Important Cultural Assets Suffer Damage from Osaka Quake

June 18, 2018

Kyoto/Nara- A strong earthquake that rocked Osaka Prefecture and its surrounding areas in western Japan Monday morning caused damage to cultural properties in the neighboring prefectures of Kyoto and Nara.

The Taian teahouse, a national treasure in the town of Oyamazaki, Kyoto, suffered some cracks to its exterior walls, the Kyoto Prefectural Board of Education and other sources said.

The building is known as the only extant teahouse designed by 16th century tea master Sen no Rikyu, according to the temple that manages it.

In the same town, the Chochikukyo house, built in the early 20th century and designated as an important cultural property by the central government, suffered damage to its windows and mud walls due to the tremblor.

At Todaiji temple in Nara, a miniature "hoto" wooden tower fell off the right hand of the statue of Tamonten, one of the Shitenno, or Four Heavenly Kings, the Nara prefectural government said. The statues of the four kings are designated as national treasures.

The hoto suffered no damage, it said. Jiji Press