Delineates both the broad and narrow meanings of the expression cultural property in Japan, the narrow one being understood as describing objects that have been designated by the 1930 Law for the Protection of Cultural Property, which comprises five strictly defined categories. This law is summarized and the distinctions between Important Cultural Properties and National Treasures introduced; how this distinction affects the granting of government subsidies is mentioned. The paper then reports on the ancient tradition of collecting objects of art, what kinds of buildings were erected to safekeep them and what were the responsibilities of the caretakers hired to specifically manage the collections. The second half of the 19th century brought about the adoption of the modern concept of museum and the opening of three important ones in Tokyo, Nara, and Kyoto. The role of conservators in this environment is explained, their various functions and capabilities are outlined, and hope expressed that more professional training courses be developed to insure an adequate supply of experts to staff the large number of modern museums.