Overview
- Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs said UNESCO’s evaluation body advised adding six elements as extensions to already listed items.
- The proposed additions cover Echizen “Torinokogami” washi from Fukui and four festival components: Hitachi Otsu no Ofune Matsuri (Ibaraki), Murakami Matsuri yatai events (Niigata), Hōjōzu Hachiman-gū festival’s hikiyama/tsukiyama (Toyama), and Ōtsu Matsuri’s hikiyama (Shiga).
- A technique within the “Traditional Architectural Craft Skills” inscription was also recommended for inclusion by the evaluation body.
- A final decision is scheduled for the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee meeting on December 8–13 in New Delhi.
- Because these are extensions to multi-component inscriptions, Japan’s overall count of UNESCO intangible heritage listings would not change if adopted.