ABSTRACT
Based on Japanese and English sources, including certain documents kindly provided to the author by the Kyoto City government, this chapter explores Kyoto’s cultural properties, particularly those designated as Important Cultural Properties and National Treasures. It also presents Kyoto’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage registered in the UNESCO World Heritage list and the UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In addition, the chapter analyzes the main actors and their specific policies and face-to-face initiatives for preservation, utilization, and promotion of Kyoto’s cultural properties in Japan and abroad. These include crucial institutions such as the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Kyoto City government, as well as the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, the National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties, the Japan Foundation, the Kyoto Art Center, and the Kyoto City Tourism Association. Other public and private actors playing significant role in the protection and introduction of cultural assets like the Kyoto Prefectural government, museums, universities, and research institutes are emphasized as well.
