Under the old laws that existed prior to enforcement of the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties, there was no distinction made between 'national treasure' and 'important cultural property,' meaning that all the items (from buildings to works of art and crafts) designated by the state as tangible cultural assets were called national treasures.
文化財保護法施行以前の旧法では「国宝」と「重要文化財」の区別はなく、国指定の有形文化財（美術工芸品および建造物）はすべて「国宝」と称されていた。