Byodo-in Temple was registered as Japan’s fifth UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 as part of the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto,” and nearly 30 years have passed since then.

This year, with the opening of the World Expo in the Osaka and Kansai region, many visitors from around the world will visit Japan and will encounter new cultural and scientific innovations while also exploring historic sites that form the foundation of these advancements.

This exhibition highlights the idea that cultural properties are not only a shared heritage of humanity but have also been regarded as sacred objects of exploration through travel, pilgrimages, special temple exhibitions, and expos throughout Japanese history. Featuring previously unseen materials, the exhibition invites visitors to rediscover these traditions.

The first period of the exhibition will focus on the National Industrial Exhibition held in Okazaki, Kyoto in 1895, and tourism to Byodo-in Temple.