Important cultural property

Discover Taku Seibyo, one of Japan's three great Confucian temples and a nationally designated Important Cultural Property. Built in 1708 in Saga Prefecture, this stunning vermilion temple features Chinese-style carvings, a legendary dragon ceiling painting, and the Sekisai ritual held for over 300 years.

Discover Tajima Shrine Main Hall (Tajima-jinja Honden) in Imari, Saga Prefecture — a nationally designated Important Cultural Property and the oldest surviving shrine building in Kyushu, dating back to the 15th century. Explore its medieval architecture, Munakata goddess worship, and the maritime heritage of the Hatatsu port district.

Built in 1876 by porcelain trade merchant Tashiro Josaku as a guesthouse for foreign buyers visiting Arita, this giyōfū (pseudo-Western) building blends a Western colonnade facade with traditional Japanese tatami interiors and a remarkable spiral staircase. Designated a national Important Cultural Property in 2018, it stands within Arita's historic Uchiyama Preservation District, offering a rare window into the international porcelain trade that flourished in early Meiji-era Japan.

A vermilion two-storied gate of the Momoyama period beside Saga Castle's moat. Why it carries two designation dates, and the 1603 torii and 1606 bridge before it.

A thatched farmhouse of 1789 in the Chikushi mountains, dated by ink on a purlin joint. Saga's oldest securely dated dwelling, and the access you must check first.

Discover Kitain Temple in Kawagoe, Saitama — a historic Tendai Buddhist temple founded in 830, home to the only surviving buildings of Edo Castle, 540 expressive Rakan stone statues, and deep ties to the Tokugawa shogunate. A must-visit day trip from Tokyo.

The Former Arai Family Residence in Nagatoro, Saitama, dates from about 1745 and keeps the only stone-weighted board roof in Chichibu. Designated 1971, open inside.

Discover Takakura-ji Kannon-do, an Important Cultural Property in Iruma, Saitama. This 14th-century Zen-style hall rivals Kamakura's finest architecture. Learn about its history, how to visit, and nearby attractions.

Discover Kotokuji Omido, a nationally designated Important Cultural Property in Kawajima, Saitama. This rare thatched-roof Amida hall dates to the Muromachi period and is linked to the legendary Hojo Masako.

Discover the Kofukuji Hokyointo, an Important Cultural Property in Higashimatsuyama, Saitama. This elegant 2.1-meter stone memorial pagoda from 1323 uniquely blends Kanto and Kansai styles, offering a rare glimpse into medieval Buddhist heritage.

The Kaizanto at Jikoji Temple in Tokigawa, Saitama, is the only surviving wooden hoto pagoda in Japan. Built in 1556 as a memorial to Dochu, a revered disciple of the Chinese priest Ganjin, this Important Cultural Property showcases the remarkable technique of bending timber into a cylindrical form, set amid the serene forests of the Chichibu foothills.

Seishido in Fukaya City, Saitama, is an elegant brick memorial hall built in 1916 to celebrate the 77th birthday of Shibusawa Eiichi, the father of Japanese capitalism. Designed by renowned architect Tanabe Junkichi, this Important Cultural Property blends English country aesthetics with East Asian decorative motifs and is open to visitors free of charge.

The main hall of Hie Shrine in Kawagoe, Saitama is a nationally designated Important Cultural Property dating from the late Muromachi to early Edo period. This vermillion-lacquered three-bay nagare-zukuri shrine is the parent shrine of the famous Akasaka Hie Shrine in Tokyo, carrying over a millennium of history in the heart of Little Edo Kawagoe.

Explore the 645 Important Cultural Property artifacts from the Ushiroya Site in Okegawa, Saitama — including owl-shaped dogu figurines, red lacquered combs, and rare wooden tools from the Late to Final Jomon period. Free admission at Okegawa City Museum.

Discover the Main Hall of Ida Shrine in Iga City, Mie Prefecture — a nationally designated Important Cultural Property built in 1527 featuring nagare-zukuri architecture with cypress bark roofing and uniquely decorative kaerumata carvings.

The Thirteen-Story Stone Pagoda at Kunitsu Shrine in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, is a nationally designated Important Cultural Property from the late Kamakura period. Carved from locally quarried Ōbora tuff with four Buddha reliefs, this elegant stone tower stands in a tranquil mountain village alongside an 800-year-old zelkova tree.

Chinjudo Hall at Kozoji Temple in Toba City, Mie Prefecture, is a small shrine hall rebuilt in 1605 in the nagare-zukuri style with a kokera-buki roof. Enshrining Kishimojin, the Buddhist guardian of children, it is designated as a nationally Important Cultural Property as one of the rare surviving Momoyama-period structures in the Ise-Shima region. Discover the history and architecture of this hidden mountain temple connected to the legendary Kuki naval clan.

The Main Hall of Kozoji Temple in Toba City, Mie Prefecture, is an Important Cultural Property built in 1561 during the late Muromachi period. Founded by Kobo Daishi as the inner sanctuary of Kongosho-ji Temple, the hall features stunning polychrome ceiling paintings and a rich connection to the legendary Kuki naval clan.

Discover the Jingu Saishu Shokusha Main Building, a nationally designated Important Cultural Property in Ise City. Originally built as the guest hall of Keikoin, a Buddhist nunnery whose abbesses revived Ise Jingu's sacred Shikinen Sengu ceremony, this early Edo-period shoin-zukuri masterpiece stands along the famous Oharai-machi Street near the Inner Shrine.

Discover Suehiro Bridge in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture — Japan's oldest and only operational bascule railway bridge. Completed in 1931, this Important Cultural Property still carries freight trains across the Chitose Canal. A must-visit for railway and industrial heritage enthusiasts.