Cultural property

Japanese: 文化財 - ぶんかざい

The term "cultural properties" was not commonly used, but it gradually began to be used after the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties was enacted and promulgated in 1950. In order to adapt to subsequent changes in social conditions, the law was significantly revised in 1975, and the meaning of the term "cultural properties" was classified and defined as follows:

(1) Tangible Cultural Property: Buildings, paintings, sculptures, crafts, calligraphy, classics, ancient documents and other tangible cultural artifacts that are of great historical or artistic value to our country, as well as archaeological materials and historical materials of great academic value.

(2) Intangible Cultural Properties: Drama, music, craft techniques and other intangible cultural products that are of great historical or artistic value to our country.

(3) Folk cultural property: Manners and customs relating to food, clothing, shelter, occupations, faiths, annual events, etc., folk performing arts, as well as clothing, utensils, houses and other objects used in such activities, which are indispensable for understanding the changes in the lives of our people.

(4) Monuments: Shell mounds, ancient tombs, ruins of capitals, castles, old houses and other ruins which are of great historical or academic value to Japan, gardens, bridges, gorges, beaches, mountains and other scenic spots which are of great artistic or aesthetic value to Japan, as well as fauna, flora, geology and minerals which are of great academic value to Japan.

(5) Cultural Landscape: A scenic area formed by the lives or occupations of people in a region and the local climate, which is indispensable for understanding the lives or occupations of our people.

(6) Group of Traditional Buildings: Groups of traditional buildings that are highly valuable and that blend in with the surrounding environment to form a historical landscape.

The Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties stipulates that the state may designate and protect important items among these. In accordance with the above definitions, important tangible cultural properties are designated as Important Cultural Properties, important intangible cultural properties are designated as Important Intangible Cultural Properties, particularly important folk cultural properties are designated as Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties and Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties, and important monuments are designated as Historic Sites, Places of Scenic Beauty, and Natural Monuments. Furthermore, among these, Important Cultural Properties that are highly valuable from the standpoint of world culture and are unparalleled national treasures are designated as National Treasures, and particularly important Historic Sites, Places of Scenic Beauty, and Natural Monuments are designated as Special Historic Sites, Special Places of Scenic Beauty, and Special Natural Monuments. When designating an item as an Important Intangible Cultural Property, its holder (commonly known as a Living National Treasure) is also recognized at the same time. Furthermore, particularly important cultural landscapes are selected as Important Cultural Landscapes, and particularly valuable groups of traditional buildings are selected as Important Groups of Traditional Buildings. In addition, there are buried cultural properties that have been excavated and become tangible cultural properties, and sometimes even designated as Important Cultural Properties or National Treasures.

Among intangible cultural properties, traditional techniques or skills that are essential for the preservation of cultural properties and for which preservation measures are required are selected as Selected Preservation Techniques, and the holders and preservation organizations of those techniques are certified.

In 1996, the revised Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties came into force, introducing a system of looser protection measures (the Cultural Properties Registration System) to complement the previous designation system with the aim of protecting modern cultural properties. Initially, only buildings among tangible cultural properties were eligible for registration, but a 2004 amendment to the law (implemented in 2005) expanded the scope to include tangible cultural properties other than buildings (arts and crafts), and also created a registration system for tangible folk cultural properties and monuments. Properties that are particularly in need of preservation and utilization are registered as registered tangible cultural properties, registered tangible folk cultural properties, and registered monuments, respectively.

The above are national cultural properties, however, local governments (prefectures, cities, towns, villages, etc.) may, in accordance with ordinances, designate important properties within their jurisdictions and treat them as their own cultural properties.

[Yukio Enomoto]

"Agency for Cultural Affairs, ed., '50 Year History of the Law Concerning Protection of Cultural Properties' (2001, Gyosei)" ▽ "Cultural Properties Protection Law Study Group, ed., 'Latest Amendments to the Law Concerning Protection of Cultural Properties' (2006, Gyosei)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

文化財という語は一般的にあまり用いられなかったが、1950年（昭和25）に文化財保護法が制定公布されてから、しだいに用いられるようになった。その後の社会情勢などの変遷により、これに適合させるため、75年この法律に大改正がなされ、文化財という語の意味する内容を次のように分類し、定義づけている。

(1)有形文化財　建造物、絵画、彫刻、工芸品、書跡、典籍、古文書その他の有形の文化的所産で、わが国にとって歴史上または芸術上価値の高いもの、および考古資料ならびに学術上価値の高い歴史資料。

(2)無形文化財　演劇、音楽、工芸技術その他の無形の文化的所産で、わが国にとって歴史上または芸術上価値の高いもの。

(3)民俗文化財　衣食住、生業、信仰、年中行事などに関する風俗慣習、民俗芸能およびこれに用いられる衣服、器具、家屋その他の物件で、わが国民の生活の推移の理解のために欠くことのできないもの。

(4)記念物　貝塚、古墳、都城跡、城跡、旧宅その他の遺跡で、わが国にとって歴史上または学術上価値の高いもの。庭園、橋梁(きょうりょう)、峡谷、海浜、山岳その他の名勝地で、わが国にとって芸術上または観賞上価値の高いもの、ならびに動物・植物、地質・鉱物で、わが国にとって学術上価値の高いもの。

(5)文化的景観　地域における人々の生活または生業および地域の風土により形成された景観地で、わが国民の生活または生業の理解のため欠くことのできないもの。

(6)伝統的建造物群　周囲の環境と一体をなして歴史的風致を形成している伝統的な建造物群で価値の高いもの。

　文化財保護法では、これらのうち重要なものを国が指定し、保護することができることを規定している。指定に際しては、前記の定義により、有形文化財のなかで重要なものは重要文化財に、無形文化財のなかで重要なものは重要無形文化財に、民俗文化財のなかでとくに重要なものは重要有形民俗文化財、重要無形民俗文化財に、記念物のなかで重要なものは史跡・名勝・天然記念物に指定する。さらにこれらのなかで、重要文化財のうち、世界文化の見地から価値が高く、たぐいない国民の宝であるものを国宝に指定し、史跡・名勝・天然記念物のうち、とくに重要なものについても特別史跡・特別名勝・特別天然記念物に指定している。なお、重要無形文化財に指定する場合には、同時にその保持者（俗に人間国宝とよばれる）も認定することとなっている。さらに文化的景観のなかでとくに重要なものを重要文化的景観に、伝統的建造物群のなかで価値のとくに高いものを重要伝統的建造物群に選定している。このほかに埋蔵文化財があり、発掘されて有形文化財となり、さらに重要文化財・国宝に指定されることもある。

　なお、無形文化財のうち文化財の保存のために欠くことのできない伝統的技術または技能で保存措置を講じる必要のあるものを選定保存技術として選定し、その技術の保持者、保存団体を認定している。

　1996年（平成8）改正文化財保護法が施行され、近代の文化財の保護を図ることを目的に、従来の指定制度を補完するものとして、緩やかな保護措置を講ずる制度（文化財登録制度）が導入された。登録の対象は、当初は有形文化財のうち建造物のみとされていたが、2004年の同法改正（施行は2005年）により、建造物以外の有形文化財（美術工芸品）まで拡充され、さらに有形民俗文化財および記念物の登録制度も創設された。保存と活用がとくに必要なものについて、それぞれ登録有形文化財、登録有形民俗文化財、登録記念物として登録される。

　以上は、国の文化財であるが、地方公共団体（都道府県市町村等）では条例の定めるところにより、当該地方公共団体の区域内に存するもののうち、重要なものを指定して、その公共団体の文化財としている。

［榎本由喜雄］

『文化庁編『文化財保護法五十年史』（2001・ぎょうせい）』▽『文化財保護法研究会編著『最新改正　文化財保護法』（2006・ぎょうせい）』