"Calligraphy" and "traditional sake brewing" as the first registered intangible cultural property

For the first time, "Calligraphy" and "Traditional Sake Brewing" have been registered in the newly established "Registered Intangible Cultural Properties" to protect intangible cultural properties that are feared to be affected by the shortage of bearers and the spread of infection. It was decided to do so.

"Registered intangible cultural property" is a system newly established by the revision of the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties in order to broadly protect living culture, performing arts, craftsmanship, etc., and is a cultural property that is not designated as an important intangible cultural property. Of these, those that need to be preserved and utilized in particular are targeted.

On the 15th, the Council for Cultural Affairs of the Agency for Cultural Affairs reported to the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Suematsu about two cases, "calligraphy" and "traditional sake brewing," as the first registered intangible cultural properties.

Of these, "calligraphy" has a high artistic value as well as its historical significance in life culture, as it has created highly aesthetic expressions and that traditional calligraphy was widely accepted in the Edo period. I am evaluating it.

Seiu Takagi, vice chairman and calligrapher of the Japan Calligraphy Culture Association, said, "I would be more than happy if Japanese calligraphy became popular. Since the ultimate goal is to register UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage, in the future. I want to continue inheriting and developing. "

"Traditional sake brewing" refers to the manual work that was built up by accumulating the experience of the maker, and has been passed down to the present even after the mechanization and scale-up since the Meiji era, and it is related to taste and aroma. It expresses various expressions and is said to have historical significance.

Regarding intangible cultural properties, there are concerns about the impact of a shortage of bearers and a decrease in activity due to the new coronavirus, and when registered under the new system, the government will subsidize the expenses required for preservation and disclosure.