Heian

The National Treasure Wakan-shō Gekan (Saisen), held at the Yōmei Bunko in Kyoto, is a surviving portion of the Wakan Rōeishū anthology transcribed on brilliantly decorated paper (saisen) with calligraphy attributed to Fujiwara no Yukinari, one of Heian Japan's Three Great Calligraphers. Discover the exquisite fusion of poetry, brushwork, and decorative paper arts from a thousand years ago.

The National Treasure 'Takao Mandala' at Jingoji Temple in Kyoto is the oldest surviving set of Two-Realm Mandalas in Japan and the only such work produced during the lifetime of Kukai, the founder of Shingon Buddhism. Created during the Tencho era (824–833) on imperial commission, this monumental pair of nearly four-meter-square paintings depicts Buddhist deities in gold and silver on purple twill silk—a masterpiece of Japanese Buddhist art.

A National Treasure cast in 858 on Mt. Hiei, this bell bears a dated mirror-script inscription and is Japan's sixth oldest dated bell, now at the Sagawa Art Museum.

Discover the National Treasure "Autumn Pasture with Cattle" (Akino Bokugyu-zu), a masterpiece of Southern Song Chinese painting attributed to court artist Yan Ciping. Housed at the Sen-oku Hakukokan Museum in Roppongi, Tokyo, this exquisite silk scroll once belonged to the Ashikaga Shogun's famed Higashiyama Collection.

Discover Byōbu Dodai, a National Treasure calligraphy scroll by Ono no Michikaze, written in 928 as a draft for imperial folding screens. Housed at the Sannomaru Shōzōkan in Tokyo, this rare Heian-period masterpiece marks the birth of Japan's native wayō calligraphy style. Learn its history, highlights, and how to visit.

A twelfth-century manuscript of the Manyoshu, Japan's oldest poetry anthology, copied by the celebrated calligrapher Fujiwara no Sadanobu onto luxurious mica-printed paper. Treasured by the Maeda lords of Kaga for over three centuries before being presented to the Emperor Meiji, it was designated a National Treasure in 2023 and is one of the Five Great Manyoshu of the Heian period.

A 1.85-meter andesite pagoda in Kiryu, Gunma, carved with the date 801 and 45 characters offering merit to all beings, among Japan's oldest dated stone pagodas.

A National Treasure at Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima: a late-Heian court costume set with ornamental swords, a quiver and vermilion sword boxes dated to 1183.

A National Treasure on silk dated 1153, the twenty-armed Fugen Enmei at Onomichi's Jiko-ji bears a rare dated inscription, a benchmark for late Heian painting.

A rare Heian-period great armor at Itsukushima Shrine, laced with cherry-stenciled yellow leather over wide plates and tied by tradition to Minamoto no Tametomo.

A late Heian great armor at Itsukushima Shrine, laced in indigo so dark it reads as black. Helmet and sleeves survive, said to be the gift of Taira no Shigemori.

A Heian National Treasure at Itsukushima Shrine, the Kan Fugen-kyo in gold on indigo paper, brushed jointly by Taira no Kiyomori and his half-brother Yorimori.

A National Treasure at Itsukushima Shrine: a seven-scroll Lotus Sutra brushed in gold on indigo paper around 1170 by Taira no Kiyomori and his half-brother Yorimori.

The Saie Hiōgi (Painted Cypress Fan) is a National Treasure of Japan housed at Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima island, Hiroshima. Dating from the late Heian period (12th century), this ceremonial fan features 34 cypress slats lavishly decorated with gold and silver leaf and vivid polychrome paintings depicting uta-e (poem-picture) scenes — a rare surviving masterpiece of Heian court craftsmanship linked to the powerful Taira clan.

Discover the National Treasure tachi sword signed by Tomonari, a masterwork of the Ko-Bizen school housed at Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima. Learn about its Heian-period origins, Taira clan connections, and how to see it.

Discover the National Treasure tachi signed Masatsune, a Heian-period masterpiece by the legendary Ko-Bizen swordsmith, housed at Fukuyama Museum of Art in Hiroshima. Learn about its elegant curvature, storied provenance from the Hachisuka clan, and how to visit.

The Heike Nōkyō is a set of 33 sumptuously decorated sutra scrolls dedicated to Itsukushima Shrine in 1164 by Taira no Kiyomori and the Taira clan, designated as a National Treasure of Japan. Adorned with lavish gold and silver leaf and vivid polychrome paintings, each scroll represents the pinnacle of Heian-period decorative arts. High-quality reproductions are on permanent display at the Itsukushima Shrine Treasure Hall, offering visitors a magnificent cultural experience alongside the UNESCO World Heritage island of Miyajima.

Discover the National Treasure "Fujiwara no Sukemasa Hitsu Shi-Kaishi," the oldest surviving poetry paper in Japan. Written in 969 by one of the legendary Three Traces calligraphers, this masterpiece at Kagawa Prefectural Museum reveals the birth of Japanese-style calligraphy.

At the Grand Shrine of Ise, this scroll is volume 22 of the Yupian, a Chinese dictionary lost in China. Copied in 904, its back bears an Ise priesthood register.

Discover the Former Precincts of Jionji Temple, a nationally designated historic site in Sagae, Yamagata. Explore Heian and Kamakura-era Buddhist statues, the Twelve Divine Generals, sacred Bugaku dance, and a vast temple complex that once rivaled the great monasteries of Nara and Kyoto.