01063nas a2200109   4500000000100000008004100001100001200042245007400054300001200128520079100140020002200931       2010                            d1 aV. Cang00aCreating heritage to preserve it: the Iemoto system in Japan as model  a747-7573 aMany Japanese traditions, including UNESCO-designated heritage such as kabuki and no(gaku) theaters, have been transmitted through centuries-old family lineages led by titular heads called iemoto. This study examines the historical development of the iemoto system and its influence on the preservation of intangible heritage in present-day Japan, through ethnographic research of the tea ceremony and the festival. Although the iemoto system is associated with familial traditions, as represented by the former, it has been appropriated in more contemporary, non-familial heritage, such as in festivals, implying the system s indispensability for heritage preservation in Japan. The role and prospects of the iemoto system as a model for intangible heritage preservation are discussed.  a978-989-95671-3-9