Dengyo Daishi's Guide to the Achievement of the Sacred

Discover the National Treasure "Dengyo Daishi Doen-an and Sogo-cho," three 8th-century ordination documents of Saicho, founder of Japanese Tendai Buddhism. Housed at Raigo-in Temple in Kyoto's Ohara district, these ancient records reveal the personal history of one of Japan's most influential monks.

Information About Fujiwara Yukinari Written in Kana (12

Discover the Kana Letters Attributed to Fujiwara no Yukinari, a National Treasure of exquisite Heian-period calligraphy owned by Kyukyodo in Kyoto. Learn about its fascinating front-and-back history, artistic significance, and how to experience this masterpiece.

Scroll Attributed to Fujiwara No Yukinari

Discover the National Treasure calligraphy scroll attributed to Fujiwara no Yukinari, one of Japan's legendary Three Great Calligraphers (Sanseki). Known as the Honno-ji Gire, this Heian-period masterpiece is owned by Honno-ji Temple in Kyoto and exhibited at the Kyoto National Museum.

Seirei Bansho Name

Discover the Tenrei Banshō Meigi, a National Treasure housed at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Kōzan-ji in Kyoto. Compiled by the monk Kūkai around 830 CE, this is the oldest extant Japanese dictionary of Chinese characters, preserved in a rare 1114 manuscript.

Toji Hyakuri Documents (24,067 Letters)

The Toji Hyakugo Monjo is a collection of 24,067 historical documents spanning approximately 1,000 years from the 8th to 18th century, originally preserved at Toji temple in Kyoto. Designated a National Treasure of Japan in 1997 and inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2015, this extraordinary archive is named after the one hundred paulownia boxes donated by feudal lord Maeda Tsunanori. Now housed at the Kyoto Institute, Library and Archives, the entire collection is digitized and freely accessible online.

Bronze Seated Statue of Shaka Nyorai (enshrined in the Main

The National Treasure Bronze Seated Shakyamuni Buddha at Kanimanji Temple in Kizugawa City, Kyoto, is a monumental gilt-bronze statue standing 240 cm tall and weighing 2.2 tons, dating back over 1,300 years to the Hakuhō period. As one of only four surviving large-scale gilt-bronze Buddhas from this era, it can be viewed at remarkably close range in this tranquil temple famous for its 'Grateful Crabs' legend.

Tohoki

Discover the Tōbō-ki, a National Treasure manuscript at Tō-ji temple in Kyoto. Compiled in the 14th century by scholar-monk Gōhō and his disciple Kenpō, this remarkable chronicle documents the rich history of Japan's most important Shingon Buddhist temple, from its founding in 796 CE through the medieval period.

Nihon Ryōiki (The Legend of Nihon Ryōiki) (Volumes 2 and 3)

Discover the Nihon Ryōiki, Japan's oldest Buddhist tale collection, housed at Raigō-in Temple in Ohara, Kyoto. Learn about this National Treasure manuscript from the late Heian period, its literary significance, and how to visit the serene mountain temple where it was preserved.

Mujun Shihan's Calligraphy〈En'er Inkacho (silk

The National Treasure 'Ink Writing by Wuzhun Shifan: Certificate of Enlightenment for Enni' at Tofuku-ji Temple in Kyoto is a formal inka certificate written on silk in 1237 by the great Chinese Chan master Wuzhun Shifan for his Japanese disciple Enni Ben'en. This masterpiece of Zen calligraphy documents a pivotal moment in the transmission of Zen Buddhism from China to Japan, and stands as one of the finest examples of Southern Song dynasty calligraphy preserved in Japan.

Hosohana Makie Jewel Box

Discover the Hōsōge Makie Hōju-bako, a National Treasure at Ninna-ji Temple in Kyoto. This early Heian-period lacquer box adorned with togidashi makie of hosoge flowers and auspicious birds is one of Japan's oldest and finest surviving examples of maki-e craftsmanship.

The Lotus Sutra (Volume 2 and Volume 7)

Discover the Lotus Sutra (Volumes 2–7), a Japanese National Treasure at Shin-nyo-dō temple in Kyoto. Commissioned by the legendary sculptor Unkei in 1183, this sacred manuscript uses wood from the burned Tōdai-ji and sacred water for its ink—a rare testament to Kamakura-era Buddhist devotion.

Bodhisattva's Place in the Womb Sutra

Discover the Bosatsu Shotai Kyo, a National Treasure sutra dating back to 550 AD housed at Chion-in temple in Kyoto. Learn about this extraordinary manuscript considered one of the world's oldest surviving handwritten Buddhist sutras.

Portuguese Viceroy's Letter to India (Parchment)

The National Treasure 'Letter from the Portuguese Viceroy of India' at Myōhō-in Temple in Kyoto is a diplomatic letter written on parchment in 1588 by Duarte de Menezes, Portuguese Viceroy in Goa, addressed to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Adorned with oil miniature paintings and gold lettering, it was presented at Jurakudai Palace in 1591. As one of the rarest European-origin diplomatic documents preserved in Japan, it offers an extraordinary window into the Age of Discovery and early Japan-Europe relations.

Esoteric Buddhist Ritual Implements (said to Have Been

Discover the National Treasure esoteric Buddhist ritual implements at Tō-ji Temple in Kyoto — a gilt-bronze vajra set believed to have been brought from Tang China by Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi) over 1,200 years ago. Learn about their history, significance, and how to see them.

Mitsuan Hamgetsu Calligraphy〈Dharma Language (Aya Book)/Jun

Discover the National Treasure bokuseki (Zen calligraphy) by Mi'an Xiangjie, a revered Southern Song dynasty Chan master. This sole surviving work, housed at Ryōkōin in Kyoto's Daitoku-ji, inspired a dedicated tea room and centuries of devotion from Zen monks and tea masters alike.

Mido Kanpakuki (14 Volumes of Handwritten Manuscripts/12

Discover the Midō Kanpakuki, the world's oldest autographic diary written by Fujiwara no Michinaga over 1,000 years ago. This National Treasure and UNESCO Memory of the World document offers a vivid firsthand account of Heian court life at the peak of Japanese aristocratic culture.

Original Calligraphy of Mugakuso (compounded by Yochorakuji

Discover the National Treasure calligraphy by Mugaku Sogen, a 13th-century Zen master who defied Mongol swords with poetry. Housed at Shokoku-ji's Jotenkaku Museum in Kyoto, this 1279 masterwork reveals the spiritual bond between two Zen monks across decades.

Meigetsuki (Handwritten Version)

Meigetsuki, the autograph diary kept by the great Kamakura-period poet Fujiwara no Teika over 56 years, is a National Treasure and first-class historical source documenting court politics, literature, and astronomical phenomena. Discover the 58 scrolls preserved for over 800 years by the Reizei Family Shiguretei Library, including its globally significant records of supernovae.

Wooden Dry Lacquer Standing Statue of Eleven Faced Kannon

Discover the National Treasure Eleven-faced Kannon at Omido Kannon-ji Temple in Kyotanabe, Kyoto. This 8th-century wood-core dry lacquer masterpiece can be viewed up close without barriers — a rare and intimate encounter with Nara-period Buddhist art.

Wooden Statues of Amida Buddha and His Two Attendant

Discover the National Treasure Amida Triad at Sanzen-in Temple in Kyoto's Ohara. These rare 12th-century wooden statues depict the raigō welcome scene with the unique Yamato-zuwari posture, enshrined in the historic Ōjō Gokuraku-in Hall.