National Treasures of Nara

Enshrined in the National Treasure Hall of Kōfuku-ji in Nara, the Dry-Lacquer Standing Statues of the Ten Great Disciples were created in 734 for the Western Golden Hall commissioned by Empress Kōmyō in memory of her mother. Six of the original ten figures survive, all designated National Treasures. Celebrated for their deeply human expressions and the delicate play of drapery, they represent the pinnacle of Tenpyō-era realism and endure as one of the rare masterpieces of hollow-core dry-lacquer sculpture.

The Seated Dry-Lacquer Rushana Buddha enshrined in the Golden Hall of Tōshōdai-ji in Nara is a late eighth-century masterpiece of the hollow dry-lacquer tradition and a National Treasure closely tied to the legacy of the Chinese monk Ganjin. Towering over three metres in height (five metres with the mandorla), this cosmic Buddha embodies the worldview of the Brahma Net Sutra and stands as one of the supreme achievements of Tenpyō-period Buddhist art within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ancient Nara.

Hasedera Temple in Nara preserves one of Japan's most exquisite National Treasures: the Kanfugen-kyō, a single scroll from the 34-volume Hasedera-kyō set of decorated sutras created in the Kamakura period. Adorned with scattered gold and silver foil, gold-ink ruled lines, and crystal scroll rods, it represents the pinnacle of medieval Japanese devotional art. This article explores its historical background, the reasons for its National Treasure designation, its artistic highlights, and how to visit Hasedera Temple.

Housed at Kasuga Taisha Shrine in Nara, the Kinji Raden Kenukigata Tachi is a resplendent twelfth-century ceremonial sword designated a National Treasure of Japan. Known as the Golden Sword for its near-pure gold fittings, its gilt lacquer scabbard features a playful cat pursuing sparrows through a bamboo grove, rendered in exquisite mother-of-pearl inlay and colored glass.

The National Treasure Kuro-kawa Odoshi Yahazu-zane Dōmaru at Kasuga Taisha in Nara is an extraordinary 14th-century Nanboku-chō suit of armor, preserved as a complete three-piece set with helmet and shoulder guards. Said by shrine tradition to have been offered by the celebrated general Kusunoki Masashige, it is one of the earliest and finest surviving dōmaru-style armors in Japan.

The Kengu-kyō, Volume 15 (442 lines), a National Treasure held by Tōdai-ji, is a supreme example of Nara-period large-character sutra writing known as Ōjōmu. Brushed on luxurious dabishi paper in bold, dignified script, this rare surviving scroll has been treasured for over a millennium. Discover its history, cultural value, and highlights.

The Amida Triad and Attendant Child on Silk, a National Treasure preserved at Hokke-ji in Nara, is a set of three large hanging scrolls painted in the late Heian to early Kamakura period. Its dramatic contrast between the serene, frontal Amida and the animated bodhisattvas and attendant child—richly ornamented with gold pigment and cut-gold leaf—has earned it recognition as one of the finest masterpieces in the history of Japanese painting. It is shown only briefly each autumn in the Jikō-den treasure hall.

Woven in Tang-dynasty China in a Persian style, this Hōryū-ji National Treasure silk shows four winged-horse riders turning to shoot lions inside beaded roundels.

At Toshodai-ji in Nara, the relics Ganjin carried from China rest in a glass jar atop a gilt-bronze turtle, a National Treasure shown only once a year, in October.

A tiny rock-crystal reliquary shaped as a five-element stupa, made to hold relics and sealed inside the gilt-bronze altar pagoda Eison built at Saidaiji in 1270.

A National Treasure: a Southern Song edition of Ouyang Xiu's works, edited by Zhou Bida, once in the medieval Kanazawa Bunko library and nearly complete at Tenri.

Discover the Song Edition of Liu Mengde's Collected Works, a National Treasure held at Tenri University Library in Nara. Printed in 12th-century China, brought to Japan by Zen master Eisai, and once admired by shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, this rare printed book offers a remarkable glimpse into the literary exchange between Tang China and medieval Japan.

The clay-sculpted Four Heavenly Kings of Tōdai-ji's Kaidan-dō, designated National Treasures in 1952, are widely regarded as the supreme achievement of Tenpyō-era Buddhist sculpture. Created in the mid-8th century and standing at the four corners of the hall's altar, they have captivated visitors for more than twelve centuries. This guide explores their history, their connection to the monk Ganjin, and what to look for when you visit.

Inside Horyu-ji's Five-Story Pagoda, four clay tableaux finished in 711 stage Buddhist scenes, among them the celebrated weeping mourners of the Buddha's nirvana.

Two pale Nara-period clay statues from Tōdai-ji's Lotus Hall. Called Sunlight and Moonlight, they may in fact be Brahma and Indra. Now in the Tōdai-ji Museum.

The 219.7 cm seated Maitreya of Taima-dera's Golden Hall, modeled in clay over a wooden core, is Japan's oldest surviving clay statue and the temple's founding icon.

Standing over five meters tall in the inner sanctuary of Taimadera in Katsuragi, Nara, the Taima Mandala Shrine is a National Treasure built in the late 8th to early 9th century to enshrine the four-meter-square Taima Mandala tapestry. Its rare flat hexagonal form, hidden early Heian decoration in gold and silver, Kamakura-period maki-e doors bearing over 2,000 donors' names, and pedestal donated as a wish of Minamoto no Yoritomo together preserve more than a thousand years of Japanese Pure Land devotion.

The Tamamushi Shrine at Hōryū-ji is a 7th-century lacquered miniature hall once set with jewel beetle wings, bearing Japan's oldest narrative Buddhist paintings.

The Bronze Ablution Basin of Todaiji, a National Treasure from the 8th-century Nara period, measures about 89.2 cm across — one of the largest surviving examples of its kind. Likely created for the 752 CE Great Buddha Eye-opening Ceremony, it held the baby Buddha figure during Flower Festival rituals at Todaiji.

A National Treasure of Horyu-ji in Nara, the Bronze Standing Statue of Avalokiteshvara (Yumetagai Kannon) is a Hakuho-period gilt-bronze masterpiece about 87 cm tall, cast by the lost-wax method. Traditionally believed to turn bad dreams into auspicious ones, it is permanently displayed at the Daihozoin, offering visitors a rare chance to meet a major National Treasure sculpture year-round.