This is good news to encourage people to whom invaluable techniques have been passed down in order to preserve Japan's ancient architecture.
A UNESCO advisory body that conducts preliminary screenings has recommended that Japanese traditional architectural craftsmanship be registered on the international body's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. A decision on the registration is expected to be officially decided in December.
The Intangible Cultural Heritage is a system to register and preserve traditional performing arts and craft skills, among other cultural heritages, from around the world. From Japan, noh and kabuki, washoku Japanese cuisine and "Yama, Hoko and Yatai float festivals" are among the intangible heritages that have been registered.
The Japanese traditional architectural craftsmanship that has been newly recommended for registration by the UNESCO advisory panel consists of 17 sets of techniques, including woodworking, plastering and ornamentation skills. Construction using natural materials such as wood, grass and soil requires regular repairs and replacement of parts. The 17 techniques assume the role for these purposes.
The advisory panel also praised the 17 techniques for highlighting the connection between intangible techniques and tangible cultural heritage structures. They are valuable in that they have inherited ancient experiences and wisdom and have contributed to architecture as cultural assets.
It is said that "yanegawarabuki (hongawarabuki)" kawara tile roofing, one of the 17 techniques, in temples and castles, such as Horyuji temple in Nara Prefecture and Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture, require keen insight to distinguish still usable old kawara tiles and advanced skills to harmonize them with elegant curved surfaces while supplementing new tiles.
It is also worth noting that the 17 techniques include activities to secure necessary materials for techniques. Among "hiwadabuki or kokerabuki" roofing with Japanese cypress bark or shingles, hiwadabuki uses Japanese cypress bark and "kayabuki" thatched roof uses Japanese silver grass or reeds. Without activities to collect Japanese cypress bark and Japanese silver grass or reeds, these techniques with such materials would not be possible.
Hiwadabuki can be seen on the roof of the main hall of the Kiyomizudera temple in Kyoto Prefecture, and in Gifu Prefecture, kayabuki is used on houses in Shirakawa-go village, known for its gassho-zukuri style farmhouses. It is obvious that if techniques and materials are lost, temples and shrines, including World Heritage sites, and old houses would fall into ruin and lose their value.
The government originally chose the 17 items as "Selected Conservation Techniques" and authorized 14 organizations to pass them down. With efforts to be made by the parties concerned alone, traditional techniques could dwindle after being put under pressure by modern building methods.
It is necessary to think hard about how to sustain the production and distribution of traditional materials. The Cultural Affairs Agency has decided to use domestic lacquer for repairs of national treasures and other traditional items to counter the distribution of cheap imported lacquer, thus reportedly halting production cuts in domestic lacquer.
The most serious aspect is that many organizations are said to be struggling to nurture people to whom they can pass down these traditional techniques. The significance of works related to cultural properties and the fact that these jobs are worthwhile may not be well known to young people. It is also worth studying ways to convey information on these expertise sufficiently in classroom education or other occasions.
The registration of intangible heritages is a good opportunity to convey value to people in an easy-to-understand way both at home and abroad. The government needs to come up with effective support measures for that purpose that help lead to a steady passing down of traditional techniques.
-- The original Japanese article appeared in The Yomiuri Shimbun on Nov. 19, 2020.
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