Home > News > Speeches and Statements by the Prime Minister > December 2016 > Message from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the Inscription of “Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan” on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Speeches and Statements by the Prime Minister
Message from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the Inscription of “Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan” on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
December 1, 2016
[Provisional Translation]
Highly creative and brilliant floats adorned with beautiful decorations are towed by people to pray for protection from natural disasters and for peace in the communities.
Today, “Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan” was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. I could not be any happier.
The 33“Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals” throughout Japan have been inherited by the various regions over many generations. We would like to pass them on to future generations and promote them domestically and internationally with pride.
December 1, 2016
Shinzo Abe
Prime Minister of Japan
