Every prefecture has cultural treasures: old buildings and temples, local performing arts and festivals, and events that come around each season. People in the area have kept them going together for a very long time, and they carry many wishes, such as hoping for a good harvest or for the area to prosper. There were also people in the past who worked for the area, for example by bringing water to dry land or opening new rice fields. They took great trouble and found clever ways to widen the fields and make life better for the people of their time. Their work, and these old things, are still handed down today. As members of the community, we think about what we can do to keep them alive.
Japan has chosen Hikone Castle as its candidate for the World Heritage list this year. The Agency for Cultural Affairs, the part of the Japanese government that looks after culture and old buildings, said this on Thursday, September 3.