Friday 17 April, 2026
2:30pm BST - 4:30pm BST
This talk forms part of the International Seminar: Architecture Design and Research 2026. Full programme available here.
For researchers and postgraduate students, organized by Prof. Maria
Rita Pais, Prof. Ana Neiva, Prof. Carlos Guimarães, Prof. Dana Arnold, Prof. Tadeja Zupancic, and Prof. Spela Hudnik.
A collaborative initiative between the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures (University of East Anglia), Universidade Lusófona, and the University of Ljubljana.
About the Talk
In a country where wooden (and latterly concrete) architecture reigns supreme, most people encounter Japan’s ancient past through reconstructions – of buildings, objects and dioramas, often in association with modern concrete structures (museums). This presentation will review some prime case studies of prehistoric buildings and early temples through the lens of authenticity and integrity, the two pillars by which UNESCO recognises Outstanding Universal Value, the demonstration of which is central to inscription as World Heritage. Issues that relate to such structures were the imperative behind the Japanese drive to establish the ‘intangible’ as a category of cultural property. The presentation will focus on the Jomon Sites of Northern Japan https://jomon-japan.jp/en/ https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1632/ (inscribed on the World Heritage list five years ago) and the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, including a number of the most important early Buddhist temples https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/870/ (inscribed in 1998) and set these in the context of the many thousands of historical reconstructions throughout Japan, with a brief comparison with the situation in the UK.
About the Speaker
Simon Kaner is an archaeologist specialising in the prehistory of Japan and the archaeology of East Asia. He is Executive Director and Head of the Centre for Archaeology and Heritage at the Sainsbury Institute, and Professor of Archaeology and Heritage at the University of East Anglia, where he is also a board member of the Centre for Japanese Studies.
His work focuses on Japanese prehistory, cultural heritage management, and the historic urban and landscape environment in comparative perspective. He has conducted archaeological research in Japan and the UK, worked extensively in heritage management, and curated major exhibitions at institutions including the British Museum, the Fitzwilliam Museum and the Sainsbury Centre. He is co-editor of the Japanese Journal of Archaeology and editor of several academic series, and has served on international advisory committees for UNESCO World Heritage nominations in Japan.