日本の伝統的な木造建築をなりたたせて来た職人技術「伝統構法」。美しい町並みや里山の風景をかたちづくってきた、この技術や生業を未来にもつなげていくために「伝統構法をユネスコ無形文化遺産に！」という目標を掲げました。
Dento-koho, the traditional woodworking techniques of Japan, have been developed through a blend of the original techniques of Japan and techniques from China and the Korean peninsula. In Japan, it has been developed and nurtured by a group of highly skilled artisans over a period of more tha
n one thousand years in the context of the unique sensibility and wisdom of Japan. Dento-koho is comprised of not only carpentry skills, but also the system of production techniques for working with wood and other natural materials, the manufacturing techniques for producing tools, and the related social and spiritual ceremonies and customs. Traditional culture such as the tea ceremony and flower arrangement, and traditional art forms such as Noh and Kabuki evolved within and around the traditional wooden structures of Japanese architecture. In addition, the representations of traditional landscape and streetscapes depicted in movies and paintings attract a lot of foreign tourists. In these important ways, dento-koho has supported the concept of the prototypical and idealized image of Japan. However, this system of techniques is in danger of extinction now. The number of artisans with these skills and craftsmanship is catastrophically falling, and the survival of these thousand-year-old techniques and production systems is becoming increasingly difficult. There is a growing recognition by the Japanese people that dento-koho is a unique cultural treasure that needs to be preserved, and this is lending considerable support to the movement to have dento-koho registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
