A government panel has selected kagura, a traditional Japanese performing art, and onsen hot spring culture as candidates for UNESCO intangible cultural heritage designation. The decision was formally made at a conference of related ministries and agencies on Friday. The government plans to submit a proposal to UNESCO by the end of March next year, targeting registration for kagura in 2028 and onsen culture in 2030.
Kagura is a folk performing art hosted by specific sacred places, and the government will propose 40 cases designated as Japan's important intangible folk cultural properties in bulk to UNESCO. Onsen culture encompasses the Japanese social custom of bathing in hot springs to heal both mind and body, including nationwide festivals and religious ceremonies.
Japan currently has 23 UNESCO intangible cultural heritages. The government has also recommended shodō, or Japanese calligraphy, for inscription on the list. If kagura is registered, it will encompass existing heritages such as Hayachine kagura in Iwate Prefecture and Sada Shinno ritual dances in Shimane Prefecture, reducing Japan's total to 22.
The panel further recommended adding one case to the current heritage of yama, hoko, and yatai float events, one to furyū odori folk performing arts, and three to the traditional skills, techniques, and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan. These efforts aim to elevate the global recognition of Japanese traditional culture.