List of National Treasures of Japan (ancient documents)
Name Authors Content Date Format Present location
Documents of the Shimazu Family ( 島津家文書 , Shimazu-ke Monjo ) - Large scale collection of documents of the Shimazu clan covering among others politics , diplomacy , social economy and inheritance 0794 Heian period to Meiji period bundle/batch . The total number of documents is 15,133 ( 848 rolled scrolls , 752 bound books , 2629 bound double-leaved ( 袋とじ , fukuro-toji ) books , 2 hanging scrolls , 4908 single sheet letters , 160 maps of glued sheets , 207 single sheet maps ) Tokyo Tokyo Historiographical Institute of the University of Tokyo Historiographical Institute of the University of Tokyo , Tokyo
Genealogy of the Amabe Clan ( 海部氏系図 , amabeshi keizu ) - Oldest extant Japanese family tree 0794 Heian period one rolled scroll , 25.7 cm × 228.5 cm ( 10.1 in × 90.0 in ) Kyoto Miyazu Kono Shrine private , Kono Shrine , Miyazu , Kyoto
Letter from the viceroy of Portuguese India ( ポルトガル国印度副王信書 , porutogaru kokuindo fukuō shinsho ) Duarte de Menezes Letter from Duarte de Menezes , viceroy of Portuguese India to daimyō Toyotomi Hideyoshi concerning the suppression of Christians in Japan 1588-04 Azuchi-Momoyama period , April 1588 one single sheet letter , ink on paper , 60.8 cm × 76.4 cm ( 23.9 in × 30.1 in ) Kyoto Kyoto Myohoin Myōhō-in ( 妙法院 ) , Kyoto
etchū kuni kansō nōkoku kōtaiki zankan ( 越中国官倉納穀交替記残巻 ) - Agricultural records of villages in the Tonami District ( 礪波郡 ) of Etchū Province . It is a valuable resource for the study of an area under the Ritsuryō law in the 8th to 10th century 0751 Nara period and Heian Period , 751-901 one rolled scroll Shiga Otsu Ishiyamadera Ishiyama-dera , Ōtsu , Shiga
Sugaura documents ( 菅浦文書 , sugaura monjo ) and Illustrated map of Sugaura and Ōura Shimo manors ( 菅浦与大浦下庄堺絵図 , sugaura to ōura shimo no shō sakai ezu ) - Documents of the history of Sugaura that are relevant for the study of the history of sō ( 惣 ) , autonomous peasant communities in medieval Japan . The shōen map contains the boundaries of Sugaura and Ōura-shimo manors whose boundaries were contested at the time , but more prominently Chikubu Island in Lake Biwa with a temple - shrine complex ( Jingū-ji ) 1302 Kamakura period 1302 ( map ) ; Kamakura period - Edo period ( documents ) 65 bound double-leaved ( 袋とじ , fukuro-toji ) books , 1 hanging scroll Shiga Nagahama Nishiazai Suga Shrine Suga Shrine , Nishiazai , Nagahama , Shiga
Documents related to the priest Enchin ( 円珍関係文書 , enchin kankei monjo ) Enchin and others Documents surrounding Enchin 's trip to China ( 953-958 ) containing information on his activities as well as on Sino-Japanese relations in the mid-9th century . They are also of interest for the study of calligraphy 0800 Heian Period and Tang Dynasty , 9th-10th century eight rolled scrolls , ink on paper Tokyo Tokyo National Museum Tokyo National Museum , Tokyo
Imperial Decree Granting Ecclesiastical Rank of Hōin Daikashō and Posthumous Name Chishō Daishi to Enchin ( 円珍贈法印大和尚位並智証大師諡号勅書 , enchin zō hōin daikashō inarabini chishō daishi shigō chokusho ) Ono no Michikaze ( transcription ) , Fujiwara Hirofumi ( composer ) Letter promoting Enchin , the teacher of Zōmyō , abbot of Enryaku-ji , 36 years after his death to the highest ecclesiastical rank : Great Master of the Dharma Seal ( Hōin Daikashō ) and granting the posthumous name : hishō Daishi 0927-12-27 Heian period , December 27 , 927 rolled scroll , ink on decorative paper , 28.7 cm × 156.9 cm ( 11.3 in × 61.8 in ) Tokyo Tokyo National Museum Tokyo National Museum , Tokyo
Map of Nukata-dera garan and its vicinity ( 額田寺伽藍並条里図 , Nukata-dera garan narabini jōri-zu ) - A map showing a Shōen or manor in the Nara period . The depicted area is about 1,100m ( NS ) by 700m ( EW ) 0750 Nara period , second half of 8th century four linen cloths which together form a 2x2 map of 113.7 cm × 72.5 cm ( 44.8 in × 28.5 in ) Chiba Sakura National Museum of Japanese History National Museum of Japanese History , Sakura , Chiba
Name list of Abhiseka initiates ( 灌頂歴名 , kanjō rekimyō ) or List of individuals admitted into the mysteries of Shingon Buddhism Kūkai List of people and deities who underwent the Abhiseka ritual at Takaosan-ji ( 高雄山寺 ) ( now Jingo-ji ) in 812 , presided by Kūkai 0812 Heian period , 812 rolled scroll , ink on paper , 29.0 cm × 268.4 cm ( 11.4 in × 105.7 in ) Kyoto Kyoto Jingoji Jingo-ji , Kyoto
Official Register and Inventory for Kanshin-ji ( 観心寺縁起資財帳 , Kanshin-ji engi shizaichō ) - Document containing the reason and circumstances of the establishment of Kanshin-ji temple and a list of the temple 's assets from that time 0883-09-15 Heian period , September 15 , 883 one rolled scroll Osaka Kawachinagano Kanshinji Kanshin-ji , Kawachinagano , Osaka
Inventory of Kanzeon-ji ( 観世音寺資財帳 , kanzeonji shizaichō ) - Inventory of Kanzeon-ji 0905-10-01 Heian period , October 1 , 905 three rolled scrolls , ink on paper : 29.0 cm × 581.5 cm ( 11.4 in × 228.9 in ) , 29.0 cm × 936.0 cm ( 11.4 in × 368.5 in ) , 29.0 cm × 682.5 cm ( 11.4 in × 268.7 in ) Tokyo Tokyo University of the Arts Tokyo University of the Arts , Tokyo
Draft of the petition of foundation of Zenrin-ji by Emperor Kameyama ( 亀山天皇宸翰禅林寺御起願文案 , Kameyama-tennō shinkan zenrinji gokigan mon'an ) Emperor Kameyama Document on the foundation of Nanzen-ji , formerly Zenrin-ji ( 禅林寺 ) 1299-03-05 Kamakura period , March 5 , 1299 one rolled scroll Kyoto Kyoto Nanzenji Nanzen-ji , Kyoto
Visit of the cloistered Emperor to Kumano ( 熊野御幸記 , kumano gokōki ) Fujiwara no Teika Diary in classical Chinese of a visit with Emperor Go-Toba and Minamoto no Michichika to Kumano ( 熊野 ) 1201-10 Kamakura period , October , 1201 one rolled scroll , ink on paper , 30.1 cm × 678.0 cm ( 11.9 in × 266.9 in ) Tokyo Tokyo Mitsui Memorial Museum Mitsui Memorial Museum , Tokyo
Diary of ex- Emperor Go-Uda ( 後宇多院宸記 , Go-Uda-in shinki ) Emperor Go-Uda Chronicle in the guchūreki ( 具注暦 ) almanac in the emperor 's own handwriting 1319 Kamakura period , 1319 one rolled scroll Chiba Sakura National Museum of Japanese History National Museum of Japanese History , Sakura , Chiba
Will with Handprints by Emperor Go-Uda ( 後宇多天皇宸翰御手印遺告 , Go-Uda-tennō shinkan gotein yuigō ) Emperor Go-Uda Testament of Emperor Go-Uda with handprints 1308 Kamakura period , 1308 one rolled scroll , ink on paper , 54.5 cm × 788.8 cm ( 21.5 in × 310.6 in ) Kyoto Kyoto Daikakuji Daikaku-ji , Kyoto
Letter accompanying a prayer for the prosperity of Tō-ji temple , by Emperor Go-Uda ( 後宇多天皇宸翰東寺興隆条々事書御添状 , Go-Uda-tennō shinkan Tō-ji kōryūjōjō kotogaki onsōjō ) Emperor Go-Uda Imperial letter praying for the growth of Tō-ji temple , written in the emperor 's own handwriting one year after entering the priesthood 1308-02-12 Kamakura period , February 12 , 1308 one rolled scroll Kyoto Kyoto Toji Tō-ji , Kyoto
Letter of the Emperor Go-Uda , Promotion of the precepts of the Daigo school ( 後宇多天皇宸翰当流紹隆教誡 , Go-Uda-tennō shinkan tōryū shōryū kyōkai ) Emperor Go-Uda Three letters in the emperor 's own handwriting addressed to a monk of Hōon-in ( 報恩院 ) , Daigo-ji , with the intention of unifying the Ono ( 小野 ) and Hirosawa ( 広沢 ) branches of the Shingon sect 1309 Kamakura period , 1309 three letters mounted on a rolled scroll , 32.8 cm × 347.2 cm ( 12.9 in × 136.7 in ) Kyoto Kyoto Daigoji Daigo-ji , Kyoto
Model letter by Emperor Go-Saga ( 後嵯峨天皇宸翰御消息 , Go-Saga-tennō shinkan go-shōsoku ) Emperor Go-Saga Only extant letter of Emperor Go-Saga , addressed to the cloistered Prince Doshin of Ninna-ji 1246-04-15 Kamakura period , April 15 , 1246 one hanging scroll Kyoto Kyoto Ninnaji Ninna-ji , Kyoto
Testament by Emperor Go-Daigo ( 後醍醐天皇宸翰御置文 , Go-Daigo-tennō shinkan go-okibumi ) Emperor Go-Daigo Will in the emperor 's own handwriting 1333-08-24 Kamakura period , August 24 , 1333 one hanging scroll Kyoto Kyoto Daitokuji Daitoku-ji , Kyoto
Tenchō injin ( 後醍醐天皇宸翰天長印信 , Go-Daigo-tennō shinkan tenchō injin ) Emperor Go-Daigo transcription by Emperor Go-Daigo Monkan-bō Kōshin design and postscript by Monkan [ ja ] Certificate of highest confirmation in Esoteric Buddhism given by the priest Kūkai to his disciple Shinga 1339-07-23 Nanboku-chō period , July 23 , 1339 ( June 16 , Engen 4 ) one rolled scroll , ink on decorated paper , 32.0 cm × 122.2 cm ( 12.6 in × 48.1 in ) Kyoto Kyoto Daigoji Daigo-ji , Kyoto
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 introduction of the term. These ancient documents 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 Agency for Cultural Affairs, a special body of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, based on their especially high historical or artistic value. Ancient documents is one of thirteen categories of National Treasures recognized by the agency. The list presents 62 documents or sets of documents from classical to early modern Japan, from the Asuka period to the Meiji period. The actual number of items is more than 62 because groups of related objects have been combined into single entries. The list contains items of various type such as letters, diaries, records or catalogues, certificates, imperial decrees, testaments and maps. The documents record early Japanese government and Buddhism including early Japanese contact with China, the organization of the state and life at the Japanese imperial court. They are housed in 14 Japanese cities in temples (35), museums (13), libraries or archives (6), shrines (4), universities (2) and in private collections (2). Most entries (28) in the list are located in Kyoto. The documents in this list were made predominantly with a writing brush on paper and, in many cases, present important examples of calligraphy.