A set of Japanese traditional festivals featuring parades and floats is to be added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
An evaluation body set up by UNESCO made the announcement early last month.
The Hakata Gion Yamagasa Festival of Fukuoka Prefecture and Takayama Matsuri no Yatai Gyoji of Gifu Prefecture are among the 33 festivals to be included.
All of the festivals have been registered in Japan as important national intangible folk cultural assets.
The new listing includes the Kyoto Gion festival’s Yamahoko float ceremony and the Hitachi Furyumono parade in Ibaraki Prefecture, which are already recognized individually. So far 22 items from Japan have been registered as intangible cultural heritage list.