National Treasures of Japan - History - Extension of The Protection

Extension of The Protection

At the beginning of the 20th century, modernisation transformed the Japanese landscape and posed a threat to historic and natural monuments. Societies of prominent men such as the "Imperial Ancient Sites Survey Society" or the "Society for the Investigation and Preservation of Historic Sites and Aged Trees" lobbied and achieved a resolution in the House of Peers for conservation measures. Eventually these efforts resulted in the 1919 Historical Sites, Places of Scenic Beauty, and Natural Monuments Preservation Law (史蹟名勝天然紀念物保存法, shiseki meishō enrenkinenbutsu hozonhō?), protecting and cataloguing such properties in the same manner as temples, shrines, and pieces of art.

By 1929 about 1,100 properties had been designated under the 1897 "Ancient Shrines and Temples Preservation Law". Most were religious buildings dating from the 7th to early 17th century. Approximately 500 buildings were extensively restored, with 90% of the funding provided by the national budget. Restorations during the Meiji period often employed new materials and techniques.

In 1929 the National Treasures Preservation Law (国宝保存法, kokuhō hozonhō?) was passed, effective on July 1 of that year. The law replaced the 1897 laws, and extended protection for National Treasures held by public and private institutions and private individuals in an effort to prevent the export or removal of cultural properties. The focus of protection was not only for religious buildings, but for castles, teahouses, residences, and more recent religious buildings. Many of these structures had been transferred from feudal to private ownership following the Meiji restoration. Some of the first residential buildings to be designated National Treasures were the Yoshimura residence in Osaka (1937) and the Ogawa residence in Kyoto (1944). The designation "National Treasure" was applied to objects of art and to historical buildings. The new law required permissions to be obtained for future alterations of designated properties.

The restoration of Tōdai-ji's Nandaimon gate in 1930 saw improved standards for preservation. An architect supervised the reconstruction works on-site. Extensive restoration reports became the norm, including plans, results of surveys, historical sources, and documentation of the work done. During the 1930s, about 70–75% of restoration costs came from the national budget, which increased even during the war.

In the early 1930s Japan suffered from the Great Depression. In an effort to prevent art objects not yet designated National Treasures from being exported because of the economic crisis, the Law Regarding the Preservation of Important Works of Fine Arts (重要美術品等ノ保存ニ関スル 法律, jūyō bijutsuhin tōno hozon ni kan suru hōritsu?) was passed on April 1, 1933. It provided a simplified designation procedure with temporary protection, including protections against exportations. About 8,000 objects were protected under the law, including temples, shrines, and residential buildings. By 1939, nine categories of properties consisting of 8,282 items (paintings, sculptures, architecture, documents, books, calligraphy, swords, crafts, and archaeological resources) had been designated as National Treasures and were forbidden to be exported.

During World War II many of the designated buildings were camouflaged, and water tanks and fire walls were installed for protection. Nonetheless, 206 designated buildings, including Hiroshima Castle, were destroyed from May to August 1945. The 9th century Buddhist text Tōdaiji Fujumonkō, designated a National Treasure in 1938, was destroyed in 1945 by fire as a result of the war.