Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)
Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List
Type Cultural
Criteria ii, iv
Reference 688
UNESCO region Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription 1994 (18th Session)

The UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) encompasses 17 locations in Japan, within the city of Kyoto and its immediate vicinity. The locations are in three cities: Kyoto and Uji in Kyoto Prefecture; and Ōtsu in Shiga Prefecture; Uji and Ōtsu border Kyoto to the south and north, respectively. Of the monuments, 13 are Buddhist temples; three are Shinto shrines; and one is a castle. The properties include 38 buildings designated by the Japanese government as National Treasures, 160 properties designated as Important Cultural Properties, eight gardens designated as Special Places of Scenic Beauty, and four designated as Places of Scenic Beauty. UNESCO listed the site as World Heritage in 1994.

Selection criteria

Kyoto has a substantial number of historic buildings, unlike other Japanese cities that lost buildings to foreign invasions and war; and has the largest concentration of designated Cultural Properties in Japan. Although ravaged by wars, fires, and earthquakes during its eleven centuries as the imperial capital, Kyoto was spared from much of the destruction and danger of World War II. It was saved from the nearly universal firebombing of large cities in Japan in part to preserve it as the primary atomic bomb target. It was later removed from the atomic bomb target list, by the personal intervention of Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, as Stimson wanted to save this cultural center which he knew from his honeymoon and later diplomatic visits. As a result, Nagasaki was then added as a target.[1][2]

The 17 properties of the World Heritage Site originate from a period between the 10th century and the 19th century, and each is representative of the period in which it was built. The historical importance of the Kyoto region was taken into account by the UNESCO in the selection process.[3]

List of locations

Name Type Position Picture
Kamowakeikazuchi Shrine (賀茂別雷神社 Kamo Wake-ikazuchi Jinja)
aka Kamigamo Shrine (上賀茂神社 Kamigamo Jinja)		 Shinto shrine Kita-ku, Kyoto, 35°03′37″N 135°45′10″E / 35.06028°N 135.75278°E / 35.06028; 135.75278 (Kamigamo Shrine)
Kamomioya Shrine (賀茂御祖神社 Kamo Mioya Jinja) aka Shimogamo Shrine (下鴨神社 Shimogamo Jinja) Shinto shrine Sakyō-ku, Kyoto, 35°02′20″N 135°46′21″E / 35.03889°N 135.77250°E / 35.03889; 135.77250 (Shimogamo Shrine)
Kyōōgokoku-ji (教王護国寺)
aka Tō-ji (東寺)		 Shingon Buddhist temple Minami-ku, Kyoto, 34°58′51.48″N 135°44′48.02″E / 34.9809667°N 135.7466722°E / 34.9809667; 135.7466722 (Tō-ji)
Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺) Independent Buddhist temple Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 34°59′41.39″N 135°47′6.01″E / 34.9948306°N 135.7850028°E / 34.9948306; 135.7850028 (Kiyomizu-dera)
Enryaku-ji (延暦寺) Tendai Buddhist temple Ōtsu, Shiga, 35°4′13.62″N 135°50′27.33″E / 35.0704500°N 135.8409250°E / 35.0704500; 135.8409250 (Enryaku-ji)
Daigo-ji (醍醐寺) Shingon Buddhist temple Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, 34°57′3.57″N 135°49′10.51″E / 34.9509917°N 135.8195861°E / 34.9509917; 135.8195861 (Daigo-ji)
Ninna-ji (仁和寺) Shingon Buddhist temple Ukyō-ku, Kyoto, 35°1′51.63″N 135°42′49.58″E / 35.0310083°N 135.7137722°E / 35.0310083; 135.7137722 (Ninna-ji)
Byōdō-in (平等院) Buddhist temple jointly held by Jōdo shū and Tendai Uji, Kyoto, 34°53′21.45″N 135°48′27.69″E / 34.8892917°N 135.8076917°E / 34.8892917; 135.8076917 (Byōdō-in)
Ujigami Shrine (宇治上神社 Ujigami Jinja) Shinto shrine Uji, Kyoto, 34°53′31″N 135°48′41″E / 34.89194°N 135.81139°E / 34.89194; 135.81139 (Ujigami Shrine)
Kōzan-ji (高山寺) Shingon Buddhist temple of the Omuro school Ukyō-ku, Kyoto, 35°3′36.39″N 135°40′42.85″E / 35.0601083°N 135.6785694°E / 35.0601083; 135.6785694 (Kōzan-ji)
Saihō-ji (西芳寺) aka Moss temple (苔寺 Koke-dera) Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple Nishikyō-ku, Kyoto, 34°59′31.06″N 135°40′59.93″E / 34.9919611°N 135.6833139°E / 34.9919611; 135.6833139 (Saihō-ji)
Tenryū-ji (天龍寺) Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple of the Tenryū school Ukyō-ku, Kyoto, 35°0′57.47″N 135°40′25.58″E / 35.0159639°N 135.6737722°E / 35.0159639; 135.6737722 (Tenryū-ji)
Rokuon-ji (鹿苑寺) aka Temple of the Golden Pavilion (金閣寺 Kinkaku-ji) Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple Kita-ku, Kyoto, 35°2′21.85″N 135°43′45.71″E / 35.0394028°N 135.7293639°E / 35.0394028; 135.7293639 (Kinkaku-ji)
Jishō-ji (慈照寺) aka Temple of the Silver Pavilion (銀閣寺 Ginkaku-ji) Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple Sakyō-ku, Kyoto, 35°1′36.75″N 135°47′53.7″E / 35.0268750°N 135.798250°E / 35.0268750; 135.798250 (Ginkaku-ji)
Ryōan-ji (竜安寺、龍安寺, The Temple of the Peaceful Dragon) Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple of the Myōshinji school Ukyō-ku, Kyoto, 35°2′4.18″N 135°43′5.71″E / 35.0344944°N 135.7182528°E / 35.0344944; 135.7182528 (Ryōan-ji)
Nishi Hongan-ji (西本願寺) Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple and world headquarters Shimogyō-ku, Kyoto, 34°59′31.37″N 135°45′5.81″E / 34.9920472°N 135.7516139°E / 34.9920472; 135.7516139 (Nishi Hongan-ji)
Nijō Castle (二条城 Nijō-jō) Castle Nakagyō-ku, Kyoto, 35°0′50.96″N 135°44′51.0″E / 35.0141556°N 135.747500°E / 35.0141556; 135.747500 (Nijō Castle)

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Manhattan Project, Department of Energy at mbe.doe.gov
  2. ↑ http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/bios/b4stimson-henrylewis.htm
  3. ↑ ICOMOS (28 September 1993). "Advisory Body Evaluation" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-04-10.

External links

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