unesco world heritage sites in japan

8/15/2019 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan

1/2Japan Scope Vol.5 February 2007Page24

Visiting Japans UNESCOWorld Heritage Sites

Travel

Himeji Castle

(World Heritage Registration: 1993)Himeji Castle is the nest surviving example of early 17th-century Japanese

castle architecture. Most of the structures in the 83-building complex were

constructed between 1601 and 1609. Surrounding the donjon are watchtow-

ers, gate buildings and plastered earthen walls all strategically positioned for

defense purposes. Himeji Castle satises UNESCO World Heritage criteria #1

and #4.

Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu cities)

(World Heritage Registration: 1993)

Kyoto (Heian-kyo) was the seat of Japans imperial court between 794-1868,

and has prospered as the center of Japanese culture for more than 1,200 years.

In fact, the whole of Kyoto could be regarded as a museum of Japanese history.

After 1868, the national government recognized the need to protect Kyotos

cultural properties, historic sites and monuments and the surrounding areas

have been provided with appropriate protection and maintenance ever since.

Kyoto satises UNESCO World Heritage criteria #2 and #4.

Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara


From 710-784, Nara, enjoyed great prosperity and established itself as the

fountainhead of Japanese culture. The citys historic monuments provide a

vivid picture of life in the Japanese capital in the 8th century. During the Nara

Period the government ofcially supported Buddhism and as such, a collection

of large temples were built at strategic points to venerate the emperor and the

state. The monuments of Nara satisfy UNESCO World Heritage criteria #2,#3, #4 and #6.

Shirakami Mountains


The Shirakami Mountains cover an area of approximately 1,300 sq. km located

on the border between Aomori and Akita Prefectures in northeastern Japan.

The area is unique in Japan as it is home to a vast untouched Seibolds beech

forest covering more than 170 sq. km and is completely devoid of manmade

structures. The area satises UNESCO World Heritage criteria #9.

Yakushima Island

(World Heritage Registration: 1993)Yakushima is a round mountainous island that rises out of the ocean south

of Kagoshima, the southern tip of Kyushu. A variety of subtropical to arctic

vegetation range from the seashores to the mountaintops, and the heavy an-

nual rainfall contribute to the islands more than 1,900 distinctive species and

subspecies of vegetation. This ancient coniferous forests, which is also home

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to endangered bird species, is treasured for its

ecology as well as its morphology. Yakushima

satises UNESCO World Heritage criteria #7

and #9.

Historic Gassho-style Villages


The three villages of Ogimachi in Gifu Prefecture

and Ainokura and Suganuma in Toyama Prefec-

ture, lay claim to Japans only group of historical

farmhouses possessing the unique and remark-

able architectural character referred to as Gas-

sho-style. The Gassho-style houses were built

between the 17th century and the beginning of

the 20th century and are named for their unique

Gassho-shaped roof. As it snows heavily in win-

ter in this region, the steep roofs aid in snow re-

moval and thus prevent the houses from being

crushed. Gassho-style villages satisfy UNESCO

World Heritage criteria #4 and #5.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial (GenbakuDome)


The Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promo-

tion Hall (now known as the Hiroshima Peace

Memorial) was Hiroshima Citys sole surviving

structure after the atomic bomb explosion in Au-

gust 1945. Still today, the dome serves as a silent

reminder of the tragedy of the bombing and the

futility of war. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial

satises UNESCO World Heritage criterion #6.

Itsukushima Shinto Shrine


Miyajima is a 9 km by 6 km island located in

Hiroshima Bay. With the Itsukushima Shrine

standing in an inlet backed by the surrounding

mountains soaring steeply from the coast, the

island is often considered among the most sce-

nic places in Japan. Because the Otorii (shrine

gate) and shrine buildings are built on the coastal

edge, they appear as if they are aoat on the sea

when the tide is in. Miyajima satises UNESCO

World Heritage criteria #1, #2, #4 and #6.

Temples and Shrines of Nikko


Today, Nikko is a famous sightseeing point, but

originally it was revered in mountain worship as

the center of religious devotion in the Kanto re-

gion. The shrines and temples of Nikko, together

with their natural surroundings, have for centu-

ries been considered sacred for their architec-

tural and decorative perfection. UNESCO World

Heritage criteria satised: #1, #4 and #6.

Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of

the Kingdom of Ryukyu


The Gusuku Sites and related properties rep-

resent 500 years of Ryukyu history (12th-17th

century). The castles, built on imposing elevat-ed sites, are evidence of the supremacy of the

Ryukyu kingdom, while the sacred sites provide

mute testimony to the rare survival of an ancient

form of religion into the modern age. The Gusu-

ku sites satisfy UNESCO World Heritage criteria

#2, #3 and #6.

Shiretoko Mountains

(World Heritage Site Registration: 2005)

Shiretoko Peninsula is located in the northeastern

region of Hokkaido. It provides an outstanding ex-

ample of the coexistence of marine/terrestrial eco-

systems and ecosystem productivity evidenced by

the formation of rare low-latitude sea ice. The site

is globally important for preserving threatened sea

birds and migratory birds, a number of salmonid

species, and a number of marine mammals and

cetacean species. Shiretoko satises UNESCO

World Heritage criteria #9 and #10.

Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in

the Kii Mountain Ranges

(World Heritage Site Registration: 2005)

Set in the dense forests of the Kii Mountains

overlooking the Pacic Ocean, three sacred sites

Yoshino and Omine, Kumano Sanzan, and

Koyasan - linked by pilgrimage routes to the an-

cient capital cities of Nara and Kyoto, reect the

fusion of Shinto (the ancient tradition of nature

worship) and Buddhism. The surrounding forest

landscape and collection of 9th-century shrines,

offer a very well documented tradition of moun-

tain worship spanning more than 1,200 years.

The Kii Mountains satisfy UNESCO World Her-

itage criteria #2, #3, #4 and #6.

1. A masterpiece of human creative genius;

2. An example of an important interchange

of human values, over a span of time or withina cultural area of the world, on developments

in architecture or technology, monumental arts,

town-planning or landscape design;

3. An exceptional testimony to a cultural tra-

dition or to a current or extinct civilization;

4. An outstanding example of a building,

architectural or technological structure or land-

scape which illustrates (a) signicant stage(s)

in human history;

5. An outstanding example of a traditional

human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which

is representative of a culture (or cultures), orhuman interaction with the environment espe-

cially when it has become vulnerable under the

impact of irreversible change;

6. A direct or tangible association with

events or living traditions, ideas or beliefs, or

artistic or literary works of outstanding univer-

sal signicance.

7. A superlative natural phenomena or areaof exceptional natural beauty or aesthetic im-

portance;

8. An outstanding representation of major

stages of earths history, including the record

of life, on-going geological processes in the

development of landforms, or geomorphic or

physiographic features;

9. An outstanding representation of signi-

cant on-going ecological and biological pro-

cesses in the evolution and development of

terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine eco-

systems;10. An area, which contains signicant

natural habitats for conservation of biological

diversity, including those containing threatened

species of outstanding scientic or universal

value.

UNESCO World Heritage Selection Criteria

unesco world heritage sites in japan

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