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| - National Treasures (国宝: kokuhō) are the most precious of Japan's Tangible Cultural Properties. The Agency for Cultural Affairs (a subsidiary arm of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) determines and designates the National Treasures. According to the selection criteria each National Treasure must show an outstanding quality of workmanship, a high value for world cultural history, or exceptional value for scholarship. Designated National Treasures generally are classified either as "buildings and structures" or as "fine arts and crafts". The former comprise structures that are sections of castles, Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines or residences. Approximately 20% of the 1079 National Treasures are buildings. The remaining 80% of National Treasures consist of t
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| abstract
| - National Treasures (国宝: kokuhō) are the most precious of Japan's Tangible Cultural Properties. The Agency for Cultural Affairs (a subsidiary arm of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) determines and designates the National Treasures. According to the selection criteria each National Treasure must show an outstanding quality of workmanship, a high value for world cultural history, or exceptional value for scholarship. Designated National Treasures generally are classified either as "buildings and structures" or as "fine arts and crafts". The former comprise structures that are sections of castles, Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines or residences. Approximately 20% of the 1079 National Treasures are buildings. The remaining 80% of National Treasures consist of the following types of art: paintings; scrolls; sutras; works of calligraphy sculptures in wood; bronze, lacquer or stone; crafts such as pottery; lacquer ware; carvings; metalworks; swords and textiles; and archaeological and historical artifacts. The listed items span the period from ancient to early modern Japan before the Meiji period, from some of the world's oldest pottery of the Jōmon period to 19th century documents and writings. With the designation of the Akasaka Palace in 2009, there is one 20th century National Treasure. As a term "National Treasure" has been used in Japan since 1897, though the meaning changed in 1950. The significance of the term pre-1950 differs from the term in post-1950. Before 1950 "National Treasure" had been assigned to a much larger number of cultural properties, comparable to the current Important Cultural Properties and National Treasures combined. Japan has the most comprehensive network of legislation for protecting, preserving, and classifying its cultural patrimony. The regard to physical and intangible properties and their protection is typical of the Japanese preservation and restoration protection. Direct measures aimed at protecting designated National Treasures include restrictions on alterations, transfer and export and financial support in the form of grants and tax reduction. The Agency for Cultural Affairs provides owners with advice on restoration, administration and public display of the properties. These efforts are supplemented with laws that protect the built environment of designated structures and the necessary techniques for restoration of works. Most of Japan's National Treasures are located in Kansai, which had been the region of the capital of Japan from ancient times to the 19th century. Kyoto boasts about one in five national treasures. The designated "fine arts and crafts" properties are either privately owned or in museums such as the national museums of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Nara; public prefectural and city museums; or private museums. Religious items are often housed in temples and Shinto shrines or in the temple or shrine's museum or treasure house.
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