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QUESTIONNAIRE ON RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT INTANGIBLE CULTURAL

HERITAGE

General

1. Please briefly describe the general awareness in your country about

the importance of intangible cultural heritage (as defined in Article
2 of the Convention).

In Japan, intangible cultural properties have been protected under the

Law for Protection of Cultural Properties since 1950.
Holders of important intangible cultural properties, who are recognized
under the designation system set up as a protection measure for intangible
cultural properties under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties, are
popularly known as “Living National Treasures”. This term is widely known
among the people, and many Japanese are aware of the importance of bearers’
existence for intangible cultural heritage.
In addition, there are projects, indicated below, that aim at raising the
level of awareness of intangible cultural heritage both in Japan and abroad, so
the level of awareness among the people of Japan can be considered high.

Examples of projects conducted by the Agency for Cultural Affairs

 Establishment of Category II Centre related to the Safeguarding of
Intangible Cultural Heritage (planned)
 Partnership Programme for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural
Heritage (Seminars and visits for specialists from the Asia-Pacific region
countries).
 Subsidies for projects for training successors and for producing
documentation of Important Intangible Cultural Properties, Important
Intangible Folk Cultural Properties, and Selected Conservation
Techniques.
 Production of documentary films of Important Intangible Cultural
Properties: Craft Techniques
 The Japanese Arts and Beauty Exhibition (Display of works of traditional
craft techniques and related materials, live demonstrations of the
techniques, etc.)
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 The Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition (competition and exhibition of

works of traditional craft techniques)
 Video documentation of intangible folk cultural properties for which
documentation measures are necessary (folk cultural properties videos),
and public showing of those videos
 Symposium related to Selected Conservation Techniques (Symposium
on Cultural Properties: Conservation Techniques, demonstration and
exhibitions of techniques)
 Traditional cultural workshops for children (providing opportunities for
children to experience and learn traditional culture)
 Projects for the revitalization of local culture (financial assistance for
projects for the transmission of local culture run by traditional culture
preservation organizations and other groups)
 International Folk Performing Arts Festival (Joint performance of folk
performing arts from Japan and other countries)
 Subsidies for the operation of the National Theatre facilities by the
Japan Arts Council
 Consortium for International Cooperation on Cultural Heritage
(exchange of information and other dialogue on intangible cultural
heritage by a consortium of government organizations, independent
administrative institutions, education and research organizations, and
NGOs)

Examples of projects by the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage

 Surveys and research on intangible cultural heritage, audio and
video documentation and digital archiving, international exchange,
and academic seminars open to the public, by the National
Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo.

Examples of projects by the Japan Arts Council

 Performances of Important Intangible Cultural Properties, various
workshops for people to enjoy intangible cultural properties,
successor training, video documentation, and surveys, conducted
at the various facilities of the National Theatre

Examples of projects conducted by public interest corporations

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 Competition for excellence in revitalization of intangible cultural

heritage by a community
 National Festival of Folk Performing Arts for Children
 Traditional culture training seminar
 Training for production and repair of festival floats and other
materials
 Awards to recognize people who have made outstanding
contributions to the transmission of intangible cultural heritage
related to performing arts
 Video documentation of intangible cultural heritage (traditional
crafts, folk performing arts, etc.)

Awareness-raising at the national level

2. How can practitioners and bearers of the intangible cultural

heritage be effectively involved in raising awareness about the
importance of their heritage, while respecting customary access to
it?

In addition to refining their own skills, practitioners and bearers of

intangible cultural heritage in Japan are involved in raising awareness of
intangible cultural heritage and techniques through setting up holding groups
and other organizations for training successors and producing documentation.
The government provides financial support for these projects.

3. What role can formal and non-formal education play in raising

awareness about the importance of intangible cultural heritage?
What kind of educational materials could be developed for that
purpose?
4. What role can community centres, museums, archives and other
similar entities play in raising awareness about intangible cultural
heritage?

Educational facilities and other facilities as community centres,

museums and so on are involved in raising local awareness of intangible
cultural heritage in various ways: schools and cultural facilities provide space to
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conduct various projects, for practice and performance; museums and similar
facilities hold demonstrations of various techniques.

Example Project
 Traditional Culture Workshops for Children
Workshops are held on Saturdays and Sundays in schools or other
cultural facilities, in order to provide opportunities for children to
experience and learn folk performing arts, craft techniques, traditional
Japanese music, Japanese dance, martial arts, tea ceremony, and other
traditional cultural activities.

5. How can various types of media contribute to raising awareness?

(television, radio, films, documentaries, Internet, Specialized
publications, etc.)

Media such as newspapers and television play a role in raising

awareness of intangible cultural heritage by reporting on performances and
demonstrations of intangible cultural heritage in various areas.
One example of this is the “Media Partnership” on intangible cultural
heritage established between UNESCO and a Japanese newspaper company.
The newspaper company reports on the world’s intangible cultural heritage and
its surrounding social environment, and plans to hold a symposium and other
events in collaboration with UNESCO.

Awareness-raising at the international level

8. What kind of actions and tools do you expect the UNESCO

Secretariat to develop in order to assist the States Parties in
enhancing awareness about the intangible heritage?

It is expected that the UNESCO Secretariat will use tools such as the
Representative List and the Urgent Safeguarding List to gather information
about the world’s intangible cultural heritage, process it appropriately, and
publicize it effectively, in order to raise awareness of intangible cultural heritage
in the world.
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Further, it is expected that category-based mapping of intangible

cultural heritage such as performing arts, festivals, and craft techniques will
encourage dialogue between communities which possess similar intangible
cultural heritage.
Awareness-raising activities in each country should respect the
autonomy of each country, and use of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund
should supplement the autonomous efforts of each country.

9. The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of

Humanity is established under Article 16 of the Convention “in
order to ensure better visibility of the intangible cultural heritage
and awareness of its significance, and to encourage dialogue which
respects cultural diversity”. What kind of specific measures should
be taken to achieve these objectives?

In order to show the diversity of each country and of the world, it should
be strongly recommended that the Representative List include all items of
intangible cultural heritage nominated by each country as long as the items
meet the criteria for inscription.

10. How can the programmes, projects and activities that best
reflect the principles and objectives of the Convention, as referred
to in Article 18, contribute to raising awareness about the
importance of the intangible heritage?

Sharing case studies from countries advanced in the safeguarding of

intangible cultural heritage can be of great value in providing models for the
many countries that are just beginning to safeguard their intangible cultural
heritage.

11. Through what means can the Committee disseminate best

practices, as referred to in paragraph 3 of Article 18?

Easy-to-use explanatory materials that can be reprinted by each

country should be made available, along with use of the UNESCO website.
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Threats related to awareness raising

12. When applying awareness-raising measures, what aspects or

elements of the intangible heritage should be excluded?

In awareness-raising activities, considerable attention must be taken to

avoid comparative rankings of superiority and inferiority among the intangible
cultural heritage of countries or areas, or excessive disputes regarding the
home ground of the heritage or claims regarding subordinate relations.

13. When attempting to raise awareness about intangible heritage,

what kind of measures should be taken to avoid inappropriate use
or access to it?

Regarding access to the intangible cultural heritage, the importance of

respecting the customs of the country or the area should be made known.
Emphasis should also be placed on respecting the rights of the country or
community involved with regard to use of or access to the intangible cultural
heritage.

14. What kind of precautions should be taken to avoid possible

negative effects resulting from enhanced visibility of certain forms
of intangible heritage?

Enhanced visibility of intangible cultural heritage can be expected to

lead to increased numbers of tourists, and if appropriate measures are not
taken, there can be negative effects on the traditional way of opening the
heritage to the public. Therefore, it is necessary in some cases to take measures
to minimize the effect on the traditional manner of making the heritage open to
the public, such as providing occasional opportunities to see the intangible
cultural heritage, in a different manner to the original form.

15. What ethical questions do you think need to be raised when

promoting the intangible heritage of certain communities
The community holding a certain form of intangible cultural heritage
must be thoroughly informed in advance of any promotional projects. Prior
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agreement of the community involved must be a condition of implementing

such projects.