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Folk-cultural properties are defined as tangible and intangible properties which have their origin in every day life and have been transmitted to the present day and which reflect changes in daily life. These include manners and customs having to do with eating, clothing, domicile, work, religion, annual events and such. as well as folk performing arts, and the clothing, tools, structures and so on that are used for them.

Folk-cultural properties have been created, refined and improved upon in relation to the climate and social conditions of the respective localities, and handed down to the present day. Many cases exist in which basic elements of traditional community culture survive in folk-cultural properties. These properties are thus regarded as indispensable to the understanding of the culture of Japan's respective communities and of Japanese traditional culture as a whole.

The appropriate protection of folk-cultural properties is an important task. Because they have been passed on as a part of everyday life, they are even now in a constant state of flux, appearing and disappearing. This sort of cultural property is very difficult to protect in light of the rapidly changing life styles that can be found in Japanese society.