Inuyama Castle Keep (Inuyama City)
Inuyama Castle is home to the oldest existing castle keep in Japan. Built during the 16th century by Oda Nobuyasu, the uncle of Oda Nobunaga, the keep sits atop a small mountain along the Kiso River, and its majestic appearance is mesmerizing to behold. It was designated a national treasure in 1952.
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Midado Hall in Konrenji Temple (Nishio City)
The oldest wooden building in Aichi Prefecture, it is said to be one of the Mikawa Shichimido, or seven Mikawa temples, built in 1186 by order of Minamoto no Yoritomo. With a cypress bark roof and gently curving front and side eaves, the structure exudes elegance. Three statues of the Amida Buddha are enshrined within. It was designated a national treasure in 1955.

Jo-an Tea House (Inuyama City)
This tea house was built in Kenninji Temple's Shodennin by Oda Urakusai, Oda Nobunaga's younger brother and a tea master in the early days of the tea ceremony. It features an original interior that was utterly unique when it was first built, with distinguishing characteristics such as “Uraku windows” made with rows of bamboo and partition boards using curved lines. It was designated a national treasure in 1951.

Kunozan Toshogu Shrine (Shizuoka City)
After his death in 1616, Tokugawa Ieyasu was buried at Mt. Kuno in accordance with his will, and Toshogu Shrine was built the following year by Tokugawa Hidetada, the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. The architectural style known as Gongenzukuri is said to have originated here, as evidenced by the way in which the main hall and the worship hall are connected by a passage paved with stones. You must not miss the brightly colored paintwork and exquisite carvings. It was designated a national treasure in 2010.

The Five Buddhas of Unkei (Izu-no-kuni City)
The main viewing hall of Ganjoujuin Temple enshrines five Buddha statues made in 1186 by Unkei, one of Japan’s leading sculptors of Buddhist statues active from the late Heian to Kamakura periods. They are a seated statue of Amida Nyorai, a standing statue of Bishamonten, and a group of three standing statues depicting Fudo Myo-o, Kongaradoji and Seitakadoji. It is said that when Minamoto no Yoritomo campaigned against the Northern Fujiwara clan, his father-in-law Hojo Tokimasa built Ganjoujuin Temple and commissioned Unkei to create these Buddhist statues to pray for Yoritomo's victory. Made in a realistic and powerful style, these statues are considered masterpieces in the history of Japanese sculpture. They were designated national treasures in 2013.

Former Kaichi School Building (Matsumoto City)
Built in 1876 in the early Meiji Era, this building is a masterpiece of pseudo-Western architecture. Following the Meiji Restoration, Japan set off on a path of modernization, starting with education. In this context, people sought to emulate Western architectural styles. However, built at a time when there was no knowledge of Western architecture and no standards regarding school buildings, this building features a unique design that mixes various elements of both Western and Japanese styles. It is also appreciated for its nearly 90 years of use as an elementary school building. It was designated a national treasure in 2019.

Main Hall of Zenkoji Temple (Nagano City)
The main hall of Zenkoji Temple was destroyed by fire several times. Built in 1707, the present main hall is a typical example of Buddhist architecture from the mid-Edo period. The main hall is distinctive for being shaped in the form of the letter T with a long depth, and the temple’s principal image of Ikko Sanzon Amida Nyorai, said to be the oldest Buddhist image in Japan, is enshrined in the Ruridan podium at the far end. It was designated a national treasure in 1953.
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Matsumoto Castle Keep (Matsumoto City)
Matsumoto Castle had its origins in Fukashi Castle, which was built in the 1500s, and is the oldest of the few surviving five-roofed, six-story castle keeps in Japan. The walls of the castle keep are covered with white plaster on the top and black clapboards on the bottom, creating a vivid contrast between black and white. The reflection of the castle set against the Japanese Alps in the water of the moat is beautiful to behold. It was designated a national treasure in 1936.
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Ankokuji Temple (Takayama City)
Ashikaga Takauji and Tadayoshi, the brothers who founded the Muromachi shogunate, built so-called Ankokuji temples throughout Japan to mourn the many people who had died in war. The Ankokuji temple in Hida was built in 1347. Inside the sutra repository is Japan's oldest rinzo (rotating sutra shelf), which houses the Yuan version of the Tripitaka (a comprehensive collection of Buddhist scriptures compiled during the Yuan Dynasty) that was brought over from Ming China. It was designated a national treasure in 1963.

The Kaisando and Kannondo Halls at Eihoji Temple (Tajimi City)
Kokeizan Eihoji is a Zen temple founded in 1313. The area was named Kokeizan because of its resemblance to the scenery of Mt. Lushan (called Kokei in Japanese) in China. Built combining Tang Chinese and Japanese architectural techniques, the Kannondo Hall houses a seated statue of the Sho-Kannon Bodhisattva. Kaisando Hall is located at the far end of the temple grounds and is said to be a masterpiece of Zen Buddhist architecture. The halls were designated national treasures in 1952.

The Mieido and Nyoraido Halls at Senshuji Temple (Tsu City)
Senshuji is the head temple of the Takada branch of Jodo Shin-shu Buddhism, and its vast grounds are home to many historic buildings, including the temple gate, bell tower, and mausoleum of Shinran, the founder of the sect. Although the temple buildings were destroyed by repeated fires, the Mieido Hall was rebuilt in 1666 and is one of the largest Buddhist temples in Japan, with a seated statue of Shinran enshrined front and center. The Nyoraido Hall was built in 1748 and enshrines a standing statue of Amida Nyorai as its principal image. It is one of the largest Zen-style buildings in Japan, and the sight of the Nyoraido and the Japanese-style Mieido standing alongside each other is a truly impressive sight to behold. The halls were designated national treasures in 1961.

Hikone Castle Keep, Tsuke-Yagura, and Tamon-Yagura (Hikone City)
Completed in 1622, Hikone Castle was built over a period of 20 years when the Ii clan moved from Sawayama Castle. The castle keep is beautiful and dynamic, with three roofs and three stories, roofs of various appearances, gilded metal fittings, and flower-headed windows (lancet-arched windows at the top). The turrets attached to the side of the keep are called tsuke-yagura and those in the form of row houses are called tamon-yagura. The castle was designated a national treasure in 1952.
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Enryakuji Temple Konpon-chudo Hall (Otsu City)
Konpon-chudo Hall was built in 788 and is the main hall of Enryakuji Temple on Mount Hiei. The Konpon-chudo Hall that stands today was rebuilt in 1642 after Oda Nobunaga burnt down the temples of Mt. Hiei in 1571. Its principal image is the Yakushi Nyorai (Medicine Buddha), and in front of the principal image is enshrined a lantern holding the “Inextinguishable Dharma Light” that has remained lit for more than 1,200 years. The hall was designated a national treasure in 1953.
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Myotsuji Temple Main Hall and Three-Story Pagoda (Obama City)
Myotsuji Temple is said to have been built in 806 by Shogun Sakanoue no Tamuramaro to mourn the many people who died during his campaign to subjugate the Emishi. The main hall and three-story pagoda stand among giant trees and were once destroyed by fire. The main hall rebuilt in 1258 and the three-story pagoda rebuilt in 1270 are beautiful structures representing Japanese architecture of the mid-Kamakura Period. They were designated national treasures in 1953.

Sword Yoshimitsu (Hakusan City)
Forged by the master swordsmith of short swords Toshiro Yoshimitsu, the sword Yoshimitsu belonged to Achiko, the adopted daughter of the third Tokugawa shogun Iemitsu. She took the sword with her when she married the fourth lord of the Kaga Domain Maeda Mitsutaka. After her death, it was dedicated to the Shirayama Himejinja Shrine. It is known as a small but beautiful sword, and is now in the collection of the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art in Kanazawa. It was designated a national treasure in 1952.

Zuiryuji Temple, its Buddhist Hall, and Gate (Takaoka City)
Zuiryuji Temple was built as the family temple of Maeda Toshinaga, the second lord of Kaga Domain. Completed in 1663, it is said to have taken 20 years to build. The beautifully majestic Zen-style garan (the general term for temple buildings) is representative of Zen Buddhist temple architecture of the early Edo period. The 18-meter-high main gate, with statues of Kongorikishi enshrined on both sides, is an impressive sight. Shakyamuni, Monju, and Fugen are enshrined in the Buddhist hall, and the mortuary tablet of Maeda Toshinaga is enshrined in the treasure hall. The temple was designated a national treasure in 1997.