Registered Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan

Tucked away in the mountain town of Shinshiro in eastern Aichi, the Former Ryotei Kikusui is a small wooden building from the late Taisho period that once served as an intimate dining house on the old Bessho Kaido post road. Despite its compact 37-square-meter footprint, it preserves an extraordinary concentration of late Taisho craftsmanship — refined alcoves, patterned glass shoji, and rare exterior plaster reliefs depicting samurai servants and sparrows in a bamboo grove. Registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property in 2015, this hidden gem pairs perfectly with the adjacent former Ono Bank (now Horaikan cafe) for an off-the-beaten-path heritage visit.

Kirakutei is a two-story wooden ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) built from the late Taisho to early Showa periods, now located within the Toyota Industrial and Cultural Center in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture. Once a prestigious inn that hosted notable figures including statesman Takahashi Korekiyo and Prince Takamatsu, it was registered as a national Tangible Cultural Property in 2013 for its refined traditional architecture and historical significance.

Discover Eikōkan (Glory Hall), the 1936 Spanish-style auditorium of Kinjo Gakuin High School in Nagoya. A Registered Tangible Cultural Property and the sole survivor of the WWII air raids on campus, it stands as a symbol of faith and resilience.

Built around 1949 in Ichinomiya, Aichi, this L-shaped house joins living quarters to a storehouse wing and once held a women's dormitory. It was registered in 2020.

Built around 1955 in Ichinomiya, Aichi, this small block held separate bathing rooms for men and women next to a row of lavatories, and was registered in 2020.

Built around 1948 in Ichinomiya, Aichi, this single room under king-post trusses has held raw wool for its whole life. It joined the national register in 2020.

A 1932 wool mill in Ichinomiya, Aichi, registered in 2020. Its four sawtooth bays draw steady north light onto Schoenherr looms that still weave suiting cloth.

Built around 1932 in Ichinomiya, Aichi, this small office wears a boarded Western exterior yet holds two ten-mat tatami rooms upstairs. It was registered in 2020.

Built around 1957 in Ichinomiya, Aichi, this two-room timber store closes the line of buildings along the mill's western edge. It joined the register in 2020.

Built around 1952 in Ichinomiya, Aichi, this small block left its ground floor open as a passage and store, with three bedrooms above. It was registered in 2020.

Dating from the late Edo period, this thick-walled storehouse in Ichinomiya, Aichi is the oldest of the nine buildings on a working wool mill site. Listed in 2020.

Built around 1932 in Ichinomiya, Aichi, this hip-and-gable house holds eight tatami rooms and a shallow writing bay. Still a family home, it was registered in 2020.

The Kuno Family Residence (Aizankyo) Main House in Tokai, Aichi, is a 1925 suburban home designed by Nishimura Isaku, arched and slate-roofed, registered in 2024.

The Kuno Family Residence (Aizankyo) Garden Gate in Tokai, Aichi, is a late Taisho arch of concrete moulded to imitate timber, registered in March 2024.

The Kuno Family Residence (Aizankyo) Gateposts in Tokai, Aichi, are late Taisho piers faced with tilted river cobbles, known as the Gate of Philosophy.

Built in 1896 as the Nagoya Chamber of Commerce main building and moved into Kenchuji temple in 1934, this 454-square-meter timber hall was registered in 2000.

The Kozenji Kuri in Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture, is a nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property built in 1830 on the ruins of a medieval castle. This Edo-period kitchen hall of a Rinzai Zen temple founded by the samurai Kajiwara Kagetoki features exquisite traditional timber craftsmanship including rainbow beams and a distinctive smoke-vent dormer. Located near National Treasure Inuyama Castle, it offers a serene glimpse into centuries of warrior heritage and Zen monastic life.

Discover the Sanmon Gate of Kozenji Temple in Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture — a nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property built in 1939. Explore its connection to the legendary samurai Kajiwara Kagetoki, the Haguro Castle ruins, and over 850 years of Japanese history.

Discover the main hall of Kozenji Temple in Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture — a Registered Tangible Cultural Property completed in 1893 by the Takenaka family. Standing on the ruins of Haguro Castle, this Rinzai Zen temple traces its origins to the Kamakura-period warrior Kajiwara Kagetoki.

Discover the Kokonoe Mirin Okura, a registered tangible cultural property in Hekinan, Aichi. Built in 1706 and relocated in 1787, this historic warehouse is the symbol of Japan's oldest mirin brewery with over 300 years of history.