A set of Japanese folk rituals, in which people dress up as gods and visit homes, was approved Thursday for addition to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, a committee of the U. N. body said. The rituals featuring "Raiho-shin" — meaning a visiting deity — stem from folk
A set of Japanese folk rituals, in which people dress up as gods and visit homes, was approved Thursday for addition to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, a committee of the U. N. body said.
The rituals featuring “Raiho-shin” — meaning a visiting deity — stem from folk beliefs that gods visit their communities to usher in the New Year or new seasons with good luck. Those to be listed include “Oga no Namahage” in the northeastern prefecture of Akita, one of the most popular among such customs.
During a meeting of the U. N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Intergovernmental Committee in Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, 10 such rituals from eight Japanese prefectures were announced to become part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. The actual inscription on the list is scheduled to take place on Saturday, the last day of the session.
Japan had pitched the significance of the Raiho-shin rituals, saying they are vital to communities concerned because they “help strengthen the sense of belonging to the community.
