Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (古都京都の文化財)

"Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto" is a collective term of the temples in Kyoto City and Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture and Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture. They were registered as World Heritage sites (cultural heritage) of United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1994.

The Heritage sites

Kamowakeikazuchi-jinja Shrine (the Kamigamo-jinja Shrine)

Kamomioya-jinja Shrine (the Shimogami-jinja Shrine)

To-ji Temple

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Enryaku-ji Temple

Daigo-ji Temple

Ninna-ji Temple

Byodo-in Temple

Ujikami-jinja Shrine

Kozan-ji Temple

Saiho-ji Temple (Koke-dera Temple)

Tenryu-ji Temple

Rokuon-ji Temple (Kinkaku-ji Temple)

Jisho-ji Temple (Ginkaku-ji Temple)

Ryoan-ji Temple

Nishi Hongwan-ji Temple

Nijo-jo Castle

The registration standard

Specifically as follows:

(2) Kyoto had been the center area in the development of religious and nonreligious architecture and garden planning from the 8th to the 17th centuries. Therefore, Kyoto had played the decisive role to create cultural tradition in Japan, and in especially in the area of gardening it had influenced the other regions of the world significantly after the 19th centuries.

(4) The concentration of architecture and gardening design in the existing cultural properties shows mostly this aspect of premodern Japanese material culture.

The plan of additional registration

As time passes from registration, the environment and the landscape has deteriorated, and consequently, a plan for additional registration of Heritage sites around Kyoto City is being promoted. In particular, following temples show a positive attitude, the local government of Kyoto City aims at the additional registrations of Kyoto-gosho Palace and the Sagano-Arashiyama area.

Chion-in Temple

Daitoku-ji Temple

Eikando, Zenrin-ji Temple (Kyoto City)

In addition, followings are also being discussed.

Higashiyama area (Kyoto Prefecture)

Katsura Rikyu Imperial Villa

Shugaku-in Imperial Villa

[Original Japanese]