Japan names first culinary ‘living treasures’ as traditions struggle for successors

Detailed summary

Japan recently recommended two people as its first-ever living national treasures in traditional Japanese cuisine, but the traditions they embody face ...

TOKYO, Nov 15 — Japan recently recommended two people as its first-ever living national treasures in traditional Japanese cuisine, but the traditions they embody face an uncertain future amid lifestyle changes and a shortage of successors driven by the country’s shrinking population, Kyodo News reported.

While mastering the arts under a seasoned chef or sake brewer can be technically demanding and require a high degree of craftsmanship, the elevation of Eiichi Takahashi, 87, of the restaurant Hyotei in Kyoto and sake brewer Naohiko Noguchi, 93, is hoped to encourage younger generations to take up the mantle.

Interest in Japanese food and culinary culture has boomed globally since washoku and traditional dietary cultures of Japan were added to the intangible cultural heritage list in 2013 by Unesco.

The recommendation has “shaped the identity and form of Kyo ryori,” Shinichi Terada, head of the Kyo Ryori Association, said.

The association is made up of long-established traditional Japanese restaurants specialising in Kyoto cuisine.

In 2025, Kyoto welcomed a record 12.68 million inbound tourists to the city, 43.5 per cent of whom sought out culinary experiences.

The city hopes that the inclusion of a connoisseur of Kyoto cuisine as a living national treasure will be a tailwind to its popularity.

The sake brewing industry has welcomed the news, with the Japan Toji Guild Association saying it “gives all involved in traditional sake brewing hope and courage.”

Trade statistics show exports of Japanese alcohol hit a record high in 2025 to around ¥149.5 billion (RM3.8 billion).

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