List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts: others)
The crafts items in the list adhere to the current definition and have been designated National Treasures according to the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties that came into effect on June 9, 1951.
The items are selected by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology based on their "especially high historical or artistic value".
Often the articles were decorated using a variety of artistic techniques like gilding of precious metals, line engraving, maki-e, mother of pearl inlay or lacquer.
[5][6][7] High-fired Korean Sue ware, and with it the pottery wheel, arrived in Japan around the 6th century, marking the beginning of major technological advances imported from the mainland.
To satisfy the demand for high quality pottery items necessary to the tea ceremony a large number of celadon vases and tenmoku ash-glazed teabowls initially were imported from China from the mid-11th to the 16th centuries.
The Japanese invasions of Korea from 1592 to 1598, and subsequent relocation of Korean potters to Kyushu, brought new pottery styles to Japan.
[9] This was also motivated by a general shift of tastes among teamasters and others, who came to prefer simpler unglazed tea bowls formed by hand rather than on a pottery wheel.
[6] Of the 14 pottery items in this list, eight entries are chawan bowls used in the tea ceremony, three are flower vases, one is an incense burner, one a tea-leaf jar and one a funerary pot.
They first appeared around the mid-Heian period and are a representation of honji suijaku, fusing Buddhist deities with local Shinto kami.
These include five[nb 3] decorated bronze or copper gongs, struck with wooden sticks during Buddhist rituals, a set of flower baskets (keko) used in the Buddhist flower-scattering ritual, six pagoda shaped reliquaries, an incense burner, a sutra container, a bowl for offerings, a banner for ceremonial use, the finial of a pilgrim's staff and two sets of implements used in Esoteric Buddhism.
All of these mirrors were generally circular, with a polished front, and a back decorated with molded or engraved reliefs, sometimes inlaid with gold or silver.
They are two gilt bronze lanterns, a plaque, a pair of phoenix sculptures, a pitcher and a calligraphy set consisting of a water dropper, spoons and an ink rest.
[78][79] Initially lacquer was used to enhance properties of utilitarian objects such as watertight drinking vessels, cooking and household goods.
[80] The oldest extant decorated item dates to the 6th century; in the medieval and early modern period lacquer was used in the manufacture of many products such as toiletry boxes, inkstone cases, eating utensils, plates, bowls, containers, furniture, saddles, stirrups or armour.
[86][87] Japanese lacquerwork reached its apogee in the 17th century Edo period when lacquer was used for decorative objects as well as everyday items such as combs, tables, bottle, headrests, small boxes or writing cases.
[120] Chinese and Korean weavers were encouraged to exhibit their fabrics bringing new techniques such as those used to make brocades or delicate silk gauzes.
[121][122] Because of a general change in aesthetics in the Heian period weaving and dyeing techniques became less varied with less colourful brocades, smaller patterns, and less elaborate gauzes.
[121] A total of seven National Treasures have been designated in the weaving and dyeing category, including: two mandalas, two monk's surplices or kesa, one brocade, one embroidery with a Buddhist motif and a set of garments presented to a shrine.
[138] Combining materials such as leather and silk with iron or steel parts, these armours had the advantage of being light, flexible, foldable and shock absorbent.
[147] The tighter fitting dō-maru, developed in the 11th century, was generally made of a combination of leather and metal and did not include a solid breastplate or sleeves.
[148] Even though it was a plainer armour compared to the ō-yoroi, upper class samurai started to adopt it around 1300, as battles began to be fought on foot favouring a more comfortable suit.
