Kamakura National Treasure Museum

This museum stores and exhibits cultural assets such as paintings, sculptures, crafts, calligraphy, and old documents from the Kamakura and Muromachi periods.

It is located on the east side of the grounds of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, a shrine associated with Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate, which was founded in 1063.

The main building is a one-story, reinforced concrete structure with a main-tile roof, with an exterior in the style of a schoolhouse and an interior modeled after a temple building of the Kamakura period (1185-1333). The building is registered as a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.

Inside the building are the town emblem of Kamakura-cho and stained glass windows with stars and moons, which were made by Sanchi Ogawa. There is also a monument to Minamoto no Sanemyo on the premises.

Establishment History

The Kamakura National Treasure House was established because the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 severely damaged temples, shrines, and Buddhist statues in Kamakura, necessitating a facility to protect valuable cultural properties from disasters.

Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu Shrine was also damaged by the Great Kanto Earthquake, with the gate, maiten, Ichinotorii, Ninotorii, Sanotorii, and Taiko-bashi Bridge completely destroyed and the main shrine and worship hall slightly damaged.

The Kamakura Doujin Association took the lead in protecting Kamakura’s historical sites and temples and shrines, and a concrete plan was discussed, resulting in the establishment of the Kamakura National Treasure Museum in 1928.

Collection

The museum’s collection is mainly from the Kamakura to Muromachi periods and includes various cultural assets such as paintings, sculptures, crafts, calligraphy, and old documents. The museum’s collection consists of approximately 1,000 works, amounting to 4,800 pieces.

Many of these works were influenced by Zen Buddhism and Song and Yuan cultures. The Ujiie Ukiyoe collection of hand-painted ukiyoe prints is also included.

The museum houses many national treasures and important cultural properties deposited by temples and shrines in the city. In addition to displaying and promoting cultural properties, the museum also plays a role in protecting and managing valuable cultural properties from disasters.

Cultural Properties

Most of the designated cultural properties in the Kamakura National Treasure Museum are deposited by temples and shrines.

National Treasure:

Statue of Rankei Doryu in light color on silk - owned by Kenchoji Temple
Mandala Enki (Mandala Enki on paper in colors) - owned by Koumyouji Temple
Writing Box in maki-e lacquer and mother-of-pearl inlay on stone - owned by Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine
Old treasures from Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine (sword in mother-of-pearl inlay on foliate foliate lacquer, quiver in mother-of-pearl inlay on foliate lacquer, black lacquered arrow, and vermilion lacquered bow)
Sekiji (Dharma Words Rule) by Zen Master Daikaku - Lankei Doryu, Owned by Kenchoji Temple

Important cultural property:

Wooden Seated Image of Hojo Tokiyori - owned by Kenchoji
Wooden statue of the god of temple complex - owned by Kenchoji
Seated bronze statue of Yakushi Nyorai (from Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine) - owned by Jufukuji
Wooden standing Jizo Bosatsu (Jizo Bodhisattva) - owned by Jufukuji
Seated wooden statue of Benzaiten (Sarasvati) - owned by Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
Seated wooden statues of Hatsueo and Kushojin (two wooden statues) - owned by En’oji Temple
Five wooden bugaku masks - owned by Tsuruoka Hachimangu Shrine
Wooden Bodhisattva masks - owned by Tsuruoka Hachimangu Shrine
Standing bronze statue of Amida Nyorai and his two side chaplains - owned by Engakuji Temple
Seated wooden statue of Uesugi Shigebo - owned by Meigetsuin Temple
Noan Wako (priest), color on silk - owned by Kigen’in
Amida Engi (Amitabha Engi) - Silk and color on paper - Owned by Koshokuji Temple
Three images of Sakyamuni, color on silk - owned by Kenchoji Temple
Sixteen Arhats, color on silk - owned by Kenchoji
Kannon (Goddess of Mercy) - owned by Kenchoji
Soseki Muso statue, color on silk - owned by Koumei-in
Kie monk, color on paper - owned by Kenchoji Temple
Kokuzo Bosatsu (Bodhisattva of the Emptiness) - owned by Engakuji Temple
Five hundred arhats, color on paper - owned by Engakuji Temple
Illustrated biography of five patriarchs of the Pure Land in color on paper - owned by Komyoji
Black lacquer stand - owned by Kenchoji Temple
Bronze bell (inscribed on the first day of the third month of the second year of the reign of Hoji) - owned by Jorakuji
Lotus arabesque maki-e box-shaped tablet - Owned by Seirenji
Front desk - Owned by Enkakuji Temple
Celadon glazed incense burner with hakama waist - owned by Enkakuji
Vajra Prajna Sutra by Rankei Doryu - owned by Kenchoji
Letter of recommendation for the construction of Seiraian (by Gyokugin) - Owned by Kenchoji
Records of Tsuruoka Shrine - Paper and ink on paper - Owned by Tsuruoka Hachimangu Shrine
Map of Jokomyoji Temple site - owned by Jokomyoji Temple
Map of Engakuji Buddhist temple - owned by Kamakura City
Letter of Hojo Tokimune, first year of Koan - owned by Engakuji Temple
Muhaku Sogen’s calligraphy, dated Kouan 6 - Owned by Engakuji Temple
List of official objects of Butsunichian - Owned by Engakuji Temple
Tea ceremony regimen - owned by Jufukuji
Map of Engakuji Temple - owned by Engakuji Temple

The main building of the National Treasure Museum of Kamakura is also registered as a Tangible Cultural Property.