Heian

The National Treasure bell of Byodo-in is covered with apsaras, phoenixes, and lions, unmatched among Japanese bells. See it up close at the Hoshokan museum in Uji.

On Mount Takao in Kyoto, this bronze bell of 875 bears an inscription by three of the era's foremost literati, ranking among Japan's three most celebrated bells.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Discover the National Treasure Amida Triad at Seiryō-ji Temple in Kyoto's Arashiyama district. Commissioned by Minamoto no Tōru—the real-life inspiration for Hikaru Genji in The Tale of Genji—these majestic 9th-century Buddhist sculptures offer a rare glimpse into early Heian-period Pure Land devotion.

Discover the National Treasure wooden Amida Nyorai triad at Ninna-ji Temple in Kyoto—Japan's oldest surviving Amida triad dating from 888 CE. Learn about its Heian-era artistry, visiting seasons, and UNESCO World Heritage setting.

Discover the Seated Amida Nyorai at Byodoin's Phoenix Hall in Uji, Kyoto — the only surviving masterpiece by legendary sculptor Jocho. Learn about its history, the yosegi-zukuri technique, and how to visit this UNESCO World Heritage treasure.

Discover the National Treasure Wooden Seated Amida Nyorai at Kōryū-ji Temple's Lecture Hall in Kyoto. This majestic 9th-century Buddhist statue, over 260 cm tall, showcases rare wood-core dry lacquer craftsmanship and can be viewed for free at Kyoto's oldest building.

Discover the National Treasure wooden seated Amida Nyorai statue at Hokai-ji Temple in Kyoto. This masterpiece of Jocho-style Buddhist sculpture from the late Heian period sits within a National Treasure Amida Hall adorned with rare celestial murals.

The National Treasure Wooden Seated Amida Nyorai at Hokongo-in Temple in Kyoto is the sole surviving work of the late Heian-period master sculptor Inkaku. Standing approximately 2.27 meters tall, this magnificent Buddha is counted among the 'Three Jocho-style Amida Buddhas' alongside those at Byodo-in and Hokai-ji. The temple also features a Pure Land garden and the Seijo-no-taki waterfall, Japan's oldest man-made waterfall, designated as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty.

Discover the nine wooden seated Amida Nyorai statues (National Treasure) at Joruri-ji Temple in Kyoto. These magnificent Heian-period Buddhist sculptures, the only complete set of nine Amida Buddhas surviving from the 11th–12th century, embody the Pure Land belief in nine stages of rebirth.

Discover the 52 National Treasure Bodhisattva on Clouds statues at Byodoin's Phoenix Hall in Uji, Kyoto. Created in 1053 by master sculptor Jocho's workshop, these celestial figures play music and dance on clouds, bringing the Pure Land paradise to life.

Discover the National Treasure wooden standing statue of Kokūzō Bosatsu (Ākāśagarbha) at Daigo-ji Temple in Kyoto. Carved from a single block of Japanese nutmeg wood in the 9th century, this masterpiece of early Heian danzo sculpture features breathtaking drapery and a fascinating story of rediscovered identity.

Discover the National Treasure Five Great Kokūzō Bodhisattva statues at Jingoji Temple in Kyoto. Commissioned by Emperor Ninmyō and crafted under Kūkai's disciple Shinzei in the 9th century, these five color-coded seated figures are the oldest complete set of their kind in Japan, open to the public only a few days each year.

Discover the Five Great Bodhisattvas (Godai Bosatsu) at Toji Temple's Lecture Hall in Kyoto. These National Treasure wooden statues from the early Heian period form part of Japan's oldest three-dimensional mandala, conceived by Kobo Daishi Kukai.

Discover the National Treasure Five Great Wisdom Kings (Godai Myōō) at Tō-ji Temple's Lecture Hall in Kyoto. Dating from the early Heian period, these powerful esoteric Buddhist sculptures are Japan's oldest known set of Wisdom King statues and form part of the iconic three-dimensional mandala conceived by Kōbō Daishi Kūkai.

Discover the National Treasure wooden Four Heavenly Kings statues enshrined in the Lecture Hall of Tō-ji Temple, Kyoto. Carved in the early Heian period as part of Kūkai's three-dimensional mandala, these powerful guardian figures represent masterpieces of early Japanese Buddhist sculpture within a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Discover the National Treasure wooden standing statues of the Four Heavenly Kings (Shitennō) at Joruri-ji Temple in Kizugawa, Kyoto. These late Heian period masterpieces feature exquisite kirikane gold leaf decoration and vivid original coloring, guarding the only surviving nine-image Amida hall in Japan.