U.S. foundation supports Noto preservation projects

On May 21, representatives of the World Monuments Fund, a New York-based nonprofit for safeguarding cultural heritage, held a news conference in the Ishikawa Prefecture city of Nanao to announce WMF’s contribution of $400,000 (about ¥58 million) in support of two organizations promoting the repair and restoration of cultural assets damaged in the Noto earthquake of Jan. 1, 2024.

The recipients are the Specified Nonprofit Corporation Ipponsugi Street Cultural Heritage Preservation Association, which is operated in part by store owners on Nanao’s Ipponsugi Street, a commercial street that retains the atmosphere of an old castle town, and the Kuroshima Wakamiya Hachimangu Rebuilding Committee in Wajima’s Kuroshima district, which once flourished as a hub for the kitamaebune ships that sailed the Sea of Japan and is the only Noto Peninsula area designated an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. WMF has allocated $400,000 to the restoration of historic townscapes and the maintenance of a sustainable environment for their preservation, which is currently being implemented by WMF and its Japanese partners.

On Ipponsugi Street, repairs will focus mainly on four Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Properties: the stores Takazawa Candle, Torii Soy Sauce and Oyamaya Soy Sauce, as well as Tadake Jutaku, the structure housing the (currently closed) Japanese restaurant Ipponsugi Kawashima — which in 2024 was honored by Destination Restaurants, the list of outstanding regional restaurants presented by The Japan Times. It is expected that the project will be completed in 2026. The target for the completion of the Kuroshima project, with a focus on the reconstruction of the shrine Wakamiya Hachimangu, is 2028-29.

At the news conference, the executive representative of WMF in Japan, Miyoko Demay, talked about precedents across the world of cultural heritage assets serving as catalysts for regional revival and prosperity. She also spoke about WMF’s unique ability to tell the world about cultural heritage assets needing conservation efforts through the WMF network, which has carried out support programs in 112 countries and over 700 locations. Yoshitaka Chatani, the mayor of Nanao, conveyed his gratitude and also stressed that there are cultural heritage assets not only in Nanao but also throughout the Noto Peninsula region. Yoshio Hayashi, the chairman of the Kuroshima Wakamiya Hachimangu Rebuilding Committee, expressed his hope for the continuation of the shrine’s summer festival and said of the grant, “I want to share my feeling of deep appreciation along with the residents.” Hisashi Takazawa, the chairman of the Ipponsugi Street Cultural Heritage Preservation Association, said, “Repairing buildings that retain the memories of the town and families is very important.” In this way, each attendee expressed their own thoughts and feelings on this occasion.

世界各地で文化遺産の保護・保存活動を続ける非営利民間組織「ワールド・モニュメント財団（WMF）」（本部・米国ニューヨーク）が、2025年5月21日に石川県七尾市を訪れ、記者会見を開いた。内容は2024年の元日に起きた令和6年能登半島地震で被害を受けた文化財の修復や復旧を推進する2団体への計40万ドル（約5,750万円）の支援。その対象となったのは城下町の風情が残る七尾市の商店街、一本杉通りの商店主などで運営する「一本杉通りの文化遺産を守る会」と、能登半島唯一の重要伝統的建造物群保存地区に指定されている輪島市黒島町の「黒島若宮八幡宮再建委員会」だ。

WMF日本代表部ディメイ美代子理事長は、文化遺産が地域の復興や繁栄のきっかけになることは世界的にも前例があること、また、世界で支援を行ってきたWMFのネットワークを通じて保護活動が必要な文化遺産の存在を世界に発信できる強みについて語り、支援を受ける２団体の代表者も感謝を述べた。

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