Treasure-house in Kamakura was opened in 1928 after the Great Kanto Earthquake in order to preserve for posterity the unique ancient works of art and crafts. The official name of the institution - the Museum of national treasures. It was built in the image of another treasure - a museum in the city of Nara Shosoin.

The museum is located on the territory of Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu - an ancient Shinto shrine with thousands of years of history, the most famous temple of Kamakura and a national treasure of Japan.

The museum has about 4,800 exhibits, including sculptures, paintings and handicrafts. Most of these works belong to the Kamakura and Muromachi periods - from the XII to the XVI century. Some of the works were created in China and imported to Japan. The museum has five exhibits from the status of "national treasure", another 73 are an important cultural property. The museum holds about a hundred prints Ukiyo-e, as well as scrolls, calligraphy, swords, lacquer ware, and other rarities.

The main room of the museum is a two-storey reinforced concrete building with an area of ​​about 800 square meters. meters. The first floor is used as a storage facility, located on the second exhibition hall area of ​​600 square meters. meters.

The law on the national treasures in Japan, was adopted in 1950. National Treasure are considered the most important subjects and objects, the list of which is approved by the Government of Japan. The list includes architectural structures (castles, towers, pagodas, palaces, churches), paintings, miniatures, works of calligraphy, statues, pottery, carving, metalwork, netsuke, Urus, swords and textiles, as well as archaeological findings and historical relics (ancient funeral accessories, documents, banners, letters).