Treasures of JapanA catalogue of Japan's designated cultural properties
2,690 works catalogued

Home › Browse › Calligraphy & Books › Kamakura period › Letter by Emperor Gonijo

Important Cultural Property

Letter by Emperor Gonijo

後二条天皇宸翰消息
Letter by Emperor Gonijo (後二条天皇宸翰消息)
PLATE IImage: Kyoto National Museum, via ColBase — CC BY 4.0
At a glance — Calligraphy & Book · Kamakura period, 13th century · held by Kyoto National Museum · designated Important Cultural Property of Japan · Gonijo (Emperor).

Fact Sheet

Designation
Important Cultural Property (重要文化財)
Date
1201–1300
Creator
Gonijo (Emperor) (後二条天皇)
Dimensions
Height30cm:Width42.8cm
Catalogue ID
cobas-3820

Find more

This letter by Emperor Gonijô (1285-1308, r. 1301-1308) records his desire to see the statues of Confucius (551-479 B.C.) and his disciple Yanhui (514-483 B.C.), which had been in imperial academy, after their restoration, before they were to be returned to the academy. Gonijô ascended the throne in 1301 (Shôan 3), when he was only seventeen years old, and after a brief reign of eight years, died in 1308 (Enkei 1). Only a few examples of his writing have survived, making this an especially valuable letter.

— Museum description: Kyoto National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.

Record & Sources

Cite this page: “Letter by Emperor Gonijo（後二条天皇宸翰消息）.” Treasures of Japan, catalogue no. cobas-3820. Kyoto National Museum. https://treasures.yamato-kenkou.com/treasures/letter-by-emperor-gonijo/ — 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: Height30cm:Width42.8cm
  • 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30cm:横42.8cm
  • 銘文等: 二月十日 御名
  • 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

Also at the Kyoto National Museum More →

More calligraphy & books of the Kamakura period More →

More by Gonijo (Emperor) More →

Advertisement