2021 Lobby Exhibition :
Documenting Intangible Cultural Heritage for Safeguarding and Succession
June 4, 2021 - 　Closed

Documenting Intangible Cultural Heritage

　The COVID-19 pandemic that began late in 2019 has caused considerable damage to intangible cultural heritage, as to various other areas of society, threatening the existence of many intangible cultural properties. However, the pandemic is not all to blame for this crisis. The lack of successors, financial factors,disasters, and lifestyle changes, for example, have also caused numerous traditions to disappear.
　Intangible cultural heritage is passed down from person to person. Therefore, once it disappears, it cannot be revived easily. Under such circumstances, the only way to pass down heritage to posterity is by documenting it.
　Needless to say, records of intangible cultural properties should be kept not only on the premise that they will disappear. Documenting their existing state is just as important, as intangible cultural heritage is ever changing. It also enables such heritage to be analyzed and studied. Furthermore, making such records available to the public can raise awareness about intangible cultural heritage and facilitate an increase in the numbers of enthusiasts, which can help strengthen the traditions.
　The elements that are to be documented are also diverse. For example, in the case of performing arts, gestures and performances are mainly recorded, and in the case of traditional crafts, the techniques of making the crafts are mainly recorded. However, that is not all. There are cases where it becomes important to record the tools and raw materials that are used, or even the environment and lifestyles behind the development of each intangible cultural property.
　At the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (Tobunken), various records are created from the perspective of safeguarding and utilizing intangible cultural heritage. Particularly with respect to video records, continuous studies are being conducted with regard to the best methodology for recording intangible cultural heritage, in terms of what to record in what ways, and how to best present it. Methodologies for archiving are also continuously studied.