Sacred World Heritage Sites in Japan : When religious and ritual sites are recognized as cultural heritage.

Sammanfattning

In recent years, there has been an emphasis on the religious elements of tangible cultural heritage within UNESCO World Heritage Site recognition. Some of these sites, with religious and spiritual significance recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage, are located in Japan. When it comes to religious sites, Japan has been and remains a global leader in heritagization, with its religious sites frequently de-privatized as part of the process, becoming public properties that are both secular and sacred. Religious buildings and objects, for instance, are recognized and designated as cultural heritage due to their artistic or historical value, but not for their spiritual meaning. Therefore, Japan is one of the most important places to study to understand the heritagization of religion as a global phenomenon. The purpose of this thesis is to highlight the issues surrounding the protection and management of religious sites that are designated as World Heritage by exemplifying those in Japan, by examining how the Japanese heritage protection system operates at them. Findings reveal that these Japanese World Heritage sites, with religious and spiritual significance, occupy a position at the intersection of religion and heritage, sacredness and secularity, and local practice and international recognition. The results show that the Japanese heritage protection system reflects ongoing negotiations between religious communities and heritage management, where authorities may need to recognize the significance of these sites not only in the preservation of physical structures but also in the continuation of the traditions and beliefs that give them meaning.