Japan Heritage Marks 10 Years; What Has It Achieved So Far, What Challenges Lie Ahead?

Yomiuri Shimbun

3 days ago

It has been 10 years since the Cultural Affairs Agency established the Japan Heritage system, under which the agency designates 'stories' that convey Japanese culture and traditions through the historical charm and characteristics of regions. The number of designated stories has exceeded 100, though a story has been removed from the list due to changes in the program.
What has it achieved so far and what challenges lie ahead?'Japan Heritage has become an important pillar of the city's policies, and it has also led to the revitalization of the city,' said a Hachioji city government official in charge of promoting local Japan Heritage.
The city's story, 'Mt. Takao: Mountain of Spirits — Mulberry City spun with people's prayers,' was the only story in Tokyo that was designated in fiscal 2020. The story recounts the construction of a mountain castle built during the Warring States period (1493-1573), the flourishing of sericulture and silk weaving in the area and the worship of Mt. Takao. The official said the project has had a significant effect in promoting tourism to Mt. Takao and fostering children's love for their local community.
'Our long-cherished wish has come true. The joint efforts of the public and private sectors have borne fruit,' said a city government official in Otaru, Hokkaido, in charge of promoting sightseeing. The city was designated as a Japan Heritage site in February.Otaru had already been attracting tourists before the designation, but the designation has helped boost the city further, allowing it to show the whole story of its development, decline and revival since the Meiji era (1868-1912) to visitors, including those whose purpose is to enjoy the local cuisine.
Unlike conventional cultural property administration, which focuses on preserving cultural assets, the Japan Heritage system aims to revitalize local communities by utilizing tangible and intangible cultural properties. The Cultural Affairs Agency supports the efforts of designated regions with subsidies. In April 2015, the first 18 stories were designated, and by fiscal 2020, the total number of designated stories reached 104, which is around the 100 as initially planned.
To maintain the system's brand value, the agency introduced a system of comprehensive evaluation and continued examination in fiscal 2021. This new system evaluates revitalization projects utilizing Japan Heritage sites after a certain period of time and also allows for revocation of the designation. The system also allows for a replacement based on a comparative evaluation, in which designated areas compete with approved candidate areas.
While Otaru was newly designated under this system, seven cities and towns in Fukuoka and Saga prefectures were excluded from the designated regions for the first time and downgraded to a candidate region due to their regional story, 'The Western Capital of Ancient Japan — Exchange Hub with East Asia,' and their efforts to have tourists travel around the area being deemed insufficient.
'We heard disappointment from the residents. While the quality of the cultural assets that make up each story is completely different from one another, how can they uniformly evaluate all of them?' a related municipal government official said.
Several other areas have also voiced their opinion that the new system has changed the character of Japan Heritage by placing more emphasis on economic aspects, such as the number of tourists who visit the area, in the evaluation processes.
'The purpose of the system, which is to revitalize regions by emphasizing cultural aspects, has not changed,' a Cultural Affairs Agency official said.
However, a local government official from another designated region pointed out: 'The system is extremely strict compared to others in which very few certifications are canceled.'
Nevertheless, Akira Matsuda, an associate professor at the University of Tokyo, who specializes in cultural resources studies and is familiar with the Japan Heritage system, gave the program a positive evaluation.
'At first, I was concerned that this system would only certify [and not produce results]. However, I think the system is working to maintain a sense of urgency [among local governments] and growing in a positive way,' he said.
Whether the new system can maintain its viability depends on how many regions will apply for new designation in the future. However, according to the agency, there have been no new applications since fiscal 2022. An agency official said, 'Regions that were not designated previously may see Otaru's case and apply again.' However, the system may be reviewed if no applications are submitted.
Another problem is that the system is not well-known to the public. In a survey conducted last year by the agency, only 35.4% of respondents said they were familiar with Japan Heritage and the designated cultural assets.
Even now, 10 years after its establishment, it is often confused with World Heritage. Last year, the agency launched a project to have companies and other organizations that have formed partnerships to promote the attractiveness of Japan Heritage. In October, it launched a series of short videos that tell the stories of each designated area.
'Lack of recognition is the biggest challenge. If a cap is set on the number of designated regions, people outside of those regions will not be interested unless they can join the system, and interest may taper off,' Matsuda said.