A panel of experts under Japan's Cultural Affairs Agency on Tuesday selected Japanese calligraphy again as a candidate for UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
The government is expected to submit the fresh proposal to UNESCO by the end of the month. The U.N. agency's intergovernmental committee will decide whether to add shodō to the heritage list at a meeting around winter 2026.
The government had proposed adding shodō to the list in March last year, but UNESCO postponed a review of the proposal.
According to the Cultural Affairs Agency, shodō is defined as the act of writing kanji and kana characters using traditional brushstrokes and techniques. It is a social custom in Japan, including being performed for signatures on occasions such as weddings and funerals.
The Council for Cultural Affairs judged that shodō is suitable for informing the world about the diversity and depth of Japanese culture.
On the UNESCO list, there are currently 23 items from Japan, including kabuki traditional plays and washoku Japanese cuisine. Most recently, traditional sake brewing was added last December.
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