The skills and techniques for restoring traditional buildings in Japan involve the use of delicate natural
materials such as wood, grass and earth to create earthquake- and typhoon-resistant structures with richarchitectural spaces. Conservative restoration is indispensable for historic heritage buildings such as Horyu-ji
Temple. This represents advanced skills and techniques for realizing harmony and unity between a building’s
existing wooden parts and those that must be replaced with new ones. While keeping tradition alive, it hasdeveloped through creative eﬀorts under an organization spanning multiple ﬁelds of expertise and revolving
around a toryo (master craftsperson).

Inscribed on theRepresentative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Conservative restoration is carried out at appropriate intervals, thus realizing the transmission of historic
heritage buildings and techniques, and also serving as an event for conﬁrming community ties and history.
Cycles of growing and harvesting materials such as timber, Japanese cypress bark, thatching, lacquer andrush realize the conservation of diverse forests and grasslands, and contribute to sustainable development.

Through Inscription on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, “Traditionalskills, techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan”
promises to serve as an example of the conservation and transmission of intangible cultural heritage
supporting Japan’s wooden architecture and architectural culture, promote technical exchange and closer
dialogue with architectural craftspersons and experts around the world, and contribute signiﬁcantly to eﬀorts
in international society for the conservation of intangible cultural heritage.

Rooﬁng with Japanese cypress bark and wooden shingles
Rooﬁng with kawara tiles （Hon-gawarabuki）
Harvesting of Japanese cypress bark
Production of wooden rooﬁng tiles

Conservative restoration techniques for mounts

Production of joinery

Restoration of
traditional buildings
Thatching
Harvesting of plants for thatch

Sakan plastering （Nihon Kabe）

Traditional woodworking
techniques for structures

Traditional skills,techniques
and knowledge
for the conservation and transmission ofwooden architecture in Japan

Production of tatami mats

Decoration oftraditional structures

Lacquer painting of traditional structures
Production and reﬁnement of Japanese urushi lacquer

Coloring of traditional structures

Production of entsuke gold leaf

Protection ofCultural Properties

Techniques of traditionalarchitectural craftspersons
The wisdom of making the best use of natural materials such as wood, grass and earth. The harvesting andreuse of materials with an eye to periodic conservative restoration. And the attainment of harmony and unity
between wooden parts. Traditional architectural techniques in Japan were transmitted from antiquity together with
the nation’s architectural heritage and further developed through creative eﬀorts.

Coloring of traditional structures

Production of tatami mats

The magniﬁcent coloring
applied as both interior
and exterior decoration of
traditional structures
originated in techniques
transmitted directly from
China, which thendeveloped levels ofsophistication andsplendor unique to Japan.

Tatami mats are a ﬂoor
covering unique to Japan.
Production involves taking
precise measurements of theroom size and shape; weaving
the mats from rice straw,
hemp yarn, or rush grass;and binding the borders
while ensuring a beautifulalignment of patterns.

Conservative restoration techniques
for mounts

Restoration of traditional buildings

Harvesting of Japanese cypress bark

Lacquer painting of traditional structures

Structures designated as
Cultural Properties in Japan
start with ancient temples
and cover all periods, ﬁelds,and construction methods.
Restoration involves thesupervision of conservative
restoration work including
surveys, repair and design,and technical guidance.

Japanese cypress bark is
stripped oﬀ living trees atleast 80 to 100 years ofage and processed into
the hiwadabuki rooﬁng
often seen in shrines andtemples.

Techniques from mixing
to painting produce thedistinctive color and lusterof Japanese urushi
lacquer, which is essential
for adding an air ofsolemnity to traditionalstructures.

The restoration ofpictures on partitions
involves ﬁlling in thedamaged areas of thepaper, preventing thepaint from peeling, andreplacing the multiple
layers of lining paper withnew sheets.

Roofing with kawara tiles

Production and ref inement ofJapanese urushi lacquer

Hon-gawarabuki is arooﬁng technique thatstarted with ancient
temple architecture inorder to attain harmony
between old and new
kawara tiles, wind andrain resistance, and an
elegant wavy roof.

Japanese urushi lacquer isan essential coating andgluing material.
Production involves
planting and managing
the lacquer trees, making
cuts in the bark using asickle, and tapping thesap for reﬁnement.

Sakan plastering（Nihon Kabe）

Production of entsuke gold leaf

Traditional woodworking
techniques for structures
Traditional woodworking
techniques transmit theancient approach toJapanese architecture inwhich wood is the main
construction material.

Production of wooden roofing tiles
Timber is split andshaped by hand to
produce the tiles
employed in kokerabuki
and tochibuki rooﬁng, andthe doibuki base forkawarabuki rooﬁng.

（Hon-gawarabuki）

Roof ing with Japanesecypress bark and wooden shingles

Harvesting of plants for thatch

Traditional rooﬁng inJapan that employs
Japanese cypress bark（hiwadabuki） and woodenshingles（kokerabuki） canbe seen in many shrines
and temples.

Maiden silvergrass,common reed and othermaterials are grown andharvested for use in thekayabuki thatching often
seen in private houses inrural Japan.

Sakan plastering is the setof techniques from material
selection to application
employed in producing
strong, beautiful Nihon
Kabe（Japanese-style walls）,
comprising the nuancedKoshiki Kyokabe of
tearooms and the lustrous
shikkui kabe of castles.

ThatchingDecoration of traditional structures

Production of joinery

Thatching（kayabuki） is a
grass rooﬁng techniquethat has been usedbroadly since ancient
times in various
structures and regions
throughout Japan.

Techniques such as
lacquer painting, coloring,ornamental metal ﬁttings,casting and smithing
allow elaborate decoration
while serving to protect
the wooden parts oftraditional structures.

Joinery is recreated andrestored using various
tools to preserve both thedesign employing diverse
delicate timber materials
and the function of being
movable by hand.

The production of entsuke
gold leaf involves placing
a block of gold between
haku-uchi-gami, processedfrom special handmade
washi paper, and beating
it to create a foil
measuring 1/10,000
millimeter thick.