Story perspectives

Japan Celebrates Six New UNESCO Cultural Heritage Listings

12/11/2025

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Summary

Story summary

On December 11, 2025, UNESCO's intergovernmental committee listed six Japanese items as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The six items include traditional festivals from Ibaraki, Niigata, Shiga, and Toyama, plus Echizen torinoko-shi paper and nakatsugi-omote tatami mats.
The Ofune Festival and Murakami Yatai Festival were added to 'Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan' category.
Japan's government nominated these items in March 2024, and UNESCO reviewed them as extensions of categories.

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Story summary

On December 11, 2025, UNESCO's intergovernmental committee listed six Japanese items as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The six items include traditional festivals from Ibaraki, Niigata, Shiga, and Toyama, plus Echizen torinoko-shi paper and nakatsugi-omote tatami mats.
The Ofune Festival and Murakami Yatai Festival were added to 'Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan' category.
Japan's government nominated these items in March 2024, and UNESCO reviewed them as extensions of categories.