ABOUT
A trip to experience the art and culture
that’s rooted in the land.
Live tourism enhances the pleasure of the sightseeing experience. The NOBODY KNOWS project proposes “traditional live tourism” as a new approach for the tourist. We promote enjoying the traditional performing arts while experiencing them in their local habitat surrounded by the traditional Japanese heritage structures, historic sites and the majestic nature that are celebrated in various regions of Japan. The program also arranges meetings with locals who can explain the traditions, in order to enable the tourist to learn and experience the history, culture and heart of the area. This journey enables encountering as well as experiencing “living traditions”.
An “intangible culture” that has been treasured for generations.
This project wants to convey history, skills, lifestyle, festivals, prayers, food, entertainment, and the other “intangibles”. The Japanese heritage story has no tangible shape. It is a new form of travel centered on an “intangible culture” that will be lost if it is not communicated, person to person.
“Live” person to person communication.
Intangible culture fascinates because it’s passed on from person to person. It’s important not only to exhibit, make commentary and VR, but also to enable an atmosphere of live communication that takes place, face to face. In this way, the dynamic expressions of tradition and culture can be experienced through all five senses. Due to performances, tours, workshops, and social gatherings, it will be an encounter where you can meet, learn and enjoy professional performers and local entertainers, guides, craftsmen, priests, local people and children.
This “travel encounter” leads to the “support” of traditional culture
Intangible culture can be said to be the “root” of a locality and is part of being Japanese. And that is why we go back to the source. It will most certainly be lost if there is no one to inherit it and develop it.
How empowered will the inheritor of culture feel by communicating with people from this “person to person live” as they experience the honest excitement and joy of the visitors? The pleasure the travelers derive from the live performances will contribute to cultivate the motivation and pride of the next generation. It will lead to the creation of soil that is richly abundant in culture.
This project is carried out as part of “Japan Cultural Expo.”
You can see the Photo Book in PDF composed of photographs taken in six events held around the country in 2019.
(Download PDF from here)
・Photo Book 2021 PDF （Japanese Only）
Organizer: Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, Japan Arts Council, Japan Council of Performers Rights & Performing Arts Organizations［Geidankyo］
As a forerunner of this project, we carried out an Agency for Cultural Affairs sponsorship business “Nippon Takaramono Project” in 16 places around the country in 2017-2018.
（https://nobodyknows.tours/takaramono-pj/index_en）
What is Japan Heritage?（https://japan-heritage.bunka.go.jp/en/about/index.html）
There are unique and characteristic “stories” brought up by climate and history in each places of Japan.
The regional stories having deep connection with cityscapes, traditional architectures, industries, and festivals are authorized as “Japan Heritage” by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
Now, in many places around the country, unique “Japan Heritage” is discovered one after another.
What is Japan Cultural Expo?（https://japanculturalexpo.bunka.go.jp/en/）
In anticipation of fostering momentum for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games and expanding the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan, it will be deployed throughout Japan in order to promote Japan's cultural arts and disseminate its diverse and universal appeal.
