Free Tool
Japan Intangible Cultural Heritage Quiz
Beyond temples and castles, UNESCO also lists living traditions — Japan has 23, from noh theatre and kabuki to washoku cuisine and the sake brewing added in 2024. Each is drawn here as a classic Edo-style print. This is the advanced course: how many can you name from the picture alone?
Tap a print to see the tradition's Japanese name, reading and story. Ready? Switch to Quiz.
The prints are original ukiyo-e interpretations in the classic Edo style, not photographs — costumes, props and settings are drawn true to each real tradition.
Can you read the site names?
Every name above is written in kanji with its reading. Our kanji course teaches you to read them for real — mnemonics included.
FAQ
What is Intangible Cultural Heritage?
While World Heritage protects places, UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list protects living traditions — performing arts, rituals, crafts and food culture passed down from person to person.
How many Intangible Cultural Heritage entries does Japan have?
23 as of 2026, starting with noh, bunraku and kabuki in 2008. The newest is traditional sake brewing, inscribed in December 2024. Japan's next nomination, shodō calligraphy, is scheduled for examination in late 2026.
Is sushi on the list?
Not by itself — but washoku, the whole traditional dietary culture of Japan (dashi, rice, seasonal dishes and the philosophy behind them), was inscribed in 2013.
What are the hardest ones for non-Japanese learners?
The regional rituals — like Aenokoto, where a farmer serves a formal meal to an invisible rice-field deity, or Daimokutate, where seventeen-year-olds recite medieval tales by lantern light. Even most Japanese people have never seen them.