6 Japanese items set for inscription on UNESCO heritage list

Their registration is expected to be formalised at a meeting of an intergovernmental committee in India next month. This would mark the first registration of a Japanese intangible asset since traditional Japanese sake brewing was added to the UNESCO list in 2024.

The six items were recommended as extended nominations for the three already-inscribed Japanese intangible heritage categories–“washi,” “yama, hoko, yatai, float festivals”, and “traditional skills, techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture.” Therefore, the number of Japanese items on the UNESCO list will remain unchanged at 23.