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56-581: Taihaku-ku is located inland, forming the southern portion of Sendai metropolis. The area is mountainous to the west, and the Natori River flows through the ward. The area of present-day Taihaku-ku was part of ancient Mutsu Province , and has been settled since at least the Japanese Paleolithic period. The area was inhabited by the Emishi people, and came under the control of the imperial dynasty during

112-400: A further 12,251 designations at prefectural and 49,793 at municipal level. Intangible Cultural Properties ( 無形文化財 , mukei bunkazai ) are cultural products of high historical or artistic value such as drama, music, and craft techniques. Items of particular importance can be designated as Important Intangible Cultural Properties ( 重要無形文化財 , jūyō mukei bunkazai ) . Recognition

168-767: A further 167 designations at prefectural and 522 at municipal level. Folk Cultural Properties are items indispensable to understand the role and influence of tradition in the daily life of the Japanese, such as manners and customs related to food, clothing, work, religion; folk performing arts; and folk techniques used to produce the mentioned Folk Cultural Properties. Folk Cultural Properties can be classified as Intangible or Tangible. Intangible Folk Cultural Properties ( 無形民俗文化財 , mukei minzoku bunkazai ) are items such as manners and customs related to food, clothing and housing, occupation, religion, and annual events; folk performing arts; and folk techniques used in connection with

224-579: A further 6,195 designations at prefectural and 24,598 at municipal level. A single designation can be classed under more than one of these categories; the number is for primary classification (for instance Hamarikyū Gardens in Tokyo are classed as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty, with a secondary classification as a Special Historic Site; for the purpose of these counts it would be a Special Place of Scenic Beauty). Cultural Landscapes ( 文化的景観 , bunkateki keikan ) are landscapes which have evolved together with

280-734: A further 7 designations at prefectural and 101 at municipal level. Groups of Traditional Buildings ( 伝統的建造物群 , Dentōteki kenzōbutsu-gun ) is a category introduced by a 1975 amendment of the law which mandates the protection of groups of traditional buildings which, together with their environment, form a beautiful scenery. They can be post towns, castle towns, mining towns, merchant quarters, ports, farming or fishing villages, etc. Municipalities can designate items of particular importance as Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings and approve measures to protect them. Items of even higher importance are then designated Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings by

336-1049: A further 733/1595 designations at prefectural and 4,698/6,062 at municipal level. Monuments ( 記念物 , kinenbutsu ) include historic locations such as shell mounds , ancient tombs, sites of palaces, sites of forts or castles, monumental dwelling houses and other sites of high historical or scientific value; gardens, bridges, gorges, mountains, and other places of great scenic beauty; and natural features such as animals, plants, and geological or mineral formations of high scientific value. The government designates "significant" items classifying them in three categories: Historic Sites ( 史跡 , shiseki ) , Places of Scenic Beauty ( 名勝 , meishō ) , and Natural Monuments ( 天然記念物 , tennen kinenbutsu ) . Items of particularly high significance receive higher classifications: Special Historic Sites ( 特別史跡 , tokubetsu shiseki ) , Special Places of Scenic Beauty ( 特別名勝 , tokubetsu meishō ) , and Special Natural Monuments ( 特別天然記念物 , tokubetsu tennen kinenbutsu ) respectively. Alterations to

392-453: A survey carried out under guidance of Okakura Kakuzō and Ernest Fenollosa from 1888 to 1897 all over Japan, about 210,000 objects of artistic or historic merit were evaluated and catalogued. The end of the 19th century saw a drastic change in political climate and cultural values: from an enthusiastic adoption of western values to a returned interest in the Japanese cultural heritage. Japanese architectural history appeared on curricula and

448-515: A system of governmental financial support for the preservation of buildings and the restoration of artworks. It applied to works of architecture and related art of historic uniqueness and exceptional quality (art. 2). Applications for financial support were to be made to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (art. 1), and the responsibility for restoration or preservation lay in the hand of local officials (art. 3). Restoration works were financed directly from

504-404: A temporary protection including export. Under this law, about 8000 objects were protected, including temples, shrines and residential buildings. By 1939, 8282 items in nine categories (painting, sculpture, architecture, documents, books, calligraphy, swords, crafts and archaeological resources) had been designated National Treasures and were forbidden to be exported. During World War II many of

560-577: Is a river located in central Miyagi prefecture , in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan . It starts at Mount Kamuro in the Ōu Mountains and flows in an easterly direction through the cities of Natori and Sendai . The river's headwaters start in the Zao Mountain range , it flows through the Sendai Plain and ends by draining into Sendai Bay. The river's estuary is located on Japan's east coast, and faces

616-527: Is also a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty. The northern part of the ravine is within the borders of the Zao Quasi-National Park , and the middle and southern portions are part of a Prefectural park. At the southern end of the ravine is the Akiho Onsen, a hot spring resort area. Cultural Properties of Japan A Cultural Property ( 文化財 , bunkazai ) is administered by

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672-426: Is also given to the 'holders' of the necessary techniques, to encourage their transmission. There are three types of recognition: individual recognition, collective recognition, and group recognition. Special grants of two million yen a year are given to individual holders (the so-called National Living Treasures ) to help protect these properties. The government also contributes part of the expenses incurred either by

728-1110: Is forbidden, except when authorized. The National Treasury supports the conservation and restoration of these items, and the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs provides technical assistance for their administration, restoration, public display and other activities. Conservation work is performed by an item's owner, with financial support available for large expenses. Because many items are made of wood, bark and other flammable materials, they are often extremely susceptible to fires. Owners are therefore given subsidies to install fire and other disaster prevention systems. As of 1 February 2012, there were 12,816 Important Cultural Properties (including 1,082 National Treasures), of which approximately one fifth were structures. By class, there were 1,974 (198) paintings; 2,654 (126) sculptures; 2,428 (252) crafts; 1,882 (223) calligraphic works; 739 (60) ancient documents; 586 (44) archaeological materials; 167 (3) historical materials; and 2,386 (216) structural designations, including 4,469 (264) individual structures. There were

784-709: Is no equivalent system for Intangible Folk Cultural Properties. As of 1 February 2012, there were 21 registered properties. Monuments from the Meiji period onward which require preservation can be registered as Registered Monuments ( 登録記念物 ) , thereby gaining a moderate level of protection based on notification and guidance. As of 1 February 2012, 61 monuments were registered under this system. Most cultural properties in Japan used to belong to Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines , or were handed down in aristocratic and samurai families. Feudal Japan came to an abrupt end in 1867/68 when

840-433: Is possible. In cases when charging these expenses is not possible, local public organizations carry out the investigation with public funds. Any object found under the ground must be given to police, except when its owner is known. The object is then investigated to determine if it qualifies as a Cultural Property. Any Cultural Property whose owner is not known becomes as a rule property of the prefecture . Techniques for

896-608: The Japanese government 's Agency for Cultural Affairs ( Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology ), and includes tangible properties (structures and works of art or craft); intangible properties (performing arts and craft techniques); folk properties both tangible and intangible; monuments historic, scenic and natural; cultural landscapes ; and groups of traditional buildings . Buried properties and conservation techniques are also protected. Together these cultural properties are to be preserved and utilized as

952-486: The Tokugawa shogunate was replaced by a new system of government with the so-called Meiji Restoration . Largely because of the official policy of separation of Shinto and Buddhism and of the anti-Buddhist movements that advocated the return to Shinto , a large number of Buddhist buildings and artwork were destroyed in an event known as haibutsu kishaku (literally "abolish Buddhism and destroy Shākyamuni "). In 1871

1008-492: The "Ancient Shrines and Temples Preservation Law" of 1897. Most of these were religious buildings erected from the 7th to the early 17th century. About 500 buildings had been extensively restored with 90% of costs paid from the national budget. Restorations during the Meiji period often employed new materials and techniques. In 1929, the National Treasures Preservation Law ( 国宝保存法 , kokuhō hozonhō )

1064-635: The "Society for the Investigation and Preservation of Historic Sites and Aged Trees" lobbied and achieved a resolution in the House of Peers for conservation measures. Eventually, this led to the 1919 Historical Sites, Places of Scenic Beauty, and Natural Monuments Preservation Law ( 史蹟名勝天然紀念物保存法 , shiseki meishō tennenkinenbutsu hozonhō ) , giving the same protection and cataloging to these properties as temples, shrines and pieces of art had received in 1897. By 1929 about 1100 properties had been designated under

1120-573: The 1950 law covered a broad spectrum of properties. The law was the basis for the establishment of the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Properties, a precursor of today's Agency for Cultural Affairs . It allowed the selection of the most important Cultural Properties, set restrictions on the alteration, repair and export of Cultural Properties and provided measures for the preservation and utilization of such properties. The regulations implementing

1176-738: The Futakuchi-kyōkoku ( 二口峡谷 ) . The ravine contains the Akiu Great Falls , one of " Japan’s Top 100 Waterfalls ", in a listing published by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment in 1990 and a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty . The ravine also contains the Banji ( 磐司岩 , Banji-iwa ) , a monolithic cliff of tuff with a width of 150 meters and length of three kilometers, which has been eroded into vertical columns. This cliff

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1232-689: The Japanese Association for Conservation of Architectural Monuments (for repairs and woodwork), the National Association for the Preservation of Roofing Techniques for Shrines and Temples (techniques for organic roofing materials: cypress bark, shingles, thatch) and the Association for the Conservation of Cultural Properties (paintings and lacquering of architectural monuments) In addition to

1288-642: The Meiji restoration. Some of the first residential buildings designated would be the Yoshimura residence in Osaka (1937) and the Ogawa residence in Kyoto (1944). In addition, the designation National Treasure was applied not only to objects of art but to historical buildings as well. The new law also required permissions for intended alterations of designated properties. Starting with

1344-623: The Okura dam reservoir and the Kamafusa Dam reservoir, both of which serve as regulators of flood control and for the supply of water. In the event of the river flooding, the dams serve to control and reduce water flow to lower basins. On the upper reaches of the Natori River, on the boundary between Miyagi Prefecture and Yamagata Prefecture , the river passes through a beautiful eight kilometer long ravine with cliffs, rock formations and pools called

1400-542: The Pacific Ocean. The river's flow is the greatest during the snow melt season from March to April, the rainy season from June to July and during the typhoon season from September to October. The river's length is 55 km, and its tributaries are the Hirose, Masuda and Goishi Rivers. The Natori provides water for 1 million people in the city of Sendai . The river's basin is 939 km and has two primary reservoirs,

1456-492: The area was organised into Natori District of Miyagi Prefecture . The expanding city of Sendai annexed the town of Nagamachi in 1928, villages of Nishitaga in 1932, Tanaka in 1941, Oide in 1956 and town of Akiu in 1988. On April 1, 1989 when Sendai became a designated city by the national government with increased local autonomy, Taihaku-ku was formed as one of the five wards of the city . Taihaku-ku has 28 public elementary schools and 14 public junior high schools operated by

1512-522: The central government. The government's Agency for Cultural Affairs then provides guidance, advice, and funds for repairs and other work. Additional support is given in the form of preferential tax treatment. As of 1 February 2012, 93 Groups of Traditional Buildings have been nationally designated, with a further 1 designation at prefectural and 89 at municipal level. Buried Cultural Properties ( 埋蔵文化財 , maizō bunkazai ) are Cultural Properties, such as tombs, caves, and ruins, which are buried into

1568-596: The city government. The ward has four public high schools operated by the Miyagi Prefectural Board of Education. Miyagi Prefecture also operates two special education schools within the ward. In addition, Taihaku-ku is host to the Tohoku Korean Primary and Junior High School , a North Korean international school . [REDACTED] Media related to Taihaku-ku, Sendai at Wikimedia Commons Natori River The Natori River ( 名取川 , Natorigawa )

1624-413: The designated buildings were camouflaged, and water tanks and fire walls installed for their protection. 206 designated buildings, including Hiroshima Castle , were destroyed from May to August 1945. The 9th century Buddhist text Tōdaiji Fujumonkō , designated as National Treasure in 1938, was destroyed in 1945 by fire as a result of the war. On January 26, 1949, the kon-dō of Hōryū-ji , one of

1680-1086: The designation system there also exists a "registration system" ( 登録制度 ) , which guarantees a lower level of protection and support. The Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties 1950 classifies items designated as Cultural Properties in the following categories: Tangible Cultural Properties ( 有形文化財 , yūkei bunkazai ) are cultural products of high historical or artistic value whether structures ( shrines , temples , other buildings), works of art ( paintings , sculpture ), craft works , calligraphic works , ancient documents, archaeological materials, historic materials and other such items. All objects which are not structures are termed "works of fine arts and crafts". Items designated Tangible Cultural Properties can then, if they satisfy certain criteria, be designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan ( 重要文化財 , jūyō bunkazai ) or National Treasures ( 国宝 , kokuhō ) for especially valuable items. Any alteration to Important Cultural Properties and National Treasures requires governmental permission and exportation

1736-542: The destruction of Cultural Properties. Owners had to register designated objects with newly created museums, which were granted first option in case of sale. Initially, 44 temple and shrine buildings and 155 relics were thus designated, including the kon-dō at Hōryū-ji . The laws of 1897 are the foundation for today's preservation law. At the time of their enactment only Britain, France, Greece and four other European nations had similar legislation in place. The restoration of Tōdai-ji 's Daibutsuden from 1906 to 1913

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1792-451: The existing state of a site or activities affecting its preservation require permission from the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs. Financial support for purchasing and conserving designated land and for the utilization of the site is available through local governments. As of 1 February 2012, there were 1,667 (60) Historic Sites; 331 (30) Places of Scenic Beauty; and 953 (72) Natural Monuments (including Special Natural Monuments). There were

1848-434: The face of radical westernization, these efforts ground to a halt. Starting in 1880, the government allotted funds for the preservation of ancient shrines and temples. By 1894, 539 shrines and temples had received subsidies for repairs and reconstruction Buildings that were repaired during this period include the five-storied pagoda of Daigo-ji , the kon-dō of Tōshōdai-ji and the hon-dō of Kiyomizu-dera . In

1904-536: The first books on architectural history were published, stimulated by the newly compiled inventories. On June 5, 1897, the government enacted the Ancient Temples and Shrines Preservation Law ( 古社寺保存法 , koshaji hozonhō ) (law number 49), which was the first systematic law for the preservation of Japanese historic art and architecture. This law was formulated under the guidance of the architectural historian and architect Itō Chūta and established in 20 articles

1960-422: The government confiscated the lands of temples, which were seen as a symbol of the previous ruling elite, and expropriated the properties of the feudal lords, causing the loss of historic castles and residences. It is estimated that nearly 18,000 temples closed during this time. Another factor that had a big influence on the cultural heritage was the increased industrialization and westernization, which accompanied

2016-419: The ground. About 460,000 ruin locations are presently known to exist in Japan. The protective measures taken include restrictions on their excavation. Any investigative excavation and construction work in the vicinity of a known site requires a notification. If preservation of the site is impossible, developers are required to cover expenses necessary to carry out an excavation, record any data and preserve what

2072-721: The heritage of the Japanese people. To protect Japan's cultural heritage, the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties contains a "designation system" ( 指定制度 ) under which selected important items are designated as Cultural Properties, which imposes restrictions on the alteration, repair, and export of such designated objects. Designation can occur at a national ( 国指定文化財 ) , prefectural ( 都道府県指定文化財 ) or municipal ( 市町村指定文化財 ) level. As of 1 February 2012, there were approximately 16,000 nationally designated, 21,000 prefecturally designated, and 86,000 municipally designated properties (one property may include more than one item). Besides

2128-675: The holder of the Intangible Cultural Property during training of his successor, or by a recognized group for public performances. To promote understanding, and therefore the transmission across generations, of these Cultural Properties, exhibitions concerning them are organized. The government through the Japan Arts Council also holds training workshops and other activities to educate future generations of noh , bunraku , and kabuki personnel. As of 1 February 2012, there were 115 Important Intangible Cultural Properties and

2184-726: The late Nara period . During the Heian period , it was controlled by the Abe clan , followed by the Northern Fujiwara clan of Hiraizumi . During the Sengoku period , the area was dominated by various samurai clans before coming under the control of the Date clan during the Edo period , who ruled Sendai Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate . With the establishment of the post- Meiji restoration municipalities system,

2240-427: The law applied to Tangible and Intangible Cultural Properties and included the mounting of paintings and calligraphy on scrolls, the repair of lacquerware and wooden sculptures, and the production of Noh masks, costumes and instruments. The minister of education can designate techniques indispensable for conservation as Selected Conservation Techniques. Examples of nominated entities in the field of architecture are

2296-444: The law specified three broad categories of properties: Tangible/Intangible Cultural Properties and Historic Sites, Places of Scenic Beauty, Natural Monuments". Tangible Cultural Properties were in this context defined as objects of "high artistic or historic value" or archaeological materials (or other historic material) of "high scholarly value". Designated buildings were required to be outstanding in design or building technique, have

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2352-558: The mentioned items. Clothes, tools and implements, houses and other objects used together with Intangible Folk Cultural Properties are classified as Tangible Folk Cultural Properties ( 有形民俗文化財 , yūkei minzoku bunkazai ) . Folk Cultural Properties can then, if they satisfy certain criteria, be designated Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties ( 重要有形民俗文化財 , jūyō yūkei minzoku bunkazai ) or Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties ( 重要無形民俗文化財 , jūyō mukei minzoku bunkazai ) . The government subsidizes projects for

2408-522: The national coffers (art. 8). This first law was followed by a second law on December 15, 1897 giving supplementary provisions for designating works of art in the possession of temples or shrines as "National Treasure" ( 国宝 , kokuhō ) ; religious architecture could be designated as "Specially Protected Buildings" ( 特別保護建造物 , tokubetsu hogo kenzōbutsu ) . The main criteria for designation were "artistic superiority" and "value as historical evidence and wealth of historical associations", but also age

2464-405: The oldest extant wooden buildings in the world and the first to be protected under the "Ancient Temples and Shrines Preservation Law", caught fire, resulting in the serious damage of valuable 7th century wall paintings. This incident accelerated the reorganisation of cultural property protection and gave rise to the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties ( 文化財保護法 , bunkazai hogohō ) which

2520-697: The owner. Loss, damage, change of ownership and intended changes that affect more than 25 percent of the visible surface need to be announced. On the other side, the owner is eligible for low interest loans for maintenance and repairs, subsidies for an architect and tax reductions of up to 50 percent. This new protection level is based on notification, guidance, and advice, and aims at voluntary protection of cultural properties by their owners. As of 1 February 2012, there were 8,699 registered structures and 13 registered works of art or craft. Items particularly in need of preservation and utilization can become Registered Tangible Folk Cultural Properties ( 登録有形民俗文化財 ) . There

2576-410: The people who inhabit them and with the geocultural features of a region, and which are indispensable to understand the lifestyle of the Japanese. They can be terraced rice fields, mountain villages, waterways and the like. Items of particular importance can be designated as Important Cultural Landscapes. As of 1 February 2012, 30 areas in Japan have been designated Important Cultural Landscapes, with

2632-470: The prestige associated with the nomination, the government provides subsidies for training, courses and documentation. Besides the above "designation system" ( 指定制度 ) , there exists a "registration system" ( 登録制度 ) , which guarantees a more modest level of protection. The existing categories are: Compared to designated Important Cultural Properties and National Treasures, Registered Tangible Cultural Properties ( 登録有形文化財 ) entail fewer responsibilities for

2688-424: The production of materials necessary for restoration and conservation, and the techniques of restoration and conservation themselves are not Cultural Properties, and are classified as Conservation Techniques for Cultural Properties. This form of protection was approved in 1975 (see below) and was made necessary by the disappearance of skilled craftsmen as a result of the industrialization. The techniques protected by

2744-602: The restoration and led to the impoverishment of Buddhist and Shinto institutions, the decay of temples and the export of valuable objects. On recommendation of universities, in 1871 the Department of State ( Dajō-kan ) issued a decree for the protection of antiquities, the Plan for the Preservation of Ancient Artifacts ( 古器旧物保存方 , koki kyūbutsu hozonkata ) , ordering prefectures , temples and shrines to compile lists of suitable important buildings and art treasures. However, in

2800-424: The restoration of Tōdai-ji 's Nandaimon gate in 1930, the standards for preservation works were raised. An architect supervised the reconstruction works on-site and extensive restoration reports, including plans, results of surveys, historical sources and documentation of the work done, became the norm. During the 1930s about 70–75 percent of restoration costs came from the national budget, which increased even during

2856-459: The restoration, administration, preservation, utilization, disaster prevention, etc. of Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties. In the case of Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties, public subsidies help local governments and other entities fund projects to train successors, restore or acquire props, tools and other objects. As of 1 February 2012, there were 211 Important Tangible and 272 Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties and

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2912-520: The war. In the early 1930s Japan suffered from the Great Depression . In order to prevent art objects that had not been designated from being exported due to the economic crisis, the Law Regarding the Preservation of Important Works of Fine Arts ( 重要美術品等ノ保存ニ関スル法律 , jūyō bijutsuhin tōno hozon ni kan suru hōritsu ) was passed on April 1, 1933. It provided for a simpler designation procedure and

2968-399: Was carried out under these laws. In 1914 the administration of cultural properties was transferred from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the Ministry of Education (today's MEXT ). At the beginning of the 20th century, modernization transformed the landscape and posed a threat to historic and natural monuments. Societies of prominent men like the "Imperial Ancient Sites Survey Society" or

3024-438: Was considered in the designation. Designated artworks could be from any of the following categories: painting, sculpture, calligraphy, books and handicrafts; subsequently swords were added. However the law was limited to items held by religious institutions, leaving privately owned articles unprotected. Funds for the restoration of certain works of art and structures were raised from 20,000 yen to 150,000 yen and fines were set for

3080-472: Was drafted on May 30, 1950 and came into force on August 29 of the same year. The new law combined the laws of 1919, 1929 and 1933, expanding their scope to cover also Intangible Cultural Properties, such as performing and applied arts, Folk Cultural Properties and Buried Cultural Properties. Before the enactment of the law, only Intangible Cultural Properties of especially high value at risk of extinction had been protected. Even by international standards,

3136-457: Was passed and came into force on July 1 of the same year. This law replaced the laws from 1897, extending protection to all public and private institutions and private individuals in order to prevent the export or removal of cultural properties. The focus was extended from religious buildings to castles , teahouses , residences and more recent religious buildings. Many of these structures had been transferred from feudal to private owners following

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