National Treasures of Kyoto

A manuscript in Teika's own hand kept in Tokyo. The same disordered leaves running through all the later copies proved this one to be the ancestor.

A Tang-dynasty copy of a letter by Wang Xizhi, kept in Tokyo. Nothing at all in his own hand survives, and so the copy itself is now the treasure here.

A Kamakura-period tachi held at the Tokyo National Museum in Tokyo. Its tang was never once cut back at all, and so the smith's own signature survives.

A Heian-period tachi held at the Tokyo National Museum in Tokyo. Its signature does survive, but several smiths in Bizen once bore this very same name.

Two Heian-period scrolls kept in Tokyo, written on paper bearing indigo cloud shapes. Tradition and inference here name two quite different hands for it.

An eight-lobed Heian-period mirror in Nara Prefecture. Nine Buddhist figures stand engraved upon its face, while flowers and birds cover all the back.

Kofun-period finds in Nara Prefecture, listed as a single lot. The tomb itself is placed about 350 metres to the west of Horyuji, and not by any address.

Yayoi-period finds in Fukuoka Prefecture, listed as a single lot. What came from the central burial is the property, and all of the rest an appendage.

Twelve Heian-period hanging scrolls held at the Kyoto National Museum. Twelve more of the very same name and owner hang at a different museum entirely.

Discover the Tagajo Monument, one of Japan's three oldest stone inscriptions and newest National Treasure. This 8th-century frontier marker near Sendai offers free access to authentic ancient history, seasonal beauty, and the exact spot where haiku master Matsuo Basho wept.

Discover the Amabe Clan Genealogy, a National Treasure housed at Kono Shrine near Amanohashidate, Kyoto. This 9th-century scroll is Japan's oldest surviving family genealogy, revealing the history of an ancient seafaring clan.

Discover the Okuiri, a National Treasure commentary on The Tale of Genji handwritten by the legendary poet Fujiwara no Teika around 1233. Learn about this invaluable manuscript's history, significance, and its role in preserving Japan's greatest literary masterpiece.

Explore the Gilt-Bronze Epitaph of Ono no Emishi, a National Treasure dating to 677 CE. Learn about its connection to the famous diplomat Ono no Imoko, its dramatic discovery at Sudō Shrine in Kyoto, and how to visit this hidden gem of Japanese archaeology.

Discover the National Treasure gilt-bronze sutra container (kyōzutsu) of Fujiwara no Michinaga, the oldest sutra burial artifact in Japan, dating from 1007. On deposit at the Kyoto National Museum, this Heian-period masterpiece reveals the faith and power of Japan's most influential regent.

Discover the National Treasure sutra boxes and artifacts from the Kinpusen Sutra Mounds at the Kyoto National Museum, testifying to the deep faith and artistic mastery of Heian-period aristocrats led by Fujiwara no Michinaga.

The Yamashina Nishinoyama Kofun Excavated Artifacts, designated a National Treasure in 1953 and housed at the Kyoto University Museum, are an extraordinary collection of early Heian period grave goods. Featuring a gold-mounted great sword, a gold-and-silver twin-phoenix mirror, and stone belt ornaments befitting the highest court nobility, these artifacts are believed to have come from the tomb of Sakanoue no Tamuramaro — the legendary Sei-i Taishogun who pacified northern Japan and founded Kiyomizu-dera Temple.

Discover Yosa Buson's masterpiece "Yashoku Rōdai-zu" (Night Scene of Towers and Pavilions), a National Treasure of Japan. This late 18th-century ink painting captures a snowy Kyoto night with breathtaking subtlety. Learn about its artistic significance, viewing opportunities, and Buson-related sites in Kyoto.

Built around 1215, Ujigami Shrine's worship hall is Japan's oldest. Shutters and a low floor borrow from aristocratic houses; a bargeboard hides the gabled roof.

Ring-dating in 2004 put the timber of Ujigami Shrine's main hall at about 1060, making it Japan's oldest surviving shrine hall. Three sanctuaries, one shared roof.

The Five-Story Pagoda of Kaijusenji Temple in Kizugawa City, Kyoto Prefecture, is Japan's only surviving five-story pagoda from the Kamakura period, built in 1214. Discover this National Treasure's unique architectural features including the rare mokoshi pent roof shared only with Horyuji Temple, its exquisite interior paintings, and the serene mountain setting overlooking the ancient Kuni-kyo capital ruins.