~Outline of the Cultural Administration of Japan~ Published: March 2015 Edited and Published By: Cultural Properties Department, Agency for Cultural Affairs, JAPAN
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Protection of Cultural Properties Logo ~Outline of the Cultural Administration of Japan~ Published: March 2015 Edited and published by: Cultural Properties Department, Agency for Cultural Affairs, JAPAN 3-2-2 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo 100-8959 TEL +81-(0)3 -5253-4111(main line) URL http://www.bunka.go.jp/english/index.html No article or any part thereof may be reproduced without permission in writing of the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Cultural Properties Department, Agency for Cultural Affairs, JAPAN c Agency for Cultural Affairs 2015.3 Schematic Diagram of Cultural Properties Items of Cultural Properties in Japan Important items especially high value Designation Designation performing arts,(iii)folk skills, and( iv)clothes, implements and Important Cultural Properties National Treasures Types of Cultural Properties in Japan houses used in connection with the foregoing. Our cultural properties have been created, developed, and Monuments Tangible Cultural Registered Tangible Monuments include shell mounds, tumuli, sites of fortified capitals, preserved throughout Japan’s long history. They have been passed Properties Registration Cultural Properties down from one generation to another, and they are now precious assets sites of forts or castles and monumental houses, which are of high Items especially in need of preservation and utilization of the Japanese people. historical or scientific value. They also include gardens, bridges, Structures Cultural properties include(i)structures such as shrines, temples gorges, seashores, mountains, and other places of scenic beauty which Fine arts and applied crafts and private houses,(ii)Buddhist statues,(iii)paintings,(iv) are of high artistic or scenic value. Moreover they include animals, Paintings, Sculptures, Crafts, Callingraphies, Books, Documents, Archeological artifacts, Historical materials calligraphy,(v)other skills called waza such as performing arts and plants, and geological and mineral formations which are of high scientific value. Important items craft techniques, and(vi)traditional events and festivals. Natural Designation landscapes unchanged beyond time, historic villages and townscapes Cultural Landscapes Intangible Cultural Properties Important Intangible Cultural Properties are also regarded as our cultural properties. Cultural landscapes are defined as those that have evolved with the Under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties, these modes of life or livelihoods of people in Japan and with the Drama, Music, Craft techniques, etc cultural properties are categorized as follows; geo-cultural features of the region. They are indispensable to the Intangible Cultural Properties that need understanding of the lifestyles and/or livelihoods of the people of Tangible Cultural Properties Selection measures such as documentation Tangible cultural properties consist of a those of high historical or Japan. ( ) Items especially in need of preservation and utilization artistic value such as structures, paintings, sculptures, crafts, Groups of Traditional Buildings calligraphic works, classical books and ancient documents, and(b) Groups of traditional buildings are defined as those that have high Especially important those of high scientific value such as archeological artifacts and other value and form historic scenery together with their surroundings. Designation historical materials. Except structures, they are generically called“ fine Folk Cultural Properties Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties and applied arts.” Out of these cultural properties, the government designates, selects Tangible Folk Cultural Properties Intangible Cultural Properties and registers important items in respective categories as Important Intangible cultural properties are defined as those that have high Cultural Properties, Important Intangible Cultural Properties, Clothes, tools and implements, houses, and other Important Tangible / Intangible Folk Cultural Properties, Historic objects used in connection with intangible folk Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties historical or artistic value such as drama, music and craft techniques. cultural property They are embodied by individuals or groups who have mastered waza. Sites, Places of Scenic Beauty, and Natural Monuments. It gives high priority to the protection of them. Intangible Folk Cultural Properties Folk Cultural Properties Also protected are(a)underground cultural properties(Buried Manners and customs, folk performing arts and Registered Tangible Folk Cultural Properties Folk cultural properties are defined as items indispensable for Cultural Properties), and(b)traditional skills and techniques that are folk techniques that are related to food, clothing, Registration and housing, to occupations, religious faith, and understanding the transition in people’s daily lives, such as(i) necessary for the restoration and preservation of cultural properties Items especially in need of preservation and utilization manners and customs relating(a)to food, clothing and housing,(b)to (Conservation Techniques for Cultural Properties). annual events, etc occupation,(c)to religious faith and(d)to annual events,(ii)folk Intangible Folk Cultural Properties that need Cultural Selection measures such as documentation Number of Designated Cultural Properties (as of August 1, 2014) Items especially in need Designation National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties Designation Important Intangible Cultural Properties Properties Important items Especially important National Treasures Important Cultural Properties Individual Recognition Group Recognition Designation Designation Monuments Historic Sites Special Historic Sites Paintings 159 items 1,987 items No. of No. of No. of holding designations No. of holders designations groups Sculptures 128 items 2,676 items Ancient sites Applied Crafts 252 items 2,439 items Performing Arts 38 items 55 persons(55) 12 items 12 groups Shell mounds, Ancient tombs Designation Places of Scenic Beauty Special Places of Calligraphies, Books 224 items 1,893 items Craft Techniques 39 items 55 persons(54) 14 items 14 groups Sites of palaces, Sites of forts or Scenic Beauty Total 77 items 110 persons (109) 26 items 26 groups castles, Monumental dwelling Documents 60 items 749 items houses Archeological artifacts 45 items 603 items Note: Some holders receive multiple recognitions; the number in brackets indicates Designation Places of Scenic Beauty Natural Monuments Special Natural Historical materials 3 items 177 items the actual number of individuals Gardens, Bridges, Gorges, Monuments Fine Arts and Crafts Seashores, Mountains Subtotal 871 items 10,524 items Designation Important Tangible Designation Important Intangible Animals, Plants, Geological Structures (266 buildings) (4,629 buildings) Folk Cultural Properties Folk Cultural Properties 218 items 2,412 items and mineral formations Registered Monuments Registration Total 1,089 items 12,936 items 214 items 286 items Items especially in need of preservation and utilization Note: The figures for Important Cultural Properties include National Treasures Selection Important Cultural Selection Important Preservation Selected through application Especially important Designation Historic Sites, Places of Scenic Beauty, and Natural Monuments Landscapes Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings by prefectural Cultural or municipal governments 43 items 106 districts Important Cultural Landscapes Special Historic Sites 61 items Historic Sites 1,724 items Landscapes Special Places of Scenic Beauty 36 items Places of Scenic Beauty 378 items Selection Selected Conservation Techniques Landscapes that have evolved in association with the modes of life or livelihoods of the people and the Special Natural Monuments 75 items Natural Monuments 1,012 items geo-cultural features of the region, which are indispensable to the understanding of the lifestyles and/or Holders Preservation Groups Total 172(162) items Total 3,114(3,005) items livelihoods of the people of Japan 45 items 51 holders 29 items 31 groups(29 groups) Terraced rice fields, Mountain villages, Waterways Items of Note: The figures for Historic Sites, Places of Scenic Beauty, and Natural especially high value Note: Some preservation groups receive multiple recognitions; the number in Monuments include Special Historic Sites, Special Places of Scenic Beauty, Decided by and Special Natural Monuments. Historic sites, places of scenic beauty, and brackets indicates the actual number of groups municipalities Preservation Districts Important Preservation Groups of Selection natural monuments may be repeatingly appointed, the contents within( ) for Groups of Districts for Groups of are actually appointed. Traditional Buildings Traditional Buildings Traditional Buildings Registration Registered Monuments Registration Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Structures) Post towns, Castle towns, Farming or Fishing villages Items in need of preservation measures 82 items 9,643 items Conservation Techniques Selection Selected Conservation Techniques Selection Intangible Cultural Properties that needs Registration Registered Tangible Cultural Properties for Cultural Properties measures such as documentation (Works of Fine Arts and Applied Crafts) Techniques necessary for the restoration and preservation of Cultural Properties 90 items 14 items Protection of Cultural Properties Logo The Protection of Cultural Properties logo was chosen from public Selection Intangible Folk Cultural Properties that Registration