国宝National Treasures of Japan

In Japan, National Treasure (国宝, kokuhō), refers to Tangible Cultural Properties designated by Japanese law as “having exceptionally high value.” It applies to buildings, artwork, and crafts, selected from Important Tangible Cultural Properties by the Agency for Cultural Affairs (a special body of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology). A Tangible Cultural Property is considered to be of historic or artistic value, classified either as buildings and structures or as fine arts and crafts. Each National Treasure must demonstrate outstanding workmanship, high value for world cultural history, or exceptional value for scholarship.

Approximately 20 percent of the National Treasures are structures, such as castles, Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, or residences. The remaining 80 percent are works of art, which include: paintings, scrolls, sutras, calligraphy, sculptures (in wood, bronze, lacquer, or stone), and craft pieces such as pottery, lacquerware, metalwork, swords, textiles, and archaeological artifacts. These items are from ancient to early modern Japan periods before the Meiji period, including pieces of the world's oldest pottery from the Jōmon period and 19th-century documents and writings.

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