nntsuzu/KFTT huggingface dataset:
English: The alters are considered to be so called himorogi.
Japanese: いわゆる「神籬」（ひもろぎ）とよばれるものがこれに当たると考えられている。
English: Later, himorogi is considered to have developed into a substantial structure and subsequently became shaden, a shrine pavillion.
Japanese: やがて、この神籬が発展して本格的な建築物をなすようになり、社殿になったと考えられる。
English: It is the process of a temporary alter developing into a permanent structure called shaden and then the existing construction style was later incorporated into the pavillion structure.
Japanese: 仮設の祭壇が常設の社殿になるとき、既にある建築物がそれとして採用されたと考えられる。
English: However, there are probably inconsistencies between the beginning date of an architecture style and the beginning date that particular style started to be used for shrine construction.
Japanese: ただ建築様式が示す年代とその建築様式が神社建築として使われ始めた年代はおそらく一致しない。
English: This is because it is likely that traditional techniques and styles, which were archaic in those days, were adopted in a revivalist manner when the pavillions were built as shrines.
Japanese: 神社に社殿を建てたときに、過去の技法と様式を復古的に採用した可能性が強いのである。
English: Furthermore, the time pavillion construction emerged saw a culmination of Buddhism architecture, suggesting that it is likely that pavillion construction may have been affected by Buddhist architectural styles.
Japanese: また神社に社殿が登場した時代は仏教建築全盛の時代であり、その影響を受けなかったとはいえない。
English: The idea of an architectural structure being the object of worship per se may have originated in Buddhist influence.
Japanese: そもそも建築物を礼拝の対象とするという発想自体が仏教に由来するものかもしれない。
English: Jinguji are temples which were built within a shrine; it emerged at an early phase of the syncretic process of Shinto and Buddhism.
Japanese: 神宮寺は神社に建てられた寺院のことで、神仏習合の初期段階で登場した。
English: After jinguji temples had started being built, Shinto Shrines were exposed to the influence of Buddhist architecture; however, having been built side by side, differentiation of shrine and Buddhist architecture from each other became rather desirable.
Japanese: 神宮寺の建立により、神社は仏教建築の直接の影響にさらされたが、隣接するためにかえって神社建築と寺院建築の差異を求めるようになったと考えられる。
English: Today there are many old shrines that do not have a haiden, such as Ise Jingu, Kasuga Taisha, Usa Jingu, and Matsuo Taisha.
Japanese: 現在でも伊勢神宮・春日大社・宇佐神宮・松尾大社など拝殿を持たない古社は多い。
English: Haiden is now a place for ceremonies for kami that are worshiped at a specific shrine; however, originally, the ceremonies were performed outdoors.
Japanese: 拝殿は祭神の祭祀のための施設であるが、本来、祭祀は露天で行なわれるものだった。
English: Honden, which was originated as an alter, used to be an object of ceremonies instead of a place for having ceremonies.
Japanese: 本殿は、その起源を祭壇に求められるように、祭祀の対象であって、祭祀を行なう場ではなかった。
English: Prior to the establishment of haiden, shrine ceremonies were held at outdoor ceremonial places in the front of a honden.
Japanese: 拝殿が登場する以前、神社の祭祀は本殿の正面の露天の祭場で行なわれていた。
English: Priests and priestesses were seated on the left and right sides of the ceremonial place, from which they moved to the center of the place to perform a ceremony.
Japanese: 神職らは祭場の左右に着座し、そこから中央の祭場に赴いて祭儀を行なった。
English: Later on, when ceremonies began taking place indoors, the central part of the ceremonial place became haiden; the places which used to be the seats for priests and priestesses became kairou or corridors.
Japanese: これが祭場が屋内になると、中心の祭場が幣殿となり、神職着座の場が回廊となった。
English: As we have seen, the original forms of ceremonies were developed into the structures of romon, corridor, and heiden; on the other hand, a small size shrine, which was not big enough to have all the sections, subsequently consolidated all the features into a single pavillion.
Japanese: このように祭祀の形式にあわせて、楼門と回廊と幣殿が建てられたが、これらを持つに至らない小規模な神社は、やがてその機能を圧縮して、ひとつの社殿にその機能を備えさせることにした。
English: In this type of structure, a timber grid is formed on the bottom of the pavillion, on top of which posts are placed, instead of placing posts directly onto the ground or building a foundation with stone.
Japanese: 柱を地面に直接建てたり、礎石などの基礎を設置したりせずに、社殿の最下部に井桁を組み、その上に柱を建てる。
English: The structure assumes the pavillion to be mobile; which is considered to be a trace of ceremonies practiced in ancient times when a pavillion was placed only at the time of ceremony and the rest of the time it was not set up.
Japanese: これは社殿を移動させることを前提とした様式で、祭祀のときのみ社殿を設置し、祭祀を行なわないときには社殿を設置していなかったという、上古の祭祀方法の名残ではないかと言われている。
English: It has been suggested that a temporary alter in ancient times called himorogi was developed into a permanent pavillion structure.
Japanese: 「神籬」と呼ばれる上古の仮設の祭壇が発展して、常設の社殿となったのではないかといわれる。
English: Generally, the feature which is common in shrine architecture is the idea that the point of connection between the pavillion and the ground is sacred.
Japanese: これは神社建築一般の特徴でもあるが、社殿と設置された地面とのつながりに神聖性を求めることによる。
English: In other words, the sacredness of a pavillion stems from the place where it is located.
Japanese: いいかえると、社殿の神聖性の根源は置かれている場所に求めることができる。
English: This supports the view that pavillions originate in himorogi, in which a temporary alter was placed in a sacred area or on the large rock to invite kami to descend.
Japanese: すなわち、神体とされる領域や磐座などの上に仮設の祭壇を置いて祀った神籬の形式を受け継いだものではないかということが、ここからも指摘できる。
English: Misedana-zukuri, a small pavillion style, which is characterized by the absence of steps that are present in nagare-zukuri and kasuga-zukuri, and by the presence of a shelf instead; the misedana-zukuri probably is closer to the original form of shrine architecture rather than being a simplified version of a normal size shrine building.
Japanese: 境内社や小祠に用いられる様式で、流造や春日造の階を省略して棚を付けた見世棚造という小型社殿形式があるが、これは省略形というよりはむしろ神社建築の原形に近いともいえるかもしれない。
English: As we have seen, the origin of these styles go back to ancient times, and the structure having sills under the posts are considered to be one of the oldest shrine architectural forms.
Japanese: このように、起源を上古に求めることができ、「柱の下に土台を持つもの」は神社建築の中でも古い形式と考えられる。
English: Shin-no-mihashira, which is in the center of a pavillion structure, is a non-structural post, and is considered to have been yorishiro, an object originally capable of attracting kami.
Japanese: 心御柱は、社殿の中央にある柱のことであるが、建築構造上、意味をなさない柱であり、本来は神の依代であったと考えられる。
English: All the posts, including munamochi-bashira, are hottate-bashira, which are erected by excavating a posthole to insert and secure the post without using any foundation stones. (Note: Today's Izumo-taisha Shrine is built on a sill.)
Japanese: そして棟持柱を含めて、全ての柱が礎石を使わず地面に穴を掘って建てる掘立柱である（現在の出雲大社は土台の上に建つ）。
English: Sumiyosi-zukuri differs from hachiman-zukuri in that in the former, the building situated in the back has kamiza, or a place for the deity, and in the latter, the front and back buildings have daytime and nighttime places for the deity, respectively; however, sumiyoshi-zukuri and hachiman-zukuri share a commonality in that the two buildings were not developed from one building.
Japanese: 住吉造は後室に神座があり、八幡造は前後の室にそれぞれ神座（昼の神座と夜の神座）があるのであって、両者を簡単にひとくくりにすることは出来ないが、もともと1室の本殿が分化して2室になったものではないという意味で共通である。
English: It is considered that these styles include otori-zukuri style structures and daijo-gu, a temporary shrine prepared at the palace for Daijo-sai festival, which is held only once in an emperor's lifetime after his succession, or his first "niiname-sai."
Japanese: 大鳥造や天皇が大嘗祭のときに祭儀を行なう大嘗宮もこれに含まれると考えられる。
English: There are various architectural styles for shrines; shinmei-zukuri, taisha-zukuri, and sumiyosi-zukuri are considered to be the oldest.
Japanese: 神社の建築形式は、様々な種類があるが、最古の形式は、神明造、大社造、住吉造とされる。
English: While there are varieties of architectural style names, each shrine has a distinctive style, which creates a huge number of styles, thus making the classification rather meaningless; shrine architecture is therefore simply classified by the various forms of the roof.
Japanese: そのほか、建築形式名称がついたものがあるが、神社は固有な形式を持つものが多く、それぞれ別のものとすると膨大な数となり、分類不能であまり意味がなく、屋根形式で分類することが多い。
English: Tate-haiden serves as a passageway to the honden, and the space toward the end of the long axis of the haiden serves as heiden, or offering hall.
Japanese: 本殿への通路としての性格を持ち、縦長となる奥の部分は幣殿も兼ねている。
English: The corridor style heiden, which had been common in olden times before haiden was established, is believed to have been developed into tate-haiden.
Japanese: 拝殿が成立する以前の回廊形式だったころの幣殿が変化したものとも考えられる。
English: Today there are only few structures that retain the form of warihaiden style, such as: Omiwa-jinja Shrine, Isonokami Jingu Sessha Izumo Takeo-jinja Shrine, and Osaki Hachimangu Shrine.
Japanese: 遺構は少なく大神神社・石上神宮摂社出雲建男神社・大崎八幡宮に見られる。
English: Important cultural properties are tangible cultural heritage (such as constructions, buildings and the art craft articles) in Japan that are designated as being culturally, historically or academically important under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties by the Japanese government (or the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology).
Japanese: 重要文化財（じゅうようぶんかざい）とは日本に所在する建造物、美術工芸品等の有形文化財のうち、文化史的・学術的に特に重要なものとして文化財保護法に基づき日本国政府（文部科学大臣）が指定した文化財を指す。
English: National Institutes for Cultural Heritage refers to these important cultural heritages as "Important Cultural Properties" in English.
Japanese: 国立文化財機構は重要文化財を英語でImportantCulturalPropertiesと称している。
English: While a local public entity (prefectural or municipal) may refer to a certain tangible property under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties as a 'prefectural designated important cultural property' or a 'municipally designated important cultural property,' the term 'important cultural property' generally indicates that the tangible property is designated as a nationally important cultural property.
Japanese: 地方公共団体（都道府県、市町村）がそれぞれの文化財保護条例に基いて指定する有形文化財についても「県指定重要文化財」「市指定重要文化財」等と呼称される場合があるが、単に「重要文化財」という場合は通例国が指定した有形文化財のことを指す。
English: This section describes, unless otherwise specified, the national designation of important cultural properties based on the regulations in Ordinance 27 of the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties.
Japanese: 本項では特記なき限り、文化財保護法第27条の規定に基づく国指定の重要文化財について記述する。
English: The term "cultural properties" refers to all of those different cultural heritages (regardless of whether or not they are tangible) as designated, selected or registered by the nation or by a local government.
Japanese: 「文化財」とは、国や地方自治体の指定・選定・登録の有無に関わらず有形無形の文化的遺産全般を指す用語である。
English: Under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties (Ordinance 2, Clause 1), 'cultural properties' are classified into six categories: 'tangible cultural properties,' 'intangible cultural properties,' 'folk cultural properties,' 'monuments (historical sites, places of scenic beauty and natural monuments,' 'cultural scenery' and 'classic architecture'; among them, 'tangible cultural properties' are designated by the nation (or the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) as 'important cultural properties' (under Ordinance 27, Clause 1 of the same law).
Japanese: 文化財保護法では「文化財」を「有形文化財」「無形文化財」「民俗文化財」「記念物（史跡、名勝、天然記念物）」「文化的景観」「伝統的建造物群」の6つのカテゴリーに分類している（同法第2条第1項）が、このうちの「有形文化財」に該当するもので、国（文部科学大臣）によって指定されたものを「重要文化財」と呼称している（同法第27条第1項）。
English: As described above, "important cultural properties" as a legal and administrative term is not a general reference to all nationally designated cultural properties.
Japanese: 上述のように、法令・行政用語としての「重要文化財」は国の指定を受けた文化財全般を指す用語ではない。
English: Similar terms such as 'important intangible cultural properties,' 'important tangible folk cultural properties' and 'important intangible folk cultural properties' should not be confused with 'important cultural properties,' since they belong to different categories; for example, it's inappropriate to abbreviate 'important tangible folk cultural properties' as 'important cultural properties.'
Japanese: 似通った用語として「重要無形文化財」「重要有形民俗文化財」「重要無形民俗文化財」などがあるがこれらはいずれも「重要文化財」とは別個のカテゴリーであり、たとえば「重要有形民俗文化財」を略して「重要文化財」と呼称することは適当でない。
English: Among the important cultural properties, those made with extraordinarily superb craftsmanship, or precious items with particularly high academic value such as historical significance, are designated as national treasures.
Japanese: 重要文化財のうち製作が特に優れたもの、歴史上特に意義の深いものなど学術的に価値の特に高いものが国宝に指定される。
English: However, under the system that existed prior to the enforcement of the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties, which occurred in 1950, all of what are now designated as important cultural properties were called national treasures, so this point should be noted in order to avoid confusion.
Japanese: なお、1950年（昭和25年）の文化財保護法施行以前の旧制度下では、現在の「重要文化財」に相当するものがすべて「国宝」と称されていたので混同しないよう注意を要する。
English: Under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties (Ordinance 182, Clause 2), a local public entity (prefectural or municipal) may also designate certain heritage (other than nationally designated cultural properties) within its territory as important properties, and may choose the measures necessary for their preservation or their proper use.
Japanese: 文化財保護法の規定により、地方公共団体（都道府県・市町村）は国指定の文化財以外の文化財について「当該地方公共団体の区域内に存するもののうち重要なものを指定して、その保存及び活用のため必要な措置を講ずることができる」とされている（同法第182条第2項）。
English: Accordingly, each prefecture or municipality may legislate its own ordinances for the protection of cultural properties and may designate its own tangible or intangible cultural properties.
Japanese: これに基づき各都道府県・市町村ではそれぞれ文化財保護条例を定め、有形・無形の文化財の指定を行っている。
English: These cultural properties are written as 'OO prefectural designated cultural property' or 'OO municipal designated cultural property' so as to distinguish them from the nationally designated cultural properties.
Japanese: これらの文化財については「○○県指定文化財」「○○市指定文化財」などと表記され、国指定の文化財と区別されている。
English: Regarding the prefectural or municipally designated tangible cultural properties, many cases are classified as and named with the suffix 'tangible cultural properties,' such as 'Tokyo municipally designated tangible cultural properties,' but the same kinds of cultural properties may be classified as 'Aomori prefectural treasures' in Aomori Prefecture, 'Nagano prefectural treasures' in Nagano Prefecture or 'Tottori prefectural designated cultural properties' in Tottori Prefecture; however, there is no preset rule, so each prefecture or municipality may individually name them in accordance with its ordinances for the protection of cultural properties.
Japanese: 都道府県・市町村指定の有形文化財については「東京都指定有形文化財」のように「有形文化財」と呼称するケースが多いが、同様の文化財を青森県では「青森県重宝」、長野県では「長野県宝」、鳥取県では「鳥取県指定保護文化財」と呼称するなど一定しておらず、どのように呼称するかは各自治体の文化財保護条例で個々に規定している。
English: Among the 47 prefectures and municipalities, Fukushima, Gunma, Kanagawa, Gifu, Okayama, Hiroshima and Saga designate, based on their prefectural or municipal ordinances, some selected tangible cultural properties as 'OOprefectural/municipal important cultural properties'; these should not be confused with the nationally designated important cultural properties.
Japanese: 47都道府県のうち福島、群馬、神奈川、岐阜、岡山、広島、佐賀の各県では県条例によって指定した有形文化財を「○○県指定重要文化財」と呼称しており、国の指定した重要文化財と混同しないよう注意を要する。
English: Also, in tourist information leaflets or guidebooks the terms 'nationally important cultural properties' or 'NIC' can often be seen to distinguish them from cultural properties, but these aren't official terms; nationally designated tangible cultural properties under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties are officially known as important cultural properties.
Japanese: なお、都道府県や市町村指定の文化財と区別するため観光案内書等では「国重要文化財」「国重文」等の表記をしばしば目にするが、これらは正式の用語ではなく文化財保護法に基づき国が指定した有形文化財については、単に「重要文化財」と呼称するのが正式である。
English: Concerning the designation for a candidate of important cultural property, the Agency for Cultural Affairs will conduct a preliminary investigation and the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology will consult with the Council for Cultural Affairs regarding the heritage that is to be designated.
Japanese: 重要文化財指定候補物件については文化庁で事前調査を行い、文部科学大臣は文化審議会に指定すべき物件について諮問する。
English: Within the Council for Cultural Affairs, the subcommittee on cultural assets will hold a discussion meeting to vote for the appropriate designation, after which the Agency for Cultural Affairs will submit to the Minister (of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) an approval application for being an important cultural property.
Japanese: 文化審議会文化財分科会による審議・議決を経て、文化審議会は文部科学大臣に対し重要文化財に指定するよう答申を行う。
English: Once the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology receives this, he/she will publish information such as the name and the ownership of the heritage for designation in an official gazette; subsequently, a letter of designation will be delivered to the owner of the important cultural property concerned (Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties, Ordinances 27, 28 and 153).
Japanese: 文部科学大臣はこれを受けて指定物件の名称、所有者等を官報に告示するとともに当該重要文化財の所有者には指定書を交付する（文化財保護法27条、28条、153条）。
English: Legally, from the date the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology indicates the approval in an official gazette, the designation of the important cultural property becomes effective.
Japanese: 法的には、文部科学大臣によって指定の事実が官報に告示された日から重要文化財の指定は効力を発する。
English: In Japan, the earliest ordinance concerning cultural properties is the 'Edict for the Preservation of Antiquities and Old Items,' which was announced by the early Meiji government in 1871.
Japanese: 日本における最初の文化財関連法令と見なされるのは1871年（明治4年）の太政官布告「古器旧物保存方」（こききゅうぶつほぞんかた）である。
English: Based on the edict and a checklist of 'antiques and old items' submitted to temples and shrines mainly in the Kinki region, Jinshin Kensa, the first investigation of cultural properties in Japan, was conducted from May through October of 1872 (a year after the edict).
Japanese: この布告に基づいて近畿地方を中心とした社寺等に提出させた「古器旧物」の目録を元に、翌1872年（明治5年）5月から10月にかけて日本初の文化財調査とされる壬申検査が実施された。
English: Incidentally, "Jinshin" is the astrological term for the year 1872, and "kensa" means "investigation" in the modern Japanese language.
Japanese: ちなみに「壬申」は1872年（明治5年）の干支であり、「検査」は現代日本語の「調査」に相当する。
English: During this Jinshin Inspection, along with officials from the Education Ministry such as Hisanari MACHIDA (the first director of the Tokyo National Museum) and Noritane NINAGAWA, Yuichi TAKAHASHI (a painter) and Matsusaburo YOKOYAMA (a photographer) accompanied the team as recorders.
Japanese: この壬申検査には文部官僚の町田久成（東京国立博物館の初代館長）、蜷川式胤のほか、油絵画家の高橋由一、写真師の横山松三郎らが記録係として同行した。
English: In 1888, the Bureau for Provisional Inspection of National Treasures was established within the Imperial Household Ministry.
Japanese: 1888年（明治21年）には宮内省に臨時全国宝物取調局が設置された。
English: The bureau's director was Ryuichi KUKI, who later became the president of the National Museum; the officials in charge included Tenshin OKAKURA and Ernest Francisco Fenollosa, who contributed significantly to modern Japanese art history.
Japanese: 局長は後に国立博物館総長となる九鬼隆一であり、係官には近代日本美術史に大きな足跡を残した岡倉天心やアーネスト・フェノロサも名を連ねていた。
English: The "treasures" mentioned here are those 'works of arts and crafts' under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties; that is, they encompass tangible cultural properties other than buildings and structures.
Japanese: ここで言う「宝物」は文化財保護法における「美術工芸品」に相当し、有形文化財のうち建造物を除いたものである。
English: Based on the investigation, the first designation of cultural properties in Japan was made under the Law for the Preservation of Old Shrines and Temples, which was enacted in 1897.
Japanese: こうした調査の結果をふまえ、1897年（明治30年）に古社寺保存法が制定され日本初の文化財指定が行われた。
English: In the official gazette dated December 28, 1897, the first designation notification was published; it included 155 national treasures and 44 buildings under special protection.
Japanese: 1897年（明治30年）12月28日付け官報に初の指定告示が掲載され国宝155件、特別保護建造物44件が指定された。
English: The national treasures and buildings or construction works under the Law for Preserving Old Shrines and Temples were equivalent to the present-day 'important cultural properties' under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties.
Japanese: 古社寺保存法における国宝および特別保護建造物は、文化財保護法における「重要文化財」に相当する。
English: As suggested by its name, the Law for Preservation of Old Shrines and Temples protected all the constructions and treasures belonging to a targeted shrine or temple, and therefore the national treasures and buildings under special protection designated under the same law might request expenditures from the National Treasury for preservation and repair purposes; this law called for the compilation of a list of candidate properties.
Japanese: 古社寺保存法はその名のとおり社寺所有の建造物および宝物をその対象としており、同法による国宝および特別保護建造物の指定は保存修理等のために国庫から保存金を支出すべき物件のリスト化という意味合いが強かった。
English: Then in 1929, in lieu of the Law for the Preservation of Old Shrines and Temples, the Law for the Preservation of National Treasures was enacted.
Japanese: その後1929年（昭和4年）、古社寺保存法に代わって「国宝保存法」が制定された。
English: Under the new law, not only the properties owned by old shrines or temples but also the properties owned by the nation, a local government, a corporation or an individual might become candidates for designation as national treasures.
Japanese: この法律では、来の古社寺保存法が社寺所有の物件だけを指定の対象としていたのに対し、国、地方自治体、法人、個人などの所有品も国宝の指定対象となった。
English: Moreover, the designation "building under special protection" was abolished and such buildings or structures were reclassified as national treasures.
Japanese: また、特別保護建造物の名称を廃止して建造物についても国宝と称することになった。
English: This law was enacted to address concerns that castles in various places were deteriorating and that the items of the old territorial lord families were being scattered or lost.
Japanese: この法律が制定された背景には、各地の城郭の荒廃や旧大名家の所蔵品の散逸などが懸念されたことがあった。
English: Based on the Law for the Preservation of National Treasures, Tokugawa Family Mausoleum (personal ownership) in Tokyo and Nagoya Castle (owned by Nagoya City) and so on were designated in 1930 as national treasures; the next year (1931), the paintings, etc., which were housed in the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (the present-day Tokyo University of Arts) (and owned by the nation) were designated as national treasures.
Japanese: 国宝保存法に基づき、1930年（昭和5年）には東京の徳川家霊廟（個人の所有）、名古屋城（名古屋市の所有）などが国宝に指定され、翌1931年（昭和6年）には東京美術学校（現・東京藝術大学）保管の絵画等（所有者は国）が国宝に指定された。
English: Designations in accordance with the Law for Preservation of National Treasures continued until 1944 during World War II, but the next year they were temporarily interrupted; during the postwar period there were only two designations (in February and May), each of which was in 1949.
Japanese: 国宝保存法による指定は、第二次世界大戦中の1944年（昭和19年）まで継続されたが翌1945年（昭和20年）から指定作業は一時中断し、終戦後は1949年（昭和24年）に2回（2月と5月）の指定が行われたのみである。
English: In 1950, the Law for the Preservation of National Treasures; the Law for the Preservation of Historic Spots, Scenic Beauties and Natural Monuments; and the Law for the Preservation of Important Fine Arts (for the designation of important fine arts) were integrated and compiled as the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties.
Japanese: 1950年（昭和25年）、従来の「国宝保存法」、「史蹟名勝天然紀念物保存法」、重要美術品を認定した「重要美術品等ノ保存ニ関スル法律」を統合する形で「文化財保護法」が制定された。
English: It is widely known that this legislation was triggered by the fire at the Golden Pavilion of Horyu-ji Temple and the damage to the mural painting that had occurred the previous year.
Japanese: この法律制定のきっかけは、その前年に発生した法隆寺金堂の火災と壁画の損傷であったことは広く知られている。
English: With the announcement of this law, in lieu of the former term 'treasure,' terms such as 'cultural property' and 'important cultural property' came into official use for the first time.
Japanese: この法律の公布により、従来の「宝物」に代わって「文化財」「重要文化財」の語が初めて公式に使われるようになった。
English: Moreover, because it included a designation system for intangible cultural properties (which had until then been outside the designation or protection), it was at the time an innovative law.
Japanese: また、従来法律による保護・指定の対象となっていなかった無形文化財の指定制度が盛り込まれるなど、当時としては画期的な法律であった。
English: Between 1897 and 1949, based on the Law for the Preservation of National Treasures and the Law for the Preservation of Old Shrines and Temples, there were 5,824 cases involving treasures (art or craft items) and 1,059 cases involving buildings designated as national treasures, excluding those that had been burned in fires.
Japanese: 1897年（明治30年）から1949年（昭和24年）までの間に、古社寺保存法および国宝保存法に基づいて「国宝」に指定された物件は火災で焼失したもの等を除き、宝物類（美術工芸品）5,824件、建造物1,059件であった。
English: These so-called 'old national treasures' all became known as important cultural properties on August 29, 1950, when the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties went into effect.
Japanese: これらの物件がいわゆる「旧国宝」であり、これらの物件すべては文化財保護法施行の日である1950年（昭和25年）8月29日をもって、同法に規定する「重要文化財」となった。
English: Among these important cultural properties, the particularly valuable items with historical significance in Japanese culture were re-designated as national treasures.
Japanese: そして、「重要文化財」のうちで日本文化史上特に貴重なものがあらためて「国宝」に指定されることになった。