Sake’s knowhow in the UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list

UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list will include the knowhow for producing traditional Japanese alcoholic beverages, including sake and distilled spirits such as shochu and awamori. Japan's Cultural Affairs Agency has informed that a UN advisory panel had just made an announcement of the recommendation to that effect.

According to the agency, UNESCO's committee is expected to make the listing official at a meeting in Paraguay, which is to be held in December.  Japan already has 22 items in the UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List, which includes nogaku theater, washoku cuisine and local folk dances. Japan is aiming to have traditional shodo calligraphy included in the list as well.

These traditional Japanese beverages are being used in Japan’s traditional rituals and festivals, and can be said to an integral part of Japanese culture.