一般社団法人ナスカ地上絵協会は山形大学ナスカ研究所が発見した500点以上の地上絵を保護する活動を推進するために、2024年10月23日 設立されました。
The Nasca Geoglyphs Preservation and Research Association (NAPRA), a general incorporated association under Japanese law, was established on October 23, 2024 to promote the preservation of over 500 geoglyphs discovered by the Yamagata University Institute of Nasca.
お問合せ (Contact):nascanapra@gmail.com
法人名
一般社団法人ナスカ地上絵協会
代表理事
渡邊 洋一 (Yohichi Watanabe)
羽陽学園短期大学学長
山形大学名誉教授
理事
阿子島 功 (Isao Akojima)
山形大学名誉教授
理事
桜井 秋久 (Akihisa Sakurai)
元日本アイ・ビー・エム(株)IBM Distinguished Engineer
山形大学客員教授
アドバイザー
佐藤 琴 (Koto Sato)
山形大学学士課程基盤教育院教授
山形大学附属博物館学芸研究員
アドバイザー
坂井 正人 (Masato Sakai)
山形大学人文社会科学部教授
山形大学ナスカ研究所副所長
設立
2024年10月23日
事業内容
(1) ナスカの地上絵の保護に貢献するための活動
(2) ナスカの地上絵の文化財的価値の普及宣伝に貢献するための活動
(3) ナスカの地上絵の学術研究および調査に貢献するための活動
(4) ナスカの地上絵に係わる施設および設備等の維持管理
(5) ナスカの地上絵に関する資料および書籍等の作成、刊行および領布
(6) ナスカの地上絵の観光促進のための活動
(7) ナスカの地上絵に関する商品の企画、開発、販売
(8) ナスカの地上絵に関する商品等の著作権、意匠権、商標権の管理
(9) その他、本法人の目的を達成するために必要な事業
Organization Name
Nasca Geoglyphs Preservation and Research Association (General Incorporated Association under Japanese law)
Representative Director
Yohichi Watanabe
President, Uyo Gakuen Junior College
Professor Emeritus, Yamagata University
Directors
Isao Akojima
Professor Emeritus, Yamagata University
Akihisa Sakurai
Former IBM Distinguished Engineer, IBM Japan
Visiting Professor, Yamagata University
Advisor
Koto Sato
Professor, General Education Program, Yamagata University
Curator and Researcher, Yamagata University Museum
Advisor
Masato Sakai
Professor, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Yamagata University
Deputy Director, Yamagata University Institute of Nasca
Established
October 23, 2024
Activities
Activities contributing to the preservation of the Nasca geoglyphs
Activities to promote awareness of the cultural value of the Nasca geoglyphs
Activities supporting academic research and investigation of the Nasca geoglyphs
Maintenance and management of facilities and equipment related to the Nasca geoglyphs
Creation, publication, and distribution of materials and books related to the Nasca geoglyphs
Activities aimed at promoting tourism connected to the Nasca geoglyphs
Planning, development, and sales of products related to the Nasca geoglyphs
Management of copyrights, design rights, and trademarks related to such products
Other necessary activities to fulfill the objectives of the Association
代表理事 渡邊 洋一
山形大学名誉教授
羽陽学園短期大学学長
山形大学におけるナスカの地上絵の研究は、2004(平成16)年に、考古学・文化人類学を専門とする坂井正人 山形大学卓越教授を中心に、環境地理学、情報科学、認知心理学を専門とする当時の山形大学人文学部の研究者が集まり開始されました。以来、研究分野と国境を越えた学際的・国際的な研究へと発展してきました。
このたび、研究の過程で知り得たナスカ地上絵の魅力を世界中の皆様に広くお伝えし、その価値を後世に継承していただくため、一般社団法人ナスカ地上絵協会を設立いたしました。
これまで研究の中心は山形大学が担ってまいりましたが、世界遺産の保護活動を進める上では、国立大学としての立場上、一定の制約もございました。今後は、山形大学と連携しつつ、民間の非営利組織として、ナスカ地上絵の魅力発信や保護活動に、より柔軟かつ多様な方法で取り組んでまいります。
ナスカの地上絵は1994年、UNESCOの世界遺産(文化遺産)に登録されました。広大な砂漠の地表に直接描かれた稀有な文化遺産でありながら、自然災害や人為的破壊の影響を受けやすい脆弱さを併せ持っています。
この人類共通の貴重な財産を未来に継承するためには、その魅力を広く伝えるとともに、本来の姿を守り、維持していく不断の努力が不可欠です。
近年、新型コロナウイルス禍や頻発する自然災害など、人類が力を合わせて立ち向かわなければならない脅威が存在する一方で、戦争や紛争、経済的混乱により人々が分断・対立し、孤立を深める状況が見られます。
今こそ、世界遺産の価値を国境を越えて共有し、互いの地域を尊重しながら共生できる世界を維持・発展させていくことが求められています。その一助となるべく、微力ながら尽力してまいります。皆様のご理解とご協力を心よりお願い申し上げます。
Yoichi Watanabe
Representative Director of NAPRA
Professor Emeritus, Yamagata University
President, Uyo Gakuen Junior College
Research on the Nasca geoglyphs at Yamagata University began in 2004, when a team led by Professor Masato Sakai, Distinguished Professor of Archaeology and Cultural Anthropology at Yamagata University, was joined by scholars specializing in environmental geography, information science, and cognitive psychology from what was then the Faculty of Humanities. Since then, it has developed into interdisciplinary and international research that transcends both academic fields and national borders.
In order to share the fascination of the Nasca geoglyphs—discovered through the course of this research—with people around the world and to ensure that their value is passed on to future generations, we have established the Nasca Geoglyphs Preservation and Research Association (NAPRA).
Until now, Yamagata University has taken the lead in these research activities. However, there are certain constraints inherent in conducting World Heritage preservation activities within the framework of a national university. Moving forward, while continuing to work in close collaboration with Yamagata University, we will engage, as a private non-profit organization, in the dissemination of the Nasca geoglyphs’ cultural significance and in preservation activities through more flexible and diverse approaches.
The Nasca geoglyphs were inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List (Cultural Heritage) in 1994. They are an exceptionally rare form of cultural heritage, directly drawn upon the vast desert surface, yet they are inherently fragile and vulnerable to both natural disasters and human-induced destruction.
To preserve this invaluable legacy of humankind for the future, it is essential to not only promote its cultural significance widely but also to protect and maintain its original state through continuous effort.
In recent years, global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and frequent large-scale natural disasters have confronted humanity with threats that demand collective action. At the same time, wars, conflicts, and economic turmoil have caused divisions, confrontations, and growing isolation among peoples.
Now more than ever, it is imperative to share the value of World Heritage across national borders, fostering a world in which regions respect one another and coexist in harmony. We are determined to contribute, albeit in a modest way, to achieving this goal, and we sincerely ask for your understanding and cooperation.
最新情報 (Latest Information)
お知らせ (News)
クラウドファンディング「これ以上破壊させない!人類の"謎”世界遺産ナスカの地上絵を守りたい」は成功裏に終了しました。2025/09/20
The crowdfunding campaign, “No More Destruction! Protecting the Mysterious World Heritage—The Nasca Lines” was successfully completed. (September 20, 2025)
大阪・関西万博2025のペルー館にて、坂井正人山形大学卓越研究教授(当協会アドバイザー)が、AIを活用した現地調査により、新たに248点の地上絵を発見したことを発表しました 2025/07/28
At the Peru Pavilion of Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, Professor Masato Sakai, Distinguished Researcher at Yamagata University and advisor to our association, announced the discovery of 248 new geoglyphs through on-site investigations utilizing AI technology. (July 28, 2025)
1. Discovery of 248 New Geoglyphs on the Nazca Pampa
In 2023 and 2024, AI-assisted field surveys conducted jointly by Yamagata University and IBM led to the discovery of 248 new geoglyphs on the Nazca Plateau. Of these, 160 are figurative geoglyphs depicting animals, humans, and other recognizable forms. With this latest discovery, the total number of known figurative geoglyphs has reached 893.
2. Interpretation of Geoglyph Arrangement and Meaning
Many of the newly discovered geoglyphs appear to have been deliberately arranged along footpaths according to specific thematic groupings. The motifs include priests, scenes of decapitation, birds of prey, and llamas, suggesting that each path may have represented themes such as “human sacrifice,” “wild birds,” or “domesticated animals.” This spatial organization implies that the geoglyphs were not merely decorative, but intentionally composed to convey narratives or messages. In other words, rather than being isolated artistic expressions, the geoglyphs likely functioned as part of a broader cultural practice—deeply connected to communal belief systems and the transmission of collective memory.
クラウドファンディング「これ以上破壊させない!人類の"謎”世界遺産ナスカの地上絵を守りたい」始まりました 2025/07/23
Crowdfunding campaign ''No More Destruction! Protecting the Mysterious World Heritage—The Nasca Lines'' has officially launched. (July 23, 2025)
山形大学と一般社団法人ナスカ地上絵協会が包括連携協定を締結しました 2025/07/03
Yamagata University and NAPRA have signed a comprehensive partnership agreement. (July 3, 2025)
The two parties will promote collaborative activities to share with the world and future generations both the research findings uncovered by Yamagata University Institute of Nasca and the significance of the Nasca geoglyphs, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
米国科学アカデミー(NAS)・コッツァレリ賞受賞記念動画が公開されました 2025/05/08
YouTube:動画のみ
山形大学ナスカ研究所とIBM研究所の共同研究でPNAS(米国科学アカデミー紀要)に発表した論文が、 2024年度米国科学アカデミーの Cozzarelli Prize(コッツァレリ賞)を受賞しました 2025/03/12
A collaborative research paper by the Yamagata University Institute of Nasca and IBM Research was awarded the 2024 Cozzarelli Prize by the (U.S.) National Academy of Sciences. The paper was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). (March 12, 2025)
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All images, texts, and other content on this website are the property of the Nasca Geoglyphs Preservation and Research Association (NAPRA), the original authors, or other respective rights holders. Unauthorized reproduction, broadcasting, distribution, lending, alteration, sale, or any similar acts involving the copyrighted materials posted on this site are strictly prohibited without the permission of the rights holders.
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