Kikuya Family Residence (Gofukucho, Hagi City, Yamaguchi

Discover Kikuya Family Residence in Hagi, Yamaguchi — one of Japan's oldest surviving merchant houses with five Important Cultural Property buildings, Edo-period gardens, and 500+ historical artifacts in a UNESCO World Heritage castle town.

Monzai Family Residence (Shimobe Town, Nishiyatsushiro

Discover the Monzai Family Residence, an Important Cultural Property from the mid-Edo period in Minobu, Yamanashi. This thatched-roof farmhouse reveals the life of gold mine administrators in the Fuji River valley.

Chomeiji Temple Bell Tower

The Bell Tower at Chomeiji Temple in Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture, is a nationally designated Important Cultural Property built in 1608. Featuring an elegant two-story hakama-goshi design with cypress bark roofing, it houses a medieval bronze bell and offers breathtaking panoramic views of Lake Biwa from its elevated hillside position within the 31st temple of the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage.

Materials Related to Okubo Toshimichi

The Okubo Toshimichi Related Documents, designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan and housed at the Reimeikan in Kagoshima, comprise 1,650 items including diaries, letters, government documents, and personal artifacts of Okubo Toshimichi — one of the Three Great Nobles of the Meiji Restoration. Featuring correspondence with Saigo Takamori, Iwakura Tomomi, and other founding figures of modern Japan, this extraordinary collection reveals the behind-the-scenes story of Japan's transformation from feudal society to modern nation-state.

Artifacts Excavated from the Motoyashiki Ruins in Niigata

Explore the Important Cultural Property artifacts from the Motoyashiki Site in Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture — 1,718 Jōmon-period pottery, stone tools, clay figurines, and jade beads revealing 4,000 years of mountain life, trade, and spiritual culture.

Sword (Unsigned (Yoshioka Ichimonji))

Discover the unsigned katana attributed to the Yoshioka Ichimonji school, an Important Cultural Property from the Kamakura period housed in Aichi Prefecture. Learn about its brilliant chōji-midare hamon, the legacy of Bizen swordsmiths, and how to appreciate Japanese sword artistry.

Three-Eared Jar with Chrysanthemum Design (Tamba)

Discover the Three-Eared Jar with Chrysanthemum Design (Tamba ware), an Important Cultural Property of Japan housed at the Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum. Crafted in the early 13th century at one of Japan's Six Ancient Kilns, this exquisite jar features bold chrysanthemum incisions and a pristine form. Learn about its history, artistic significance, and visitor information.

Black Thread Decorated Domaru Armor (with Antler Flanked

The Kuroito Odoshi Domaru Gusoku (Black-Laced Domaru Armor) is an Important Cultural Property of Japan, worn by Honda Tadakatsu (1548–1610), one of the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings. Featuring towering deer antler helmet crests, a fierce lion-biting front piece, and gold-leafed Buddhist rosary beads, this iconic armor embodies the spirit of a legendary warrior who fought in 57 battles without receiving a single wound. Currently deposited at the Mikawa Bushi no Yakata Ieyasukan in Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture.

Remaining Volumes of the Kokin Wakashu (Sekido Edition)

Discover the Sekido-bon Kokin Wakashū, a National Treasure of Japan featuring exquisite 11th-century kana calligraphy on richly dyed paper. Learn about its history, artistry, and where to view fragments at museums in Nagoya, Tokyo, and New York.

Ink Painting on Paper Depicting a Dragon and Clouds (by

Discover the Cloud Dragon Ink Painting (Unryūzu) by Edo-period master Maruyama Ōkyo, an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Learn about its powerful sumi-ink technique and how to view it at the Kyoto National Museum.

A Prayer for the Nine Articles of Doka Written in Ink on

Discover the National Treasure "Prayer Text of Kujō Michiie by Jien," a 1221 ink manuscript revealing the political hopes and masterful calligraphy of one of Japan's greatest medieval monks, written just months before the Jōkyū War.

Message from Emperor Gokogon in Ink on Paper

A personal letter handwritten in ink on paper by Emperor Go-Kōgon, the fourth sovereign of the Northern Court during Japan's Nanboku-chō period (14th century). Designated as an Important Cultural Property, this hanging scroll reveals the refined calligraphic skill of an emperor who ascended the throne without the Sacred Treasures, offering a rare and intimate glimpse into medieval Japanese court culture. Housed at the National Museum of Japanese History in Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture.

A Message from Emperor Gokogon Written in Ink on Paper (What

Discover the cultural significance of the ink-on-paper imperial letter (shinkan) by Emperor Go-Kōgon, a designated cultural property from the turbulent Nanbokuchō period, preserved in Kyoto Prefecture.

Message from Konoe Kanetsugu (24th) in Ink on Paper

The 'Letter by Konoe Kanesune, Dated the 24th Day' is a rare autograph letter by one of the most powerful nobles of 13th-century Japan. Designated as an Important Cultural Property, this ink-on-paper correspondence offers a direct connection to the refined calligraphic traditions and daily life of the Kamakura-period imperial court. Discover the historical significance and cultural context of this remarkable document preserved among the treasures of the Yōmei Bunko archives in Kyoto.

Message from Emperor Gofukakusa in Ink on Paper (November

An authenticated handwritten letter by Emperor Go-Fukakusa (1243–1304), dated 1298, featuring his powerful brushwork and personal cipher. Designated as an Important Cultural Property, this document offers rare insight into Kamakura-period court politics and imperial calligraphy. Deposited at the Kyoto National Museum.

A Message Written by Emperor Goyozei in Ink on Paper (July

Discover the National Treasure imperial letter (shinkan) written by Emperor Go-Yōzei to Shōren-in Temple in Kyoto. Learn about its historical significance, exquisite calligraphy, and the dramatic events of 1596 Japan.

Ink Written Southern Characters on Paper (including the

Discover the Persian Manuscript in Japan, a remarkable 13th-century document brought from Song-dynasty Quanzhou by the monk Keisei. This Important Cultural Property contains Persian poetry and reveals the vibrant maritime Silk Road connections between medieval Japan, China, and Persia.

Suhama-U Mother-of-Pearl Inkstone Box

The Suhama-u Raden Suzuribako is a Heian-period writing box designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Adorned with mother-of-pearl inlay depicting cormorants on a sandbar motif, this exquisite lacquerwork masterpiece showcases the extraordinary craftsmanship and refined aesthetic of Heian-era artisans. Discover the beauty of this rare treasure held in a private collection in Kyoto Prefecture, and explore the world of classical Japanese lacquer arts.

Kasho Ship Flag〈April 28th, Tensho 9〉/Noshima Murakami

Discover the Kasho Ship Flag and Noshima Murakami Family Documents, an Important Cultural Property revealing the maritime world of Japan's legendary Seto Inland Sea pirates. Learn about the Murakami Kaizoku's naval pass system and historic correspondence with feudal lords.

Ink Painting on Silk of a White Heron (by Ryozen)

A rare ink-on-silk painting of a white heron by Ryōzen, a painter-monk active at Tōfuku-ji temple during the Kamakura and Nanbokuchō periods (14th century). Designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, this privately owned masterpiece illuminates a pivotal moment in the development of Japanese ink painting.