List of National Treasures of Japan (archaeological materials)
The term "National Treasure" has been used in Japan to denote cultural properties since 1897.
The definition and the criteria have changed since the introduction of the term. These archaeological materials adhere to the current definition, and have been designated national treasures since the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties came into effect on June 9, 1951. The items are selected by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology based on their "especially high historical or artistic value". The list presents 48 materials or sets of materials from ancient to feudal Japan, spanning a period from about 4,500 BC to 1361 AD. The actual number of items is more than 48 because groups of related objects have been combined into single entries. Most of the items have been excavated from tombs, kofun, sutra mounds or other archaeological sites. The materials are
housed in museums, temples, shrines and a university in 27 cities of Japan. The Tokyo National Museum houses the greatest number of archaeological national treasures, with 7 of the 48.
The Japanese Paleolithic marks the beginning of human habitation in Japan. It is generally accepted that human settlement did not occur before 38,000 BC, although some sources suggest the date to be as early as 50,000 BC. Archaeological artifacts from the paleolithic era consist of stone tools of various types, indicative of a hunter-gatherer society. From about 14,000 to 8,000 BC, the society gradually transformed to one characterized by the creation of pottery used for storage, cooking, bone burial and possibly ceremonial purposes. People continued to subsist on hunting, fishing and gathering, but evidence points to a gradual decrease in the nomadic lifestyle. Potsherds of unornamented pottery from the oldest archaeological sites constitute some of the world's oldest pottery. These are followed by linear-relief, punctated and nail-impressed pottery types. The first cord-marked pottery dates to 8,000 BC. Cord-marked pottery required a technique of pressing twisted cords into the clay, or by rolling cord-wrapped sticks across the clay. The Japanese definition for the period of prehistory characterized by the use of pottery is and refers to the entire period. Pottery techniques reached their apogee during the Middle Jōmon period with the emergence of fire-flame pottery created by sculpting and carving coils of clay applied to vessel rims, resulting in a rugged appearance. A set of 57 items of fire-flame pottery, dating to around 4,500 BC, has been designated as the oldest National Treasure. Archaeologists consider that such pottery may have had a symbolic meaning or was used ceremonially. Dogū—small clay figurines depicting humans and animals—can be dated to the earliest Jōmon period but their prevalence increased dramatically in the middle Jōmon. Many of these depict women with exaggerated breasts and enlarged buttocks, considered to be a fertility symbol. Five dogū from 3000 to 1000 BC have been designated as National Treasures.
The ensuing Yayoi period is characterized by great technological advances such as wet-rice agriculture or bronze and iron casting, which were introduced from the mainland. Iron knives and axes, followed by bronze swords, spears and mirrors, were brought to Japan from Korea and China. Later all of these were produced locally. The primary artistic artifacts, with the exception of Yayoi pottery, are bronze weapons, such as swords, halberds and dōtaku, ritual bells. The bells were often discovered in groups on a hillside buried with the weapons. They are tall and often decorated with geometric designs such as horizontal bands, flowing water patterns or spirals. A few bells feature the earliest Japanese depiction of people and animals. In addition ornamental jewels were found. The weapons that have been excavated are flat and thin, suggesting a symbolic use. Due to rusting, few iron objects have survived from this period. Burial mounds in square, and later round, enclosures were common in the Yayoi period. The starting date of the Kofun period is defined by the appearance of large-scale keyhole-shaped kofun mound tombs, thought to mark imperial burials. Typical burial goods include mirrors, beads, Sue ware, weapons and later horse gear. One of the most well-known tombs, whose content of warrior-related items has been designated as National Treasure, is the late 6th century Fujinoki Tomb. Mirrors, swords and curved jewels, which constitute the Imperial Regalia of Japan, appear as early as the middle Yayoi period, and are abundant in Kofun period tombs. Characteristic of most kofun are haniwa clay terra cotta figures whose origin and purpose is unknown. A haniwa of an armoured man has been designated as National Treasure; and a 1st-century gold seal, designated a National Treasure, shows one of the earliest mentions of Japan or Wa.
Buddhism arrived in Japan in the mid–6th century Asuka period, and was officially adopted in the wake of the Battle of Shigisan in 587, after which Buddhist temples began to be constructed. The new religion and customs fundamentally transformed Japanese society and the arts. Funerary traditions such as cremation and the practice of placing epitaphs in graves were imported from China and Korea. Following the treatment of Buddhist relics, the cremated remains in a glass container were wrapped in a cloth and placed in an outer container. Epitaphs, which recorded the lives of the deceased on silver or bronze rectangular strips, were particularly popular from the latter half of the 7th to the end of the 8th century. Four epitaphs and a number of cinerary urns and reliquaries containing bones have been designated as National Treasures. Other archaeological National Treasures from the Buddhist era include ritual items buried in the temple foundations of the Golden Halls of Tōdai-ji and Kōfuku-ji in Nara. According to an ancient Buddhist prophecy, the world would enter a dark period in 1051; consequently in the late Heian period the belief in the saving powers of Maitreya or Miroku, the Buddha to be, became widespread. Believers buried scriptures and images to gain merit and to prepare for the coming Buddha. This practice, which continued into the Kamakura period, required the transcription of sutras according to strict ritual protocols, their placement in protective reliquary containers and burial in the earth of sacred mountains, shrines or temples to await the future Buddha. The oldest known sutra mound is that of Fujiwara no Michinaga from 1007 on Mount Kinpu, who buried one lotus sutra and five other sutras that he had written in 998. Its sutra container has been designated as National Treasure.
Statistics
All of the 48 National Treasures are presently located in Japan; two were discovered in China and three were found in Japan, but the exact locations of their excavation sites is unknown. The excavation sites of the remaining 43 treasures are contained in the following table.Usage
The table's columns are sortable by pressing the arrow symbols.- Name: name of the national treasure as registered in the Database of National Cultural Properties
- Details: more information about the object such as size and type of items
- Date: period and year of the item; column entries sort by year or start year of a period if only a period is known
- Excavation site: "site-name town-name prefecture-name"; column entries sort as "prefecture-name town-name site-name"
- Present location: "temple/museum/shrine-name town-name prefecture-name"; column entries sort as "prefecture-name town-name temple/museum/shrine-name"
- Image: picture of the national treasure or of the excavation site
Treasures
| Name | Details | Date | Excavation site | Present location | Image |
| , 2,000–1,000 BC | Chobonaino site, Minamikayabe, Kayabe District, Hokkaidō | Hakodate Jōmon Culture Center, Hakodate, Hokkaidō | |||
| , 2,000–1,000 BC | Kazahari 1 site, Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture. Excavated on June 30, 1997 | Korekawa Jōmon Kan, Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture | |||
| Nishinomae Dogū | Height:, width:, weight: | middle Jōmon period, ca. 2,500 BC. Excavated in 1992 | , Funagata, Yamagata Prefecture. | Yamagata Prefectural Museum, Yamagata, Yamagata Prefecture | |
| Artifacts from the Gunma Watanuki Kannonyama Kofun | Various articles from a burial mound including swords, an iron helmet, a harness, mirrors and personal items. | Kofun period | Watanuki Kannonyama Kofun, Takasaki, Gunma | Gunma Prefectural Museum of History, Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture | |
| Artifacts from the Saitama Inariyama Kofun | Various articles from a burial mound including the Inariyama Sword, a shinju-kyo, a Jade magatama, two silver rings, tools, other weapons and items of armour | Kofun period | Inariyama Kofun, Saitama, Saitama | Saitama Prefectural Museum of the Sakitama Ancient Burial Mounds, Saitama, Saitama | |
| Objects from the Tōdaijiyama Tumulus | Particularly noted for the Tōdaijiyama Sword, the oldest inscribed artifact in Japan. Other articles in this designation include: 13 kanto swords and swords with wooden handles, more than 25 iron swords and lances, 261 arrowheads, a set of leather armor, seven bronze vessels, 62 beads, 45 stone arrowheads, 13 pot-shaped stone vesels, 51 jasper arm ornaments. | Kofun period, 4th century | Tōdaijiyama Kofun, Ichinomoto, Tenri, Nara Prefecture | Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo | |
| Ritual objects used in consecration of the building site of the Golden Hall, Kōfuku-ji, designation Nr. 0024 | 1400 individual items of more than 30 types buried to purify the construction site of the Golden Hall of Kōfuku-ji and to protect the building of catastrophes. The articles are made of The seven treasures: gold, silver, pearl, crystal, amber, glass and agate and include bowls, cups, spoons, a pestle, mirrors, swords, knives, rosary and other beads, combs, hexagonal and cylindrical objects, etc. | Tang Dynasty or Nara period, c. 710 | below foundations of the altar of the Golden Hall, Kōfuku-ji, Nara. Excavated in 1874 | Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo | |
| Hosokawa Mirror | Bronze mirror inlaid with gold and silver in a hunting motif, diameter: | Warring States period, 3rd–4th century BC | tomb close to Luoyang, Henan province, China | Eisei Bunko Museum, Tokyo | — |
| Bronze water bowl with a tiger/dragon pattern, diameter: | Former Han–Later Han Dynasty, around 0 | China | Eisei Bunko Museum, Tokyo | — | |
| Gilt bronze cinerary urn of Ina no Omura | Gilt bronze urn for the ashes of Ina no Omura, a descendant of Emperor Senka. The lid bears a 319 character inscription dated November 21, 707, telling about his career to become a feudal lord as well as his death and burial. Height:, diameter: | Asuka period, 707 | Kashiba, Nara | Shitennō-ji, Osaka | — |
| Saddle fittings in gilt bronze openwork | Two gilt bronze saddle fittings, width: 43 cm, 52.5 cm | Kofun period, 5th century | Ojin Mausoleum in Habikino, Minamikawachi District, Osaka | Konda-Hachimangu, Habikino, Osaka | |
| Ritual Bell with Crossed Band Design | Bronze ritual bell with tooth-, spiral- and herringbone-patterned bands in relief and six panels framed by broad lattice-patterned bands resembling a Buddhist monk's surplice. The panels are decorated with animal and human motifs. Height: | Yayoi period, 2nd–1st century BC | Purportedly Sanuki Province, excavated during the Edo period | Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo | |
| Haniwa armored man or Warrior in keikō type armor | Terra cotta Haniwa, Nitta District, Gunma | Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo | |||
| Suda Hachiman Shrine mirror or Mirror with design of human figures | Bronze mirror with human figures and an inscription of 48 characters on the back: In the eighth month of a gui-wei year, in the reign of the great king..., when his younger brother the prince was at the Osisaka Palace, Sima, wishing for longevity , caused two persons..., to select 200 han of fine bronze and make this mirror., diameter: | Kofun period, 443 or 503 | Japan, exact date and place unknown | Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo, owned by Suda-Hachiman Shrine, Hashimoto, Wakayama | |
| Stone pillar | Hexagonal schist stone column with reliefs of the Four Heavenly Kings and Nio guardians, made of six plank stones of thickness and a conical headstone, height:, width: | Nanboku-chō period, July 1361 | until Meiji period located on the cemetery behind the compound grounds of Fusai-ji; moved to its present location in 1889 | Fusai-ji, Tachikawa, Tokyo | |
| Urns found at Miyajidake Shrine, Chikuzen Province | Clay pot, copper vase and glass vase which were used as urns | Nara period | near Miyajidake Kofun, Fukutsu, Fukuoka, excavated in 1938 | Miyajidake Shrine, Fukutsu, Fukuoka | — |
| Copper epitaph of Funashi Ōgo | Copper epitaph of Funashi Ōgo who died in 641 and was reburied with his wife in 668. The inscription of 162 characters tells on one side about his birthplace and career and on the opposite about his age at death and the burial details. This is the oldest extant Japanese epitaph. | Asuka period, 668 | Shōkōzan, Kashiwara, Osaka | Mitsui Memorial Museum, Tokyo | |
| Gilt bronze harness from the Saitobaru kofun in Hyūga Province | Horse ornament with openwork decorations, gilt bronze trapping | Kofun period, 6th century | excavated from a tomb at Saitobaru, Saito, Miyazaki | Gotoh Museum, Tokyo | |
| Objects from the Eta Funayama Kofun in Higo Province | Swords, armor, weapons, a gilt-bronze headdress and a pair of gilt-bronze shoes, gold earrings, jewels and other ornaments, six bronze mirrors, horse trappings, and ceramic utensils excavated from a stone burial chamber | Kofun period, late 5th–early 6th century | Eta Funayama Kofun, Kikusui, Tamana District, Kumamoto. Excavated in 1873 | Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo | |
| Objects from the grave of Fumi no Nemaro | Bronze epitaph plaque and box, gilt bronze outer container, funerary urn of green glass | Nara period, 707 | Yataki, Haibara, Nara | Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo | |
| Blaze-shaped pottery from the Sasayama site in Niigata prefecture | 57 items of flame-shaped pottery for ceremonial use, probably the world's oldest pottery | Sasayama, Tōkamachi, Niigata | Tōkamachi City Museum, Tōkamachi, Niigata | ||
| Jōmon Venus | Female figurine with large hips, elephant-like legs, small belly and breasts wearing a helmet or headdress; height:, weight: | middle Jōmon period, 3,000–2,000 BC | Tanabatake site, Yonezawa, Chino, Nagano | Togariishi Museum of Jōmon Archaeology, Chino, Nagano | |
| Masked Goddess | Clay figurine with a mask unusually excavated from a burial pit; height:, weight: | late Jōmon period, 2,000–1,000 BC | Nakappara site, Chino, Nagano | Togariishi Museum of Jōmon Archaeology, Chino, Nagano | — |
| Artifacts from the Kyōgamine sutra mounds at Mount Asama in Ise province | Various articles including: two mirrors incised with the Amida triad, one mirror incised with Amitābha nyorai, remains of a bronze mirror, a bronze decanter, an earthenware canister, two bronze sutra cylinders, lotus sutra | Heian period, 1159–1173 | Kyōgamine sutra mound, Mount Asama, Ise, Mie | Kongōshō-ji, Ise, Mie | — |
| Reliquary set from the Sūfuku-ji temple pagoda | Reliquary set consisting of a spherical vase with gold lid enshrining bones placed in a gold box surrounded by a silver box surrounded by a gilt bronze box. Other items unearthed include 11 Mumon Ginsen silver coins, three green glass beads, two amethyst beads, 11 translucent green glass beads, gold leaf and grain, metal fixtures, a fragment of a bell, wood splinter | Nara period | pagoda of Sūfuku-ji, Ōtsu, Shiga | Ōmi Shrine, Ōtsu, Shiga | |
| Relics from the Kurama-dera sutra mound | More than 200 objects from a sutra mound among others: two-storied towers of stone, iron and bronze, a decorative Buddhist banner-shaped bronze sutra container, sutra containers of bronze, gold and clay, three statues of noble characters, remains of a kakebotoke, an image of Buddha, three mirrors, remains of a bronze mirror, a pestle, a bronze water jug, a porcelain box, two inkstones and copper coins | Heian period–Kamakura period, 1120–1260 | sutra mound behind the kon-dō of Kurama-dera, Kyoto. Excavated in 1878 | Kurama-dera, Kyoto | — |
| Bronze epitaph plate for Ono no Emishi | Bronze epitaph of Ono no Emishi with an inscription on both sides. Ono no Emishi was the son of Ono no Imoko and government official under Emperor Temmu. He died in 677. This memorial tablet was made some time after his death. | Nara period, first half of 8th century | grave in Kamitakano, Sakyō-ku, Kyoto. Discovered in 1613, returned to the grave and taken out for safekeeping in 1914 | Sudō Shrine, Kyoto | |
| Gilt bronze Fujiwara no Michinaga sutra container | Cylindrical gilt bronze sutra container of Fujiwara no Michinaga which he buried in a sutra mound during a pilgrimage on Mount Kinpu | Heian period, August 11, 1007 | , Kyoto; owned by Kinmpu Shrine, Yoshino, Nara | — | |
| Artifacts from the Nishinoyama Yamashina Kofun | Burial accessories from the tomb of an aristocrat including: a sword, knife, arrowheads, nail, belt | Kofun period | Nishinoyama, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto | Kyoto University, Kyoto | — |
| Artifacts from the Kinpusen sutra mound | A gold- and silver-plated bronze sutra case with design of birds and hosoge flowers, two bronze sutra cases buried by Fujiwara no Michinaga in a sutra mound during a pilgrimage on Mount Kinpu | Heian period, 1007 | , Yoshino, Nara | — | |
| Bronze epitaph of Ishikawa no Toshitari | Bronze epitaph of the aristocrat Toshitari Ishikawa with a six line, 130 character inscription and gold plating | Nara period, December 28, 762 | Tsukimi, Takatsuki, Osaka, Osaka | Osaka Museum of History, Osaka, privately owned | |
| Artifacts from Sakuragaoka: Ritual bells with crossed bands design, Ritual bell, Ritual Bell with running water design, Bronze dagger-axes | Ten dōtaku with crossed band design, one other dōtaku, three dōtaku with running water design and seven bronze dagger-axes | Yayoi period | , Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyōgo; excavated in December 1964 | Kobe City Museum, Kobe, Hyōgo | — |
| Ritual objects used in consecration of the building site of the Golden Hall, Kōfuku-ji, designation Nr. 0025 | Two small silver gilded bowl, fragment of a silver gilded stem cup, seven small silver bowls, five rosary crystal beads, six other crystal beads | Nara period, 710 | within foundations of the altar of the Golden Hall, Kōfuku-ji, Nara. Excavated in 1884 | Kōfuku-ji, Nara, Nara | — |
| Seven-Branched Sword | long iron sword with six branch-like protrusions along the central blade and an inscription; probably made in Korea | Kofun period, 369 | in Isonokami Shrine, Tenri, Nara since ancient times | Isonokami Shrine, Tenri, Nara | |
| Bowl-shaped cap for the finial of the three-storied pagoda of Ōbaradera | Copper pagoda finial cap with an inscription, diameter: , , height: | Nara period, 715 | originally at Ōbara-dera, Sakurai, Nara | Nara National Museum, Nara, owned by Tanzan Shrine, Sakurai, Nara | — |
| Ritual objects used in consecration of the building site of the Golden Hall, Tōdai-ji | Small gilt silver bowl with a hunting motif, swords, armor, a mirror, a fragment of a lacquer box, a crystal box, crystal objects, amber beads, glass beads and 22 crystal beads | Nara period, c. 750 | Kondō, Tōdai-ji, Nara, Nara | Tōdai-ji, Nara, Nara | |
| Artifacts from the Nara Fujinoki kofun | Various articles from a 6th-century tomb generally of Chinese appearance including a gilt bronze saddle with elephant and phoenix motifs, four bronze mirrors, earthen ware and Sue ware, metal objects and glass articles | Kofun period, latter half of 6th century | Fujinoki Tomb, Ikaruga, Nara; excavated in 1985 | The Museum, Archaeological Institute of Kashihara, Kashihara, Nara | |
| Stone with the imprint of Buddha's feet | Buddha footprint on stone with circles of truth engraved in the feet; Japan's oldest Buddha footprint | Nara period, July 27, 753 | Japan, exact place unknown | Yakushi-ji, Nara, Nara | |
| Verses tablet or Yakushi-ji Poems | Tablet with 21 verses in the Tanka style praising the Stone with the imprint of Buddha's feet, written in the man'yōgana writing system | Nara period, c. 750 | Japan, exact place unknown | Yakushi-ji, Nara, Nara | |
| Artifacts from the Shitori sutra mound | Various items from a sutra mound including a statue of Kannon Bodhisattva, a statue of the thousand-armed Goddess of Mercy, a copper sheet with an engraving of Maitreya Bodhisattva, two bronze mirrors, a bronze sutra container, fragments of a folding fans, remains of short swords and knives, glass beads, two copper coins and remains of lacquer ware | Heian period, 1103 | Shitori Shrine, Yurihama, Tottori | Shitori Shrine, Yurihama, Tottori | — |
| Bronze bells from the Kamo-Iwakura site | 39 dōtaku ritual bells; largest number excavated from a single site in Japan | middle Yayoi period | Kamo-Iwakura Site, Unnan, Shimane. Found in 1996 | Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo, Izumo, Shimane | |
| Bronze implements from the Kojindani site | 358 bronze swords, 16 bronze hoko, six dōtaku ritual bells; length of swords: | Yayoi period | Kōjindani Site, Hikawa, Shimane. Excavated in 1984–1985 | Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo, Izumo, Shimane | |
| Artifacts from the Narabara sutra mound | Artifacts from the Narabara sutra mound including a bronze sutra container of pagoda shape, a bronze sutra container, five bronze mirrors, two folding fans, two porcelain boxes, a bronze hairpin, small knives, five bronze bells, an iron bell, a temple gong, copper coins, remains of a jar and an earthenware soup bowl | Heian period, 12th century | Mount Narabara, Imabari, Ehime | Tamagawa Modern Art Museum, Imabari, Ehime. owner: Narabara Shrine | — |
| Artifacts from the Miyajidake Kofun | Various articles from a 6th-century kofun including horse ornaments, a crown, remains of two long swords, bronze mirrors, a gold ring, bronze chains, bronze bowls | Kofun period, 6th century | Miyajidake Kofun, Fukutsu, Fukuoka | Miyajidake Shrine, Fukutsu, Fukuoka. | |
| in 57 AD as mentioned in the Book of the Later Han | Yayoi period, 1st century | southern tip of Shikanoshima, Fukuoka, Fukuoka. Found on April 12, 1784 | Fukuoka City Museum, Fukuoka, Fukuoka. | ||
| Copper plate sutras and Copper container | 33 copper plates with engraved sūtras and cast bronze container engraved with Buddha statues on all four sides, plated with gold at the four corners | Heian period, September 24, 1142 and October 21, 1142 according to inscriptions | Mount Kubote, Buzen, Fukuoka | Kubote Historical Museum, Buzen, Fukuoka | — |
| Artifacts from the Okitsumiya ritual site of Munakata-taisha and | Huge number of artifacts including a golden loom, a harness pendant in the shape of a heart leaf, mirrors, bracelets, beads, Haji ware pot, Sue ware vessel stand, a bronze incense burner, magatama, a gold ring, a gilt-bronze miniature of five-stringed zither, a gilt-bronze miniature floor loom, etc. | Kofun period–Heian period; the golden loom dates to the Asuka period, 6th–7th century; gilt-bronze loom, pot, vessel stand and miniature zither date to the Nara period, 8th century | Okinoshima, Munakata, Fukuoka | Munakata Taisha, Munakata, Fukuoka | — |
| Artifacts from the Hirabaru square-shaped moated burial precinct | 40 bronze mirrors, an iron sword with a ring pommel and many beads of various type. Among the bronze mirrors are the largest specimen of their kind with a diameter of | Yayoi period–Kofun period | Hirabaru Site, Maebaru, Fukuoka; excavated in 1965 | Itokoku History Museum, Itoshima, Fukuoka | — |