Heian
Hiroshima · 平安Browse Hiroshima’s cultural heritage from the Heian period (794 – 1185). Filter by type and keyword, with concise stories, maps, and travel tips.
A National Treasure at Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima: a late-Heian court costume set with ornamental swords, a quiver and vermilion sword boxes dated to 1183.
A National Treasure on silk dated 1153, the twenty-armed Fugen Enmei at Onomichi's Jiko-ji bears a rare dated inscription, a benchmark for late Heian painting.
A rare Heian-period great armor at Itsukushima Shrine, laced with cherry-stenciled yellow leather over wide plates and tied by tradition to Minamoto no Tametomo.
A late Heian great armor at Itsukushima Shrine, laced in indigo so dark it reads as black. Helmet and sleeves survive, said to be the gift of Taira no Shigemori.
A Heian National Treasure at Itsukushima Shrine, the Kan Fugen-kyo in gold on indigo paper, brushed jointly by Taira no Kiyomori and his half-brother Yorimori.
A National Treasure at Itsukushima Shrine: a seven-scroll Lotus Sutra brushed in gold on indigo paper around 1170 by Taira no Kiyomori and his half-brother Yorimori.
The Saie Hiōgi (Painted Cypress Fan) is a National Treasure of Japan housed at Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima island, Hiroshima. Dating from the late Heian period (12th century), this ceremonial fan features 34 cypress slats lavishly decorated with gold and silver leaf and vivid polychrome paintings depicting uta-e (poem-picture) scenes — a rare surviving masterpiece of Heian court craftsmanship linked to the powerful Taira clan.
Discover the National Treasure tachi sword signed by Tomonari, a masterwork of the Ko-Bizen school housed at Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima. Learn about its Heian-period origins, Taira clan connections, and how to see it.
Discover the National Treasure tachi signed Masatsune, a Heian-period masterpiece by the legendary Ko-Bizen swordsmith, housed at Fukuyama Museum of Art in Hiroshima. Learn about its elegant curvature, storied provenance from the Hachisuka clan, and how to visit.
The Heike Nōkyō is a set of 33 sumptuously decorated sutra scrolls dedicated to Itsukushima Shrine in 1164 by Taira no Kiyomori and the Taira clan, designated as a National Treasure of Japan. Adorned with lavish gold and silver leaf and vivid polychrome paintings, each scroll represents the pinnacle of Heian-period decorative arts. High-quality reproductions are on permanent display at the Itsukushima Shrine Treasure Hall, offering visitors a magnificent cultural experience alongside the UNESCO World Heritage island of Miyajima.