11 December 2025: Decision to extend the inscription on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage
2025/12/11
On December 11, during the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, Japan's three nominations for inscription on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as part of an extension were accepted. The three files are: “Traditional skills, techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan,” “Washi, craftmanship of traditional Japanese hand-made paper,” and “Yama, Hoko, Yatai, festival floats in Japan.”
Following this decision, the creation of “nakatsugi-omote” (a type of tatami surface) was added to the category “Traditional skills, techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan.”
“Echizen Torinoko paper” from Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture, was added to the category “Washi, craftmanship of traditional Japanese hand-made paper.”
The Ofune Festival of Hitachi Otsu in Kita-Ibaraki City, Ibaraki Prefecture, the Murakami Yatai Festival of Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture, the Hikiyama and the Hojozu Hachiman-gu Shrine Hikiyama Tsukiyama Festival of Imizu City, Toyama Prefecture, and the Otsu Hikiyama Festival of Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, were added to the category “Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan.”
We are confident that these inscriptions will help pass on the traditional techniques of artisans to future generations and generate greater interest in intangible cultural heritage, thereby promoting the protection and transmission of intangible cultural heritage as a whole.
Japan will continue to contribute to the protection and transmission of cultural heritage.
Speech by Ambassador Kano (PDF):
Following this decision, the creation of “nakatsugi-omote” (a type of tatami surface) was added to the category “Traditional skills, techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan.”
“Echizen Torinoko paper” from Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture, was added to the category “Washi, craftmanship of traditional Japanese hand-made paper.”
The Ofune Festival of Hitachi Otsu in Kita-Ibaraki City, Ibaraki Prefecture, the Murakami Yatai Festival of Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture, the Hikiyama and the Hojozu Hachiman-gu Shrine Hikiyama Tsukiyama Festival of Imizu City, Toyama Prefecture, and the Otsu Hikiyama Festival of Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, were added to the category “Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan.”
We are confident that these inscriptions will help pass on the traditional techniques of artisans to future generations and generate greater interest in intangible cultural heritage, thereby promoting the protection and transmission of intangible cultural heritage as a whole.
Japan will continue to contribute to the protection and transmission of cultural heritage.
Speech by Ambassador Kano (PDF):