List of Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties

Criteria

1. It must exemplify something original in the Japanese people's everyday life in terms of origin and content, and be typical.
2. It must exemplify the process of evolution of some technique.
3. It must exemplify some local characteristic.

Manufacture, livelihood

7 designations. All were designated under Criteria 1.

Life rituals

6 designations. All were designated under Criteria 1.

Those dates marked with an * follow the traditional calendar.

Amusements, contests

9 designations

Social life (knowledge of folk customs)

2 designations

Annual functions or events

33 designations

Religious festivals and beliefs

66 designations. All were designated under Criteria 1.

Those dates marked with an * follow the traditional calendar.

Kagura

Kagura (神楽, kagura) (lit. "god entertainment") are dances associated with Shinto shrines.

There have been 35 designations, all under Criteria 1, unless otherwise indicated.

Dengaku

Dengaku (田楽, dengaku) (lit. "field music") are musical presentations/dances related to rice planting.

There have been 25 designations, all under Criteria 1 unless otherwise indicated

Fūryū

Fūryū Odori (風流踊, fūryū odori) (lit. "elegant dances") are traditional folk dances often consisting of large processions of participants typically wearing colorful costumes and accompanied by props. Another form represented below is Nenbutsu Odori (念仏踊, nenbutsu odori) and the syncretic Nenbutsu Fūryū (念仏風流, nenbutsu fūryū). In these dances, dancing is accompanied by Buddhist chanting and hymns.

The most common surviving example of these dances is the Bon Odori.

There have been 35 designations, all designated under Criteria 1 unless otherwise indicated.

Storytelling

5 designations. All were designated under Criteria 1.

Ennen and Okonai

Ennen (延年, ennen) (lit. "extend the years") are Buddhist temple entertainments performed at the end of Buddhist services and believed to extend the listeners' lifespans. Okonai (おこない, okonai) (lit. "deeds") are Buddhist New Year celebrations in which the evils of the past year are driven away.

There have been 7 designations, all under Criteria 1.

Entertainment from Abroad and Performance Arts

36 designations. All were designated under Criteria 1.

Other

16 designations. All were designated under Criteria 1.

Manufacturing and Production

11 designations.

Necessities of life

2 designations.