National Treasure
Fragment from Tada Edition of Shinkokin Wakashu (New Collection of Japanese Poems of Ancient and Mod
手鑑「藻塩草」 新古今和歌集巻第六断簡（多田切）
Calligraphy & Books · Kamakura, 1185Kyoto NM
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Important Cultural Property
Letter by Emperor Gofukakusa
後深草天皇宸翰御消息（正月十一日）
At a glance — Calligraphy & Book · Kamakura period · held by Kyoto National Museum · designated Important Cultural Property of Japan · Gofukakusa (Emperor).
Fact Sheet
- Designation
- Important Cultural Property (重要文化財)
- Category
- Calligraphy & Books
- Period
- Kamakura period
- Date
- 1185
- Creator
- Gofukakusa (Emperor) (後深草天皇)
- Dimensions
- Height27cmWidth38.4cm
- Held by
- Kyoto National Museum
- Location
- Higashiyama, Kyoto
- Catalogue ID
- cobas-168319
Find more
- Same period
- Kamakura calligraphy & books →
- Same creator
- Gofukakusa (Emperor) →
- At this museum
- All 680 works here →
Emperor Gofukakusa (1243-1304, r. 1246-59) wrote this letter in 1292 (Shôô 5) in order to ask Emperor Fushimi (1265-1317, r. 1287-98) about the situation regarding Kasuga shinboku dôza (monks' protesting by transferring Kasuga Shrine's sacred tree to a different location) and Mt. Hiei. Though officially retired, Emperor Gofukakusa was exercising power as retired emperor (J., insei), politically supporting Emperor Fushimi. A dispute between Nanto, or Kôfuku-ji Temple in Nara, and Hokurei, or Enryaku-ji Temple on Mt. Hiei, which continued from 1291 (Shôô 4) to the second month of 1292 (Shôô 5), had thrown the imperial court into great confusion. The letter was handwritten by Emperor Gofukakusa when he was 50 years old.
— Museum description: Kyoto National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.
Record & Sources
- Designation: Important Cultural Property (重要文化財), Government of Japan
- Catalogue ID: cobas-168319 (permanent)
- Official record: Japan Search — jpsearch.go.jp/item/cobas-168319
- Holder's collection: ColBase — Kyoto National Museum
- Photograph: Kyoto National Museum, via ColBase — CC BY 4.0. CC BY 4.0 licence
Cite this page: “Letter by Emperor Gofukakusa（後深草天皇宸翰御消息（正月十一日））.” Treasures of Japan, catalogue no. cobas-168319. Kyoto National Museum. https://treasures.yamato-kenkou.com/treasures/letter-by-emperor-gofukakusa/ — entry last verified 1 November 2026.
Full record data (as published in the official catalogue record)
- Genre: Calligraphy
- Cultural property designation: Important Cultural Property
- Size: Height27cmWidth38.4cm
- Category: Calligraphy:Category:Imperial writings|Calligraphy:Region:Japan|Calligraphy:Period:Japan:Kamakura period|Calligraphy:Author:Emperors
- 員数: 1幅
- 分類: 書跡
- 法量: 縦27cm:横38.4cm
- 種別: 書跡:分類:宸翰|書跡:地域:日本|書跡:時代:日本:鎌倉|書跡:筆者:天皇・皇帝
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Letter by Emperor Gofukakusa
後深草天皇宸翰消息
Calligraphy & Books · Kamakura, 1185Kyoto NM
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