List of National Treasures of Japan (writings: others)

Part of the Chikubushima Sutra written on paper decorated with drawings of plants and animals

The term "National Treasure" has been used in Japan to denote cultural properties since 1897,^[1][2] although the definition and the criteria have changed since the introduction of the term. The written materials 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".^[3][4] The list presents 104 entries from the Western Wei dynasty to the Meiji period with most dating to the period of Classical Japan and Mid-Imperial China from the 7th to 14th century. The total number of items is higher, however, since groups of related objects have been joined as single entries.

The list contains various types of written materials such as sutra copies, Buddhist commentaries and teachings, poetry and letters. Some of the designated objects originated in China, and were imported at a time when writing was being introduced to Japan. The items in this list were predominantly made with a writing brush on manuscript scrolls, which was the preferred medium until the advent of commercial printing and publishing in the 17th century.^[5] In many cases the manuscripts are noted examples of calligraphy. They are housed in temples, museums, libraries or archives, shrines, universities and in private collections.^[4] The writings in this list represent about half of the 228 National Treasures in the category "writings". They are complemented by 68 Japanese and 56 Chinese book National Treasures of the List of National Treasures of Japan (writings: Japanese books) and the List of National Treasures of Japan (writings: Chinese books).^[4]

Statistics[]

Map showing the location of non-book writings National Treasures in Japan

Usage[]

The table's columns (except for Remarks and Image) are sortable pressing the arrows symbols. The following gives an overview of what is included in the table and how the sorting works.

• Name: the name as registered in the Database of National Cultural Properties^[4]
• Authors: name of the author(s)
• Remarks: information about the type of document and its content
• Date: period and year; The column entries sort by year. If only a period is known, they sort by the start year of that period.
• Format: principal type, technique and dimensions; The column entries sort by the main type: scroll (includes handscrolls and letters), book (includes albums, ordinary bound books and books bound by fukuro-toji)^{[nb 2]} and other (includes hanging scrolls)
• Present location: "temple/museum/shrine-name town-name prefecture-name"; The column entries sort as "prefecture-name town-name".
• Image: picture of the manuscript or of a characteristic document in a group of manuscripts

Treasures[]

Buddhist writings[]

Sutras[]

The concept of writing came to Japan from the Korean kingdom of Baekje in the form of classical Chinese books and sutras, likely written on paper and in the form of manuscript rolls (kansubon).^[6][7][8][9] This probably happened at the beginning of the 5th century (around 400), and certainly in conjunction with the introduction of Buddhism in the 6th century.^[7][10] The increasing popularity of Buddhism, strongly promoted by Prince Shōtoku (574–622), in the late-6th century and early-7th century was one of the factors^{[nb 3]} leading to a rise in the importance of writing.^[11] Buddhism required the study of sutras in Chinese. To satisfy the growing demand for them, imported Sui and Tang manuscripts were copied, first by Korean and Chinese immigrants, and later in the mid-7th century by Japanese scribes.^[12][13] The Sangyō Gisho ("Annotated Commentaries on the Three Sutras"), traditionally attributed to Prince Shōtoku, is the oldest extant Japanese text of any length.^[14] By 673 the entire Buddhist canon had been systematically copied.^[8][15] Not a single sutra survives from before the end of the 6th century.^[16] The oldest extant complete sutra copied in Japan dates to 686 and has been designated a National Treasure.^[15][17] During the 7th and 8th centuries, the copying of Buddhist texts, including sutras, dominated writing. Few Chinese secular or local Japanese works (which were rare) were copied.^[17] The state founded a Sutra Copying Bureau (shakyōjo) before 727^{[nb 4]} with highly specialized calligraphers, proofreaders and metal polishers to satisfy the large demand for Buddhist texts.^{[8][11][14][15][18]} Sutra copying was not only for duplication but also to acquire religious merit;^[15][19] thus nearly all Buddhist texts were hand-copied during the 8th century despite knowledge of printing.^[14]

The peak of sutra copying occurred in the Nara period at which time the Great Perfection of Wisdom (Daihannya) sutra and the Lotus Sutra were the sutras most often copied.^[17][20][21] Most of the sutras were written in black ink on paper dyed pale yellow.^{[nb 5][22]} However, some were made with gold or silver ink on indigo, purple or other colored paper—particularly the ones that were produced in 741 when Emperor Shōmu decreed Konkōmyō Saishōō sutras written in gold letters be distributed among provincial temples.^{[8][22][23][24]} Many sutra copies contain a colophon with the name of the sponsor—often somebody from the ruling class—and the reason of copying, usually related to the health or salvation of people or the state.^[13][21]

After the shakyōjo closed at the end of the 8th century, the imperial family and leading aristocrats continued to sponsor sutra copying.^[18] Because of an enhanced belief in the powers of the Lotus Sutra, more Heian period copies of this sutra exist than of all other sutras combined.^[25] Starting in the early Heian period, styles became flowery and ornate with lavish decorations as sutras were not used only in recitation but for dedication and sacrifice.^[22][26][27] Devotional sutra copying was more often undertaken by the initiator than in the Nara period.^[8][25] New forms of decoration came in fashion by the early-11th century including placing each character in the outline of a stupa, on lotus pedestals or next to depictions of Boddhisattvas.^[28][29] Sutras were increasingly furnished with frontispieces starting in the 11th century.^[28] Calligraphy shifted from Chinese to Japanese style.^[30] Sutra copying continued into the Kamakura and subsequent periods, but only rarely to comparable artistic effect.^[29] With the import of printed Song editions in the Kamakura period, hand-copying of the complete scriptures died out and sutra copying was only practiced for its devotional aspect.^[31][32] Forty-seven sutras or sets of sutras from the 6th century Western Wei to 14th century Nanboku-chō period have been designated National Treasures. Some of the oldest items in this list originated in China.^[4]

Name	Authors	Remarks	Date	Format	Present location	Image
Segment of the Sutra of the Wise and Foolish (賢愚経残巻, Kengukyō zankan), Yamato edition[33]	Emperor Shomuattributed to Emperor Shōmu	Chapters 8 ("Vajra, the Daughter of King Prasenajit"), 9 ("Golden Wealth"), 10 ("Heavenly Flowers"), 11 ("Heavenly Jewels"), and the final lines of Chapter 48 ("Upagupta") of the Sutra of the Wise and Foolish, or Sutra of the Karma of the Wise and Foolish; total of 262 lines with eleven to fourteen characters per line; also known as Great Shōmu (大聖武, ōshōmu) after Emperor Shōmu; originally kept at Tōdai-ji in Yamato	0710Nara period, 8th century	One handscroll, ink on paper, 25.7 cm × 696.9 cm (10.1 in × 274.4 in)	Tokyo Tokyo Tokyo National Museum Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo
Segment of the Sutra of the Wise and Foolish (賢愚経残巻, Kengukyō zankan)	Emperor Shomuattributed to Emperor Shōmu	Volumes 1 (419 lines), 2 (149 lines), 3 (18 lines); also known as Great Shōmu (大聖武, ōshōmu) after Emperor Shōmu	0710Nara period, 8th century	Three handscrolls, ink on paper	Tokyo Tokyo Maeda IkutokukaiMaeda Ikutokukai, Tokyo	—
Segment of the Sutra of the Wise and Foolish (賢愚経残巻, Kengukyō zankan)[34]	Emperor Shomuattributed to Emperor Shōmu	Volumes 1 (461 lines), 2 (503 lines); also known as Great Shōmu (大聖武, ōshōmu) after Emperor Shōmu; formerly in the possession of Kaidan-in, Tōdai-ji	0710Nara period, 8th century	Two handscrolls, ink on paper, 27.5 cm × 1,200 cm (10.8 in × 472.4 in)	Hyogo Kobe Hakutsuru Fine Art MuseumHakutsuru Fine Art Museum, Kobe, Hyōgo
Lotus Sutra, Chapter on "Expedient Means" (法華経方便品, Hokekyō hōbenbon)[35]	Minamoto Toshifusaattributed to (源俊房) by Shōkadō Shōjō in a postscript from 1625	28 lines per page; also known as Chikubushima Sutra (竹生島経) as the scroll is in possession of Hōgon-ji on Chikubu Island; paper decorated with gold and silver underdrawings of butterflies, birds, flowering plants, imaginary Buddhist flowers, and clouds; the introductory chapter of the same work, located at Hōgon-ji, has been designated as a National Treasure	0900Heian period, 10th century	One handscroll, ink on decorated paper, 29.6 cm × 528.5 cm (11.7 in × 208.1 in)	Tokyo Tokyo Tokyo National Museum Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo
Lotus Sutra in minute characters (細字法華経, saiji hokekyō)[36][37]	Li Yuanhuitranscription by (李元恵, rigenkei)	39 pages of 56 ruled lines with 32 characters per line; also known as Honored Companion Sutra (御同朋経, godōbōkyō); handed down at Hōryū-ji	0694Tang Dynasty, 694	One handscroll, ink on paper; 25.7 cm × 2,150 cm (10.1 in × 846.5 in)	Tokyo Tokyo Tokyo National Museum Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo
Commentary on the Vimalakirti Sutra (浄名玄論, jōmyō genron)[38]	unknown	Oldest extant text using the Japanese dating system; 20 to 40 characters per line; originally in the possession of Tōdai-ji	0706Asuka period, 706[nb 6]	Eight handscrolls, ink on paper, height: 27.8–28.0 cm (10.9–11.0 in), length: 296.0–1,092.0 cm (116.5–429.9 in)	Kyoto Kyoto Kyoto National Museum Kyoto National Museum, Kyoto
Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra on deep blue paper (紺紙金字大宝積経, konshikinji taihō shakukyō) vol. 32, Goryeo Tripiṭaka with gilt letters (高麗国金字大蔵経, kōraikoku kinji daizōkyō)[39][40][41]	Choi Sung-sak	Earliest copied sutra of the Goryeo dynasty and only surviving volume of a set of complete Buddhist scriptures, offered by Queen Heonae and . The cover is decorated with a hōsōge flower pattern and the frontispiece with three bodhisattvas scattering flower offerings, both in silver paint.	One handscroll, gilt letters on deep blue paper, 29.1 cm × 881.2 cm (11.5 in × 346.9 in)	1006Goryeo, 1006	Kyoto Kyoto Kyoto National Museumcustody of Kyoto National Museum, Kyoto, Kyoto; owned by National Institutes for Cultural Heritage
Segment of the Sutra of the Incantation of the one thousand armed, one thousand eyed Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva (千手千眼陀羅尼経残巻, senju sengen daranikyō zankan)[42]	Genbō (玄昉)	Only extant portion of one thousand copies of the Senju sengen daranikyō made by Genbō; mentioned in the Essential Records of Tōdai-ji (東大寺要録, tōdaiji yōroku); total of 109 lines; beginning of scroll is lost	0741Nara period, 741	One handscroll, ink on paper, 25.5 cm × 246.0 cm (10.0 in × 96.9 in)	Kyoto Kyoto Kyoto National Museum Kyoto National Museum, Kyoto
Golden Light of the Most Victorious Kings Sutra (紫紙金字金光明最勝王経, shishikinji konkōmyō saishōōkyō)[43][44]	unknown (Sutra Copying Bureau)	One of the sutras enshrined in the state-sponsored "Temples for the Protection of the State by the Golden Light (of the) Four Heavenly Kings"; said to have been enshrined in Bingo Province	0741Nara period, 8th century, Tenpyō era after 741	Ten handscrolls, gilt letters on violet paper, 26.4 cm × 841.1 cm (10.4 in × 331.1 in) (vol. 1)	Nara Nara Nara National Museum Nara National Museum, Nara, Nara
Dhāraṇī of the Adamantine Place (金剛場陀羅尼経, Kongō Jōdaranikyō)	Horintranscription by the priest Hōrin	Oldest hand-copied sutra in Japan	0686Asuka period, 686	One handscroll, ink on paper	Tokyo Tokyo Agency for Cultural AffairsAgency for Cultural Affairs, Tokyo
Konkōmyō Saishōō Sutra with gilt letters (紫紙金字金光明最勝王経, shishikinji konkōmyō saishōōkyō)	unknown (Sutra Copying Bureau)	One of the sutras enshrined in the state-sponsored "Temples for the Protection of the State by the Golden Light (of the) Four Heavenly Kings" founded by Emperor Shōmu	0710Nara period, 8th century	Ten handscrolls	Wakayama Koya ReihokanReihōkan (owned by (龍光院)), Kōya, Wakayama	—
Mahavairocana Sutra (大毘盧遮那成仏神変加持経, Daibirushana jōbutsu jinpen kajikyō)	unknown	—	0794Heian period	Seven handscrolls, width: 27.6 cm (10.9 in), length: 56.0–1,386.1 cm (22.0–545.7 in)	Nara Nara Saidaiji Saidai-ji, Nara, Nara
(大般若経, Daihannya-kyō) or Yakushi-ji Sutra (薬師寺経, Yakushiji-kyō)[45]	various (ten-odd people)	Formerly in the possession of Yakushi-ji	0710Nara period, 8th century	387 handscrolls, ink on paper, height: 27.3 cm (10.7 in)	Osaka Osaka Fujita Art MuseumFujita Art Museum, Osaka
(大般若経, Daihannya-kyō)	unknown	Made on request of Prince Nagaya praying for the deceased Emperor Mommu	0712Nara period, 712	27 bound books	Shiga Koka Jomyoji (常明寺), Kōka, Shiga	—
(大般若経, Daihannya-kyō)	unknown	Made on request of Prince Nagaya praying for the deceased Emperor Mommu; oldest extant manuscript of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra	0712Nara period, 712	142 bound books	Shiga Koka Taiheiji (太平寺), Kōka, Shiga
Konkōmyō Saishōō Sutra (金光明最勝王経, Konkōmyō Saishōōkyō)	unknown	—	0762Nara period, 762	Ten handscrolls, 32.4 cm × 803.0 cm (12.8 in × 316.1 in)	Nara Nara Saidaiji Saidai-ji, Nara, Nara
Konpon hyakuichi konma (根本百一羯磨) vol. 6[46]	unknown	Transcription of a Chinese translation from 703, 12–13 characters per line	0710Nara period, 8th century	One handscroll, ink on paper, 27.4 cm × 1,164.9 cm (10.8 in × 458.6 in)	Tokyo Tokyo Nezu Art Museum Nezu Art Museum, Tokyo
Sutra of the Wise and Foolish (賢愚経, kengukyō) vol. 15	unknown	467 lines	0710Nara period, 8th century	One handscroll, ink on paper	Nara Nara Todaiji Tōdai-ji, Nara, Nara
Lotus Sutra in large characters (大字法華経, daiji hokekyō)	unknown	Volume three missing	0710Nara period, 8th century	Seven handscrolls, ink on paper	Wakayama Koya ReihokanReihōkan (owned by (龍光院)), Kōya, Wakayama	—
Fukū Kenjaku Shinpen Shingon Sutra (不空羂索神変真言経, fukū kenjaku shinpen shingonkyō)	unknown	—	0710Nara period, 8th century	18 handscrolls	Wakayama Koya ReihokanReihōkan (owned by (三宝院)), Kōya, Wakayama	—
Buddhist Monastic Traditions of Southern Asia (南海寄帰内法伝, nankai kiki naihōden) vols. 1,2	unknown	Oldest extant manuscript of this work; handed down in Ishiyama-dera	0710Nara period, 8th century	One handscroll, ink on paper, vol. 1: 26.5 cm × 885 cm (10.4 in × 348.4 in), vol. 2: 26.5 cm × 1,010 cm (10.4 in × 397.6 in)	Nara Tenri Tenri University Librarycustody of (天理大学附属天理図書館, Tenri daigaku fuzoku Tenri toshokan) (owned by Tenri University), Tenri, Nara
Lotus Sutra on deep blue paper (紺紙金字法華経, konshikinji hokekyō) and on deep blue paper (紺紙金字観普賢経, konshikinji kanfugenkyō)[47]	Taira no Kiyomori and his younger brother Yorimori	First couple of lines of each scroll transcribed by Taira no Kiyomori, following lines by Yorimori; therefore also called (両筆経, lit. Sutra written together)	1170Heian period, 1170–1172	Seven handscrolls (Lotus Sutra) and one handscroll (Samantabhadra Contemplation Sutra), gilt letters on deep blue paper	Hiroshima Hatsukaichi Itsukushima Shrine Itsukushima Shrine, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima
Instruction manual of the Nirvana Sutra (大般涅槃経集解, Daihatsu nehankyō shūge)[48]	unknown	Scrolls 11 to 69 of a 71 scroll manuscript; formerly in the possession of Tenkai, handed down in Rinnō-ji	0710Nara period (43 scrolls) and Heian period (16 scrolls)	59 handscrolls, ink on paper	Tochigi Nikko Rinnoji Rinnō-ji, Nikkō, Tochigi
Instruction manual of the Nirvana Sutra (大般涅槃経集解, Daihatsu nehankyō shūge)	unknown	Centered around a 54 scroll sutra edition from the Tang period to which 17 scrolls were added during the Kamakura – Edo period	0710Nara period – Edo period	71 handscrolls, ink on paper	Hyogo Kobe Hakutsuru Fine Art MuseumHakutsuru Fine Art Museum, Kobe, Hyōgo	—
Complete Buddhist scriptures in gold and silver letters (金銀字一切経, kinginji issaikyō) or Chūson-ji Sutras (中尊寺経, Chūson-ji kyō)[49]	unknown	Large-scale collection of sutras, Buddhist regulations and sutra explanations initiated by Fujiwara no Kiyohira; dedicated to Chūson-ji and later presented to Kongōbu-ji by Toyotomi Hidetsugu; decorated with various pictures in gold and silver paint; a set of 15 similar scrolls that were part of the same collection remained at Chūson-ji and are a National Treasure	1117-02Heian period, February 1117 – March 1126	4,296 handscrolls, gold and silver letters on indigo blue paper	Wakayama Koya ReihokanReihōkan (owned by Kongōbu-ji), Kōya, Wakayama
Complete Buddhist scriptures on deep blue paper with gilt letters (紺紙金字一切経, konshikonji issaikyō) or Chūson-ji Sutras (中尊寺経, Chūson-ji kyō)[50]	unknown	Large-scale collection of sutras, Buddhist regulations and sutra explanations initiated by Fujiwara no Kiyohira; dedicated to Chūson-ji; each scroll's end page is decorated with a drawing in gold paint; 15 scrolls with alternating gold and silver letters are part of a set of up to 5,300 scrolls most of which are now in the possession of Kongōbu-ji and a National Treasure	1117-02Heian period, February 1117 – March 1126	2,739 handscrolls, of which 15 are with gold and silver letters and 2,724 in gilt letters on indigo blue paper	Iwate Hiraizumi Chusonji Daichōju-in (大長寿院) (Chūson-ji), Hiraizumi, Iwate
Preface to the Lotus Sutra decorated with Buddhas (一字一仏法華経序品, ichiji ichibutsu hokekyō johon)[51]	Kūkai	Next to each character there is an image of a Bodhisattva in-between the lines said to be drawn by Kūkai's mother, Tamayori Gozen (玉依御前)	0794Heian period	One handscroll, length: 21.2 m (70 ft)	Kagawa Zentsuji Zentsuji Zentsū-ji, Zentsūji, Kagawa
Lotus pedestal character Lotus Sutra (一字蓮台法華経, ichijirendai hokekyō)　or The Encouragements of Bodhisattva Fugen (普賢勧発品, Fugen kanbotsubon)	unknown	Below each character a lotus flower is drawn thereby equating each character with the Bodhisattva; endpapers decorated with an inside scene of a Buddhist memorial service in blown away roof technique (吹抜屋台, fukinuki yatai)	1100late Heian period	One handscroll, ink on paper decorated with gold and silver dust and foil	Nara Nara Yamato Bunkakancustody of Yamato Bunkakan, Nara, Nara; owned by Kintetsu Corporation
Lotus pedestal character Lotus Sutra (一字蓮台法華経, ichijirendai hokekyō)[52]	unknown	Below each character a lotus flower is drawn just like Bodhisattvas are often depicted on a lotus pedestal; volume 6 missing	0794Heian period	Nine handscrolls, ink on paper	Fukushima Aizumisato Ryukoji (龍興寺), Aizumisato, Fukushima
Lotus Sutra (法華経, hokekyō) (prefatory sutra (開結共, kaiketsutomo))	unknown	—	1000Heian period, 11th century	Ten handscrolls, ink on decorative paper with five-colored design	Tokyo Tokyo Sensoji Sensō-ji, Tokyo
Lotus Sutra (法華経, hokekyō) or Kunōji Sutra (久能寺経, Kunōjikyō)[53][54]	Emperor Toba and others	Part of 30 scrolls (28 chapters of the Lotus Sutra plus introduction and postscript).	1100Heian period, 12th century	4 handscrolls, ink on decorated paper, 26.7 cm × 196.4 cm (10.5 in × 77.3 in)	Tokyo Tokyo Private private, Tokyo
Lotus Sutra (法華経, hokekyō) or Kunōji Sutra (久能寺経, Kunōjikyō)	Fujiwara clan	Originally offered to Anrakuji-in on occasion of Emperor Toba entering priesthood, later transferred to Kunōji. Part of 30 scrolls (28 chapters of the Lotus Sutra plus introduction and postscript).	1100Heian period, 12th century	19 handscrolls, ink on decorated paper	Shizuoka Shizuoka Tesshuji (鉄舟寺), Shizuoka, Shizuoka
Lotus Sutra (法華経, hokekyō) vol. 6	unknown	—	0794Heian period	One handscroll, ink on colored paper	Wakayama Koya ReihokanReihōkan (owned by Kongōbu-ji), Kōya, Wakayama	—
Lotus Sutra (法華経, hokekyō)	Unkei	Part of an eight scroll set, scroll 1 has been lost and scroll 8 is in private hand and a National Treasure; Unkei was supported by a female sponsor named Akomaro (阿古丸)	1183Heian period, 1183	Six handscrolls, ink on paper	Kyoto Kyoto Shinshogokurakuji Shinshōgokuraku-ji, Kyoto
Complete Buddhist scriptures, Song edition (宋版一切経, sōhan issaikyō)[53][55]	unknown	Contains an inscription dated 1198.	1127Southern Song	6102 bound books, woodblock prints, 29.6 cm × 11.7 cm (11.7 in × 4.6 in)	Kyoto Kyoto Daigoji Daigo-ji, Kyoto
Lotus Sutra (法華経, hokekyō) vol. 8	Unkei	Part of an eight scroll set, scroll 1 has been lost and scrolls 2 to 7 are located at Shinshōgokuraku-ji and a National Treasure; includes a postscript explaining the circumstances of the sutra transcription; Unkei was supported by a female sponsor named Akomaro (阿古丸)	1183Heian period, 1183	One handscroll, ink on paper	Tokyo Tokyo Private private, Tokyo
Lotus Sutra (法華経一品経, hokekyō ipponkyō), Amitabha Sutra (阿弥陀経, amidakyō) and Heart Sutra (般若心経, hannyashinkyō)[56]	unknown	Also called Jikō-ji Sutras (慈光寺経, Jikō-ji kyō)	1185Kamakura period	33 handscrolls, ink on paper decorated with gold and silver dust and foil	Saitama Tokigawa Jikoji (慈光寺), Tokigawa, Saitama
Lotus Sutra (法華経, hokekyō), (観普賢経, kanfugenkyō), (無量義経, muryōgikyō), Amitabha Sutra (阿弥陀経, amidakyō) and Heart Sutra (般若心経, hannyashinkyō)	unknown	Also called Hase-dera Sutras (長谷寺経, Hase-dera kyō); endpapers decorated with richly colored paintings on gold ground using ultramarine, verdigris, gold and silver paint and scarlet red	1185early Kamakura period	34 handscrolls: 28 Lotus Sutra, 1 Samantabhadra Contemplation Sutra, 3 Sutra of Immeasurable Meanings, 1 Amitabha Sutra, 1 Heart Sutra, ink on paper decorated with mist and clouds in gold and silver foil, width: 28.5 cm (11.2 in)	Nara Sakurai Hasedera Hase-dera, Sakurai, Nara
Maharatnakuta Sutra (宝積経要品, hōshakukyō yōhon)	Musō Soseki	—	1336Nanboku-chō period	One bound book, ink on paper, 31.5 cm × 10.5 cm (12.4 in × 4.1 in)	Tokyo Tokyo Maeda IkutokukaiMaeda Ikutokukai, Tokyo
Kegon Sutra, Kanji meaning and reading (花厳経音義, kegonkyō ongi)	unknown	Collection of difficult to interpret Chinese words showing their Japanese pronunciation and meaning in Man'yōgana; only extant manuscript	0794Heian period, 794	Two handscrolls, ink on paper	Tokyo Tokyo Agency for Cultural AffairsAgency for Cultural Affairs, Tokyo
Sutra of the Bodhisattva's Dwelling in the Womb (菩薩処胎経, bosatsu shotaikyō)[57]	unknown	Sutra on Buddha entering nirvana; first scroll is a transcription from the late Heian period, fifth scroll a transcription from the Nara period; remaining three scrolls contain a postscriptum from 550	0550Western Wei, 550	Five handscrolls, ink on paper	Kyoto Kyoto Kyoto Chionin Chion-in, Kyoto
Dairōtankyō (大楼炭経) vol. 3	unknown	Sutra on the occurrence of heaven on earth	0673Tang Dynasty, 673	One book bound by fukuro-toji[nb 2]	Kyoto Kyoto Kyoto Chionin Chion-in, Kyoto	—
Konkōmyō Saishōō Sutra in minute characters (細字金光明最勝王経, saiji konkōmyō saishōōkyō)	unknown	34 characters per line instead of the usual 17	0710Nara period, 710	Two handscrolls, ink on paper	Wakayama Koya ReihokanReihōkan (owned by (龍光院)), Kōya, Wakayama	—
Shaku makaenron (釈摩訶衍論)[58]	unknown	Commentary on the Awakening of Faith (大乗起信論, daijō kishinron); one of the principal books of Shingon Buddhism; lower part of opening phrase of volume one features Chinese characters of Empress Wu	0618Tang Dynasty, 618	Five bound books, ink on paper	Shiga Otsu IshiyamaderaIshiyama-dera, Ōtsu, Shiga	—
Vajrasekhara Sutra (金剛経, kongōkyō)	Zhang Jizhi (張即之)	—	1253Southern Song, 1253	One bound book, ink on paper, 32.2 cm × 1,781.0 cm (12.7 in × 701.2 in)	Kyoto Kyoto Chishakuin Chishaku-in, Kyoto
Biography of the Sixth Patriarch (六祖恵能伝, rokusoenōden)	unknown	Brought back from China by Saichō	0803Tang Dynasty, 803	One handscroll, ink on paper, 26.1 cm × 38.1 cm (10.3 in × 15.0 in)	Shiga Otsu EnryakujiEnryaku-ji, Ōtsu, Shiga	—
Vajrasekhara Sutra written by Daikaku Zenshi (大覚禅師筆金剛経, Daikaku Zenshi-hitsu kongōkyō)	Lanxi Daolong	—	1213Southern Song, 13th century	One bound book	Kyoto Kyoto Ryukoin (龍光院), Kyoto	—
Preface to the Lotus Sutra (法華経序品, hokekyō johon) or Chikubushima Sutra (竹生島経, Chikubushimakyō)[35][59]	Minamoto Toshifusaattributed to (源俊房) by Shōkadō Shōjō in a postscript from 1625	28 lines per page; paper decorated with gold and silver underdrawings of butterflies, birds, flowering plants, imaginary Buddhist flowers, and clouds; the Expedient Means chapter of the same work, located at the Tokyo National Museum, has been designated as National Treasure	1000Heian period, 11th century	One bound accordion book, ink on decorated paper, 26.3 cm × 481.5 cm (10.4 in × 189.6 in)	Shiga Nagahama HogonjiHōgon-ji, Nagahama, Shiga
(無量義経, muryōgikyō) and (観普賢経, kanfugenkyō) or Ornamental sutra (裝飾経)[60]	unknown	Thought to have formed a set together with the Lotus sutra	1000Heian period, 11th century	Two handscrolls, one each, ink on paper dyed in different shades of brown, muryōgikyō: 25.2 cm × 927.9 cm (9.9 in × 365.3 in), kanfugenkyō: 25.4 cm × 845.8 cm (10.0 in × 333.0 in)	Tokyo Tokyo Nezu Art Museum Nezu Art Museum, Tokyo

Treatises, commentaries[]

Nara period Buddhism was dominated by six state-controlled sects. They were introduced from the mainland and centred around the ancient capitals in Asuka and Nara. These schools were generally academic in nature, closely connected with the court and represented a doctrine that was far removed from the daily life of the people.^[61][62] In 804, two Japanese monks Kūkai and Saichō travelled to China; on their return they established Tendai and Shingon Buddhism respectively. Unlike their predecessors both esoteric schools took into account the needs of the common people. Though their origins lay in China, with time they acquired local Japanese traits.^[62][63] Generally the 9th century was a time when Chinese learning thrived in Japan. Authors produced a wide variety of works in Chinese language, including commentaries and treatises on a variety of subjects.^[64]

A number of new sects appeared in Japan in the 12th and 13th centuries as a natural reaction to the difficult teachings of older schools and partially motivated by the notion of mappō.^{[nb 7][65]} Growing out of an Amida cult, the Jōdo Shinshū Pure Land school was founded in 1224 by Shinran, and attracted a following from all classes and occupations.^[66][67] Three years later, Dōgen introduced the Sōtō school of Zen Buddhism emphasizing meditation and dharma practice.^[68] The first truly Japanese school of Buddhism goes back to Nichiren's proclamation of his teachings in 1253. Nichiren Buddhism was exceptional for being militant and intolerant.^[65] The central focus of Nichiren's teaching was the veneration of the Lotus Sutra.^[65][68][69]

Fourteen treatises and commentaries of famous Japanese monks dating from the early Heian to the Kamakura period have been designated as National Treasures. These include three commentaries by Kūkai on two of the main mantras (Dainichikyō and Kongōhannyakyō) of Shingon Buddhism, works by Shinran discussing Pure Land Buddhism, mappō and Amida, a manual on zazen "seated meditation" by Dōgen and two works by Nichiren related to his teachings. In addition two large scale collection of documents from the Nara to the Meiji period are listed here as National Treasures.^[4]