Organization
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Department of Art Research, Archives and Information
Systems
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Research of cultural properties as well as the accumulation of related texts and visual data are
essential
elements for preserving, conveying and utilizing cultural properties today. The Department of Art
Research,
Archives and Information Systems focuses primarily on art historically-based research of cultural
properties; it produces and disseminates materials based on the results of those studies. It also works to
foster research exchange both within Japan and abroad. The results of research are published in various reports and journals, such as The Bijutsu Kenkyu (The Journal of Art Studies) and the Yearbook of Japanese Art. Resulting data are also made available through public lectures and displays in the Kuroda Memorial Hall. The aim of the Department is to make the cultural properties information archives, created from the materials collected and organized through its research, available to the public via the TOBUNKEN Library and website. In addition, the Department manages all the information systems of TOBUNKEN and creates the website. |
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Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage
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| The Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage conducts basic research useful for the preservation and transmission of intangible cultural heritage of Japan, such as intangible cultural properties, intangible folk cultural properties and conservation techniques for cultural properties. Audio-visual documentation, which is a significant method for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, is conducted and new methods for documentation are also investigated. |
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Center for Conservation Science
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The Center for Conservation Science conducts research on the conservation and restoration of cultural
properties. The Center aims to extend new knowledge of conservation science mainly through natural scientific research,
such as those of environments surrounding cultural properties and of the structures and materials of
cultural properties. It also aims to develop and evaluate necessary restoration materials and techniques
using research findings based on chemical characteristics, manufacturing techniques and environmental
history of each cultural property. To this end, the Center collaborates closely with experts actually
engaged in the conservation and restoration of cultural properties and their owners. |
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Japan Center for International Cooperation in
Conservation
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Cultural heritage has been protected by particular groups of people as a source of their identity that
they
have inherited from their ancestors. It is also an irreplaceable testimony to the history of mankind that
should be referred to in building man’s future. On the other hand, it is also a fact that much cultural
heritage is facing the risk of degradation, destruction and disappearance without being given sufficient
protection for different reasons. Cooperation in the protection of cultural heritage is becoming
increasingly important as a means of facilitating cultural exchange and mutual understanding among various
countries. The Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation, being the national center for promoting international cooperation in terms of the conservation and restoration as well as research of cultural heritage, continues to actively conduct cooperation projects in various parts of the world. The Center’s activities range over diverse areas related to the protection of cultural heritage, such as the collection, study and dissemination of international information, the implementation of cooperation projects and capacity development in conservation. The Center consists of three sections, namely Resource and Systems Research Section, Conservation Design Section and Conservation Practice Section. It also coordinates activities with the International Cooperation Section of the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, connecting the two research institutes for cultural properties based in Tokyo and Nara, for an effective implementation of the Institutes’ internationally-related activities. |