List of National Treasures of Japan (paintings)
Prefecture City National Treasures
Aichi Nagoya 1
Aichi Tokoname 1
Fukuoka Dazaifu 1
Fukuoka Kurume 1
Hiroshima Hatsukaichi 1
Hiroshima Onomichi 1
Hyōgo Kasai 1
Hyōgo Kobe 1
Iwate Hiraizumi 1
Kanagawa Fujisawa 1
Kanagawa Kamakura 4
Kanagawa Yokohama 1
Kyoto Kyoto 51
Kyoto Uji 1
Kyoto Maizuru 1
Nara Asuka 2
Nara Heguri 1
Nara Nara 15
Nara Uda 1
Okayama Kurashiki 2
Statistics
The 162 entries in the list consist of the following : 91 are hanging scrolls ; 38 are hand scrolls or emakimono ; 23 are byōbu folding screens or paintings on fusuma sliding doors ; five are murals ; and three are albums . Two items , the portrait of Kichijōten and Illustrated Biography of Prince Shōtoku do not fall in any of these categories . The paintings are located in museums , Buddhist temples , Shinto shrines , private collections , a university and two are located in tombs ( Takamatsuzuka Tomb and Kitora Tomb ) . A large proportion of items are housed in the national museums of Tokyo , Kyoto and Nara . The city containing the greatest number of National Treasure paintings is Kyoto with 51 , followed by Tokyo with 47 of which 28 are located in the Tokyo National Museum which is the structure housing the most painting National Treasures .
The term National Treasure has been used in Japan to denote cultural properties since 1897. The definition and the criteria have changed since the inception of the term. These paintings adhere to the current definition, and were designated national treasures when the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties was implemented on June 9, 1951. As such, they are restricted in transfer and may not be exported. Owners are required to announce any changes to the National Treasures such as damage or loss and need to obtain a permit for changes in location, transfer of ownership or intended repairs. The items are selected by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology based on their especially high historical or artistic value. This list contains 162 paintings from 7th-century Asuka period to the early modern 19th-century Edo period. In fact the number of paintings presented is more than 162, because in some cases groups of related paintings are combined to form a single entry. The paintings listed show Buddhist themes, landscapes, portraits and court scenes. Some of the paintings were imported directly from China. The titles of the works are descriptive rather than the artists' titles; therefore it is possible to find alternate names in the literature for a given work. Beginning in the mid-6th century, as Buddhism was brought to Japan from Baekje, religious art was introduced from the mainland.