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update:July 30, 2010
To Be Recognized as the World Heritage
“Kamakura, Home of the Samurai”
In 1180, samurai warriors, assembled under Minamoto no Yoritomo, established the country governance in Kamakura and started the new era.
The samurai were self-reliant, proud and devout. With Kamakura as their base, they created and continually expanded on a wide range of cultural achievements.
We will pass down all of those properties to our posterity, which show the origin of Samurai Culture born in Kamakura, the first political capital founded by Samurai, as the common heritage for the human being.
The samurai government in Kamakura lasted some 150 years. The samurai built a form of government centered on the Shogun, and used the topography of the Kamakura area to create a uniquely structured capital city.
The culture the samurai created at Kamakura, encompassing religion, philosophy, tradition, codes of behavior, learning, and the arts, was influential throughout the country, including Kyoto, and was instrumental in shaping the development of Japanese culture. It also had a powerful impact on the values and behavior of modern Japanese people.
For 700 years, from the inception of the Kamakura period(1180 to 1333) to the Meiji Restoration(late 19th century), Japan was ruled by a succession of samurai governments. Kamakura, the epicenter of warrior government in Japan, is carefully preserved as the original “Home of the samurai.”
The samurai created two capitals, Kamakura and Edo. But whereas Edo, modern Tokyo, was constantly suffered by earthquake and war damage, Kamakura occupies a much more stable and secure location. Hence Kamakura is the only samurai capital that preserves much of a legacy of samurai culture.
“Significance of Registration as a World Heritage Site”
Global Common Heritage
The culture of the samurai influenced on the character and culture of the today’s Japanese people. Without insight into the samurai culture and its origins in Kamakura, it is impossible to understand Japan and the Japanese people. This precious historical legacy belongs to the people of the world in common, and must be lovingly preserved to bequeath to future generations.
Registering Kamakura as a World Heritage site will let the whole world know this and clarify our responsibility to the world.
Concepts of Urban Development
The Kamakura Citizens’ Charter says, “We are responsibly preserving the historical legacy, natural beauty and quality of life in Kamakura for future generations.” Our aim in registering Kamakura as a World Heritage site is the same. Our clear intention is to protect the character of Kamakura as the “Home of the samurai”.
What is “Kamakura, Home of the Samurai”?
From Samurai to Warrior Nobility
Originally, samurai were powerful local warriors who served the emperors and nobility. Over time, they established their own government in Kamakura. By that time, they were no longer servants, but had grown into the warrior nobility, or buke, which seized ruling power over the aristocracy and paved the way for the next 700 years of samurai regimes.
The First Shogunate Capital Founded by the Buke
Kamakura became the first Japanese capital to be established and designed by the samurai regime, known as the shogunate. Surrounded by mountains on three sides and open to the sea on the fourth, the city was uniquely laid out with Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Shrine at its center and the Wakamiya Ōji serving as its backbone.The terrain was rugged, and the land had to be carved out of the surrounding mountains and valleys before temples and other architectural structures could be built.
Wakamiya Ōji
Wakamiya Ōji is an approach that leads straight up to Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Shrine. Today, it also functions as the city’s main street.
The Buke Culture That Lives on Today
Faced with the need to be prepared for death as warriors and independent in their role as administrators, the warrior nobility began to form a new stream of culture by incorporating elements of Chinese religion and culture. The philosophy of the buke, who valued honor and land above life itself, is well represented by the expression isshokenmei, originally meaning to protect one’s domain at the risk of one’s life but now used to denote a willingness to “do one’s best.” The culture nurtured by the buke spirit lives on in the modern Japanese society.
Yabusame, Traditional Mounted Archery
Yabusame began as a sacred ritual to dedicate martial arts to the gods. So fundamental was the skill of archery to samurai that a samurai clan in the medieval age was generally called a “house of archery.” To be selected to serve as an archer at the ritual was a great honor, as well as a cherished opportunity to demonstrate one’s skill to other warriors. Today, Yabusame is still performed at the Tsurugaoka Hachimangū, a legacy passed down from the era of Minamotono Yoritomo.
The 2
We would like to let you know the outcome of The 2
Following the 1
Though some subjects were pointed out at the conference, we are convinced that the content we have been proceeding to examine, reached a certain level of their evaluation.
Please find below the detailed report as PDF files.
Project Objectives (PDF:1.2MB)( External link )
On-Site Inspection (PDF:10.4MB)( External link )
Discussion Session (PDF:16.5MB)( External link )
International Forum (PDF:3.5MB)( External link )
Farewell Party (PDF:5.5MB)( External link )
Conference Materials (PDF:13.5MB)( External link )
For inquiries, call the World Heritage Application of Kamakura City Hall.
Phone: (0467) 23-3000 (extension 2671)
e-mail:sekaiisan@city.kamakura.kanagawa.jp
