01203nas a2200133   4500000000100000008004100001100002100042700001600063700001900079245004600098856007300144300001000217520084200227                                       d1 aMichelle Stefano1 aPeter Davis1 aCorsane Gerard00aSafeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage  uhttps://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-13-0244-2_4#citeas  a41-573 aAfter the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Northeast Asian Studies Centre at Tohoku University conducted an extensive project titled, “Investigation into Damage to Folk Cultural Assets from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in Miyagi.” The project focused on “intangible folk cultural assets,” such as local festivals and folk performing arts. In this chapter, Takizawa introduces some of the challenges faced by researchers in attempting to measure the degree of damage to, and recovery of, cultural assets that are essentially “intangible” and for which, in many cases, there were no earlier written records. Issues illuminated by the project and their practical significance to society are discussed with particular reference to the reconstruction of local communities and revival of their traditional festivals.