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YAML

Japanese National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties - YAML

Japan's National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties are tangible cultural properties designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology under the 1950 Cultural Properties Protection Law. Important Cultural Properties refer to buildings and artworks with high historical, artistic, and academic value, from which items of exceptional value and uniqueness from a global cultural perspective are designated as National Treasures. As of January 2026, there are 1,149 National Treasures (233 buildings, 916 artworks) and approximately 13,500 Important Cultural Properties, forming the core of Japan's cultural heritage preservation.

cultural properties national treasures important cultural properties Agency for Cultural Affairs cultural heritage buildings artworks 
- code: "buildings"
  slug: "national-treasure-buildings"
  name: "National Treasure Buildings"
  description: "National Treasures designated as buildings of exceptional value from a global cultural perspective."
  count:
    items: 233
    structures: 303
  category: "buildings"
- code: "artworks"
  slug: "national-treasure-artworks"
  name: "National Treasure Artworks and Crafts"
  description: "National Treasures designated as artworks and crafts with exceptionally high artistic value, including paintings, sculptures, and crafts."
  count:
    items: 916
  category: "artworks"
- code: "important-cultural-properties"
  slug: "important-cultural-properties"
  name: "Important Cultural Properties"
  description: "Cultural properties designated as buildings and artworks with high historical, artistic, and academic value."
  count:
    buildings:
      items: 2605
      structures: 5597
    artworks:
      items: 10952
    total: 13557
  category: "important"
- code: "buildings-premodern-shrines"
  slug: "premodern-shrine-buildings"
  name: "Pre-Modern Shrine Buildings"
  description: "Shrine architecture built before the Meiji era and designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties."
  count:
    nationalTreasureItems: 43
    nationalTreasureStructures: 585
    importantItems: 78
    importantStructures: 1290
  era: "pre-modern"
  category: "shrines"
- code: "buildings-premodern-temples"
  slug: "premodern-temple-buildings"
  name: "Pre-Modern Temple Buildings"
  description: "Temple architecture built before the Meiji era and designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties."
  count:
    nationalTreasureItems: 158
    nationalTreasureStructures: 873
    importantItems: 169
    importantStructures: 1311
  era: "pre-modern"
  category: "temples"
- code: "buildings-premodern-castles"
  slug: "premodern-castle-buildings"
  name: "Pre-Modern Castle Buildings"
  description: "Castle architecture built before the Meiji era and designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties."
  count:
    nationalTreasureItems: 9
    nationalTreasureStructures: 53
    importantItems: 17
    importantStructures: 235
  era: "pre-modern"
  category: "castles"
- code: "buildings-premodern-residences"
  slug: "premodern-residence-buildings"
  name: "Pre-Modern Residence Buildings"
  description: "Residential buildings and folk houses built before the Meiji era and designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties."
  count:
    nationalTreasureItems: 14
    nationalTreasureStructures: 98
    importantItems: 20
    importantStructures: 160
    folkHouses: 362
  era: "pre-modern"
  category: "residences"
- code: "buildings-modern"
  slug: "modern-buildings"
  name: "Modern Buildings"
  description: "Buildings constructed after the Meiji era and designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties."
  count:
    nationalTreasureItems: 10
    nationalTreasureStructures: 771
  era: "modern"
  category: "modern"
- code: "artworks-paintings"
  slug: "artwork-paintings"
  name: "Artworks (Paintings)"
  description: "Paintings designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties."
  count:
    nationalTreasure: 167
    important: 2070
  category: "paintings"
- code: "artworks-sculptures"
  slug: "artwork-sculptures"
  name: "Artworks (Sculptures)"
  description: "Sculptures designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties."
  count:
    nationalTreasure: 142
    important: 2743
  category: "sculptures"
- code: "artworks-crafts"
  slug: "artwork-crafts"
  name: "Artworks (Crafts)"
  description: "Crafts designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties."
  count:
    nationalTreasure: 254
    important: 2486
  category: "crafts"
- code: "artworks-calligraphy"
  slug: "artwork-calligraphy-books"
  name: "Artworks (Calligraphy and Books)"
  description: "Calligraphy and books designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties."
  count:
    nationalTreasure: 236
    important: 1936
  category: "calligraphy"
- code: "artworks-documents"
  slug: "artwork-ancient-documents"
  name: "Artworks (Ancient Documents)"
  description: "Ancient documents designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties."
  count:
    nationalTreasure: 63
    important: 799
  category: "documents"
- code: "artworks-archaeological"
  slug: "artwork-archaeological"
  name: "Artworks (Archaeological Materials)"
  description: "Archaeological materials designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties."
  count:
    nationalTreasure: 51
    important: 675
  category: "archaeological"
- code: "artworks-historical"
  slug: "artwork-historical"
  name: "Artworks (Historical Materials)"
  description: "Historical materials designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties."
  count:
    nationalTreasure: 3
    important: 243
  category: "historical"