How to look at them

Short reads to help you enjoy old buildings more.

National Treasure vs. Important Cultural Property: How Buildings Are Designated

A National Treasure is the higher tier within Important Cultural Properties. This guide sorts out the numbers, the designation process and how both differ from registered properties, following the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

How to Read Roof Shapes and Materials

Learn the three basic roof forms, kirizuma, yosemune and irimoya, and the differences between honkawara tile, hinoki-bark and wooden-shingle roofing, using examples from Horyu-ji and Muro-ji.

Reading a Five-Story Pagoda: Structure and Five National Treasure Examples

Using Horyu-ji as the benchmark, this guide covers the central pillar and other structural features, then compares the pagodas of Muro-ji, Daigo-ji, Haguro-san and Rurikoji by era and roof material.

Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings and Their Town Types

How the system that protects whole townscapes rather than single buildings works, and what merchant, post, samurai and teahouse town types mean, using the Agency for Cultural Affairs list and real examples.