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Japan Renews Bid for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Status for Calligraphy

TOKYO, Mar 05 (News On Japan) - Japan has renewed its bid to have calligraphy recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, following a decision by the Cultural Affairs Council. If accepted, it would become Japan’s 24th registered cultural heritage.

Calligraphy, which involves the traditional use of brushes, ink, and inkstones to write kanji and kana characters, was designated a National Intangible Cultural Property in 2021.

The council decided to resubmit calligraphy for UNESCO recognition to highlight the richness and diversity of Japanese cultural traditions. While an initial proposal was submitted in March last year, the evaluation was postponed due to UNESCO's annual review limit of around 60 applications.

The Japanese government plans to resubmit the proposal by the end of this month. Following an evaluation process, UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee is expected to make a final decision around November next year.

To date, Japan has successfully registered 23 intangible cultural heritages, including kabuki, washoku (Japanese cuisine), and traditional sake brewing, which was recognized last year.

Source: TBS

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