Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government office in Kamigyō-ku, Japan.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs is an external office in Kamigyō-ku, Kyoto, coordinating nationwide cultural administration through specialized departments. It runs a main building in Kyoto alongside a branch in Tokyo and employs more than three hundred staff for ongoing work.
The agency was founded in 1968 within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and took on responsibility for preserving national treasures. Since then it has broadened its remit to cover new art forms and living traditions, which it supports through awards and grants.
The agency carries the Japanese name Bunkachō and looks after the preservation of old craft techniques alongside the promotion of contemporary art forms. Visitors can read through its publications to learn which temples, shrines and gardens are currently under national protection and how restoration work proceeds.
The offices sit in the north of Kyoto and are easily reached by public transport, with most activity taking place during morning hours. Anyone wishing to gain insight into how the office operates can visit public information counters and libraries that provide relevant documents.
The office grants selected master craftspeople the title of living national treasure and provides them with a pension so they can pass on their skills. This award ranks among the highest honors for artists in Japan and is granted to only a few individuals each year.
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