Shinto shrines, museums, and private collections. —and are housed in Buddhist temples,
Shinto shrines, and museums. Also included in this category are sacred treasures that worshippers presented to
Asuka Shrine,
Tsurugaoka Hachimangū,
Itsukushima Shrine,
Kasuga-taisha, and
Kumano Hayatama Taisha. The treasures were dedicated to the enshrined deity of the respective shrine. They comprise garments, household items, and other items.
Historical materials in prayer Three National Treasure sets are catalogued in the category . One set consists of 1,251 items related to the
Shō family, the kings of
Ryūkyū, who ruled over most of the
Ryukyu Islands between the 15th and 19th centuries. The designated items date to the second Shō Dynasty (between the 16th and 19th centuries), and are located in the
Naha City Museum of History. Within this set are 1,166 documents or records, including construction plans or registers of funeral items; 85 are craft items, including articles of clothing and furniture. The second set comprises paintings, documents, ceremonial tools, harnesses, and items of clothing
Hasekura Tsunenaga brought back from his 1613 to 1620 trade mission (
Keichō Embassy) to Europe. Sent by
Date Masamune, Lord of the
Sendai Domain, Hasekura traveled via Mexico City and Madrid to Rome before returning to Japan. Located in the
Sendai City Museum, the designated set of items consists of 47 objects: a Roman citizenship document dating from November 1615; a portrait of
Pope Paul V; a portrait of Hasekura in prayer following his conversion in Madrid; 19 religious paintings; pictures of saints; ceremonial items such as
rosaries; a cross and medals; 25 items of harnesses and clothing such as priests' garments; an Indonesian and Benjamin Tenze
kris; and a
Ceylonese dagger. A third set consists of 2,345 Edo period items related to the Japanese
surveyor and
cartographer Inō Tadataka. The designated objects are in custody of the Inō Tadataka Memorial Hall in
Katori,
Chiba, and include 787 maps and drawings, 569 documents and records, 398 letters, 528 books, and 63 utensils such as surveying instruments.
Paintings (thunder god) and
Fūjin (wind god)
folding screen by
Tawaraya Sōtatsu Japanese and Chinese paintings from the 8th-century Classical Nara period to the early modern 19th-century
Edo period are listed in the category . The 168 National Treasures in the category include Buddhist themes, landscapes, portraits, and court scenes. Various base materials have been used: 93 are
hanging scrolls; 40 are hand scrolls or
emakimono; 24 are
byōbu folding screens or paintings on sliding doors (
fusuma); and three are albums. They are located in museums, Buddhist temples,
Shinto shrines, private collections, a university, and two tombs (
Takamatsuzuka Tomb and
Kitora Tomb). A large proportion of items are housed in the national museums of
Tokyo,
Kyoto, and
Nara. The greatest number of National Treasure paintings are located in
Kyoto, with 52, and
Tokyo, with 51. More than half of the Tokyo paintings are located in the Tokyo National Museum. Seventy-seven of the 142 entries are located in
Nara Prefecture, while another 42 are in
Kyoto Prefecture. With few exceptions, the sculptures are located in Buddhist temples.
Hōryū-ji and
Kōfuku-ji are the locations with the most entries, each with 18 designations respectively. The
Okura Museum of Art in Tokyo, the
Nara National Museum in Nara and the
Yoshino Mikumari Shrine in
Yoshino, Nara each have a single National Treasure in the sculpture category; one National Treasure that consists of four sculptures of
Shinto gods is located at
Kumano Hayatama Taisha; and the
Usuki Stone Buddhas belong to
Usuki city.
Writings Written materials of various types, such as
sūtra transcriptions, poetry, historical books, and specialist books, are designated in the category . The 237 items or sets of items are National Treasures that date predominantly to classical Japan and the Imperial era of China from the 6th century to the
Muromachi period. Most were made with a writing brush on paper and, in many cases, present important examples of calligraphy. ==Preservation and utilization measures==