World Heritage Sites in Japan
There are 26 World Heritage Sites in Japan.
As the World Cultural Heritage, 21 sites have been designated.
The ages of the sites range from primitive ages to the 20th century.
As the World Natural Heritage, 5 sites have been designated.
Valuable primeval forests and remote islands with rich nature are designated.
Many of them are popular sightseeing spots.
But, a few spots don't accept the general tourists for religious reasons.
World Heritage Site in eastern Japan
Hokkaido Region
Shiretoko Peninsula (知床半島)
Shiretoko Peninsula is a long peninsula extending about 70 km toward northeast like a horn.
It is located in the eastern part of Hokkaido.
Most parts in the peninsula are covered with primary forests and wild animals and birds live in the forest.
The northeastern half of the peninsula was designated as a World Natural Heritage Site.
There is no road in the whole area.
Tohoku Region
San'nai-Maruyama site (三内丸山遺跡, Aomori Pref.)
San'nai-Maruyama site is the remains of village about 5,500 to 4,000 years ago.
It is located about 4 km west of the center of Aomori city.
The period is called as Jomon Period in Japan, and the people started using bow and arrow for hunting and earthenware for cooking.
The prehistoric sites including this are dotted in the northern Tohoku and Hokkaido regions.
Shirakami-Sanchi (白神山地, Aomori, Akita Prefs.)
Shirakami-Sanchi is a mountain area, and the primeval forests are 130,000 hectares in area between Aomori and Akita Prefectures.
Old beech forests extend on the mountains, and it is designated a World Heritage Site.
As the valuable forests are main, there are few grand or wonderful sceneries as sightseeing spot.
Hiraizumi (平泉, Iwate Pref.)
Chusonji Konjikido
Hiraizumi is an old sacred area in the 11th to 12th centuries.
It is located about 8 km north of Ichinoseki city in Iwate Prefecture.
Northern Fujiwara family had ruled in this area.
They constructed some temples based on Buddhism in Hiraizumi, and a sacred town was completed.
But, the family ended with the civil war in 1189.
Now, Chusonji and Motsuji temples remain as the main spots.
Kanto Region
Temple and shrines in Nikko (日光, Tochigi Pref.)
Youmeimon gate of Nikko Toshogu
Nikko is a local city in Tochigi Prefecture, and is located about 120 km north of Tokyo.
Tokugawa Ieyasu unified whole Japan, became the Shogun, and established the government in Edo (current Tokyo) in 1603.
After his death, the Shogun family constructed the mausoleum in Nikko.
The polar star was considered as the god ruling over the universe, so it is said that the mausoleum was consuructed in Nikko located to the north of Edo.
Main constructions of World heritage are two shrine and a Buddhist temple.
Especially, the buildings of Toshogu shrine is very gorgeous.
Guide to Futarasan shrine Guide to Toshogu shrine Guide to Rinnoji
Tomioka Silk Mill (富岡製糸場, Gunma Pref.)
Phoyo by Tomioka city
Tomioka Silk Mill is the Japan's first modern factory built in 1872.
It is located in Tomioka city in the southern part of Gunma Prefcture, and is about 100 km northwest of Tokyo.
After the end of samurai period in 1868, silk became one of main exported goods to the world.
But, the quality had been low.
By this factory, high-quality silk was able to produced in quantity.
The buildings and the facilities in those day remain.
National Museum of Western Art (国立西洋美術館, Tokyo)
National Museum of Western Art is the art museum specializing in western art, and was opened in 1959.
It is one of major art museums in Japan and is located in Ueno area in Tokyo.
The museum was constructed by the design of Le Corbusier (1887-1965), a leading French architect.
His 17 works in the world were designated as the World Cultural Heritage Site.
The main building is the property subject to designation.
Guide to National Museum of Western Art
Ogasawara Islands (小笠原諸島)
Futami Port in Chichijima island
Ogasawara Islands is a small islands in the Pacific Ocean.
They are located 900 to 1,100 km south of Tokyo and are subtropical islands.
It takes 24 hours from Tokyo by ship and there is no airline.
The ship enters Futami port in Chichijima island which is the central island.
The islands have animals and plants with unique evolution, so it is called "Galapagos of the East".
Because of the valuable nature, the islands were designated as World Natural Heritage site.
World Heritage Site in central Japan
Koshinetsu Region
Mount Fuji (富士山, Yamanashi, Shizuoka Prefs.)
View of Mount Fuji from Lake Motosu
Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan (3,776 m) and is a symbol of Japan.
It is located between Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures.
And it is located about 100 km west-southwest of Tokyo.
It is a volcano, but it has been quiet for over 300 years.
The beautiful shape had been an object of worship.
And, the scenery has become an object of art.
So, the area and the related places have been designated as the World Cultural Heritage Site.
Sado gold mine (佐渡金山, Niigata Pref.)
The ruin of open-cut mining in Sado Gold Mine
Sado gold mine is the remain of the largest gold mine in Japan.
It is in Sado Island in the Sea of Japan near Niigata city.
The gold mine is in the mountain in the western part of the island.
The mine was worked from 1601 to 1989.
Especially, the gold sustained the finances of Edo government (1603-1867).
There are some ruins in Edo Priod around the mine.
Tokai Regions
Shirakawa-go, Gokayama (白川郷, 五箇山, Gifu, Toyama Prefs.)
Shirakawa-go
Shirakawa-go, Gokayama are the villages of the houses with unique traditional steep thatched roof.
Shirakawa-go is located about 40 km west of Takayama city, and Gokayama is located about 20 km north of Shirakawa-go.
Both villages are in a heavy snowfall area in winter.
The house of this type has been built around this area since the 17th century, and the shape is suitable for heavy snow.
The people still live in the house.
World Heritage Site in western Japan
Kansai Region
Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan (Osaka Pref.)
Daisenryo Kofun
Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan are dotted around Mozu area in Sakai city located about 15 km south of the center of Osaka city.
The tombs are called "Kofun" in Japanese, and they were the tombs of high-rank persons in the 4th and 5th centuries.
There are some kofuns in this area.
Daisenryo Kofun is the largest of them, and the width is the widest in the world.
The Imperial Family owns it, so the visitors is not allowed to visit the inside.
17 shrines, temples, castle in Kyoto, Uji, Otsu city (Kyoto and Shiga Prefs.)
Kiyomizudera temple
Kyoto had been the capital of Japan from 794 to 1868, and is the most popular sightseeing city.
There are many historical structures constructed in the period.
17 structures including the ones in Uji, Otsu cities adjacent to Kyoto were designated as the World Cultural Heritage.
These are 3 Shonto shrines, 13 Buddhist temples and Nijo Castle.
All of them have been the popular sightseeing spots.
Cultural Properties in Nara city (Nara Pref.)
The Great Buddha hall in Todaiji temple
Nara city had been the capital of Japan from 710 to 784, and the capital was moved to Kyoto in 794.
It is located about 30 km south of Kyoto and about 30 km east of Osaka city.
The nation based on Buddhism was constructed for the first time in Japanese history.
Six Buddhist temples, Kasuga Taisha shrine and its primeval forest are the constructions designated as World Heritage Site.
Heijo Palace Site located to the west of the city is the remained site of the palace, and it is also designated as World Heritage Site.
Hoyuji, Hokiji (法隆寺, 法起寺, Nara Pref.)
Hokiji temple
Hoyuji and Hokiji are the Buddhist temples with the world's oldest wooden buildings.
It is located about 15 km southwest of Nara city.
Both were constructed in the 7th century, and that was earlier than the establishment of the capital in Nara.
The scientific investigation shows that many woods of the temples were cut down between the 650s and 690s.
Kumano Kodo and Koyasan, Mount Yoshino (熊野古道. 高野山, 吉野山, Wakayama, Nara, Mie Prefs.)
Kumano Kodo
Nachi falls near Kumano Nachi Taisha
Koyasan
Cherry trees in Mount Yoshino
Kumano Kodo and Koyasan, Mount Yoshino are the the ancient pilgrimage routes leading to the three shrines in Kumano area and the main starting spots.
The routes starts from Osaka and the sacred places, Koyasan, Mount Yoshino, Ise Shrine.
Most of the routes run in hilly Kii Mountain Range in wide Kii Peninsula.
Few villages are along the routes and most parts of the routes are in the forest.
Koyasan is a sacred town of Buddhism constructed in the mountain in the 9th century.
Mount Yoshino is a sacred areas that the mountain worshippers has trained since the 7th century.
These spots are also included in the World Heritage Site.
Himeji Castle (姫路城, Kyogo Pref.)
Himeji Castle is a beautiful Japanese castle.
It is in the center of Himeji city located about 50 km west of Kobe city.
It was built in 1346 and the current buildings were developed in the 1600s.
The castle has the strong defense functions, so it had been called an impregnable fortress.
The castle tower was completed in 1609, and curent castle tower is the original one.
Chugoku Region
Genbaku Dome (原爆ドーム, Hiroshima Pref.)
"Genbaku" means "atomic bomb".
Genbaku Dome is the ruin of damaged building by atomic bomb.
It is in the center of Hiroshima city.
The atomic bomb was dropped in Hiroshima city on August 6, 1945.
Only the remain of this building was in the ruin of the city.
Some citizens said this building should be demolished because it brought back bitter memories of the atomic bombing.
But, in 1966, the city council decided to preserve this to tell the horror of A-bomb to future generation for eternity.
It became a World Heritage site, despite the opposition of United States and the abstention of China in 1996.
Itsukushima Shrine (厳島神社, Hiroshima Pref.)
Itsukushima Shrine is the Shinto shrine built in 1168.
It is on the shore in Miyajima island located about 20 km southwest of Hiroshima city.
The shrine is a wooden building.
Moreover, the seawater comes under the shrine at high tide.
That is the culmination of traditional technology of wooden building.
The big torii gate stands in the sea in front of the main shrine.
It is the symbol of the shrine.
Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine (石見銀山, Shimene Pref.)
Old town in Iwami Ginzan
Iwami Ginzan is the former Japan's largest silver mine in the mountain.
It is located about 15 km south of Oda city in the central part of Shimane Prefecture.
The mining operation started in 1526, and was closed in 1943.
Many mine tunnels remain.
And there is the old mining town around the mine, and the historical spots are dotted in the town.
Guide to Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine
Kyushu Region
Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution (Yamaguchi Pref. & Kyushu)
Gunkanjima in Nagasaki city
Japan changed from samurai nation to modern nation by Western culture in 1868.
From 1868, the Japanese era name became "Meiji".
Japan was industrialized rapidly, so iron manufacture, shipbuilding industry, coal production developed.
Various sites related to them were designated as the World Cultural Heritage Sites, "Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution".
As the sightseeing spots, Hagi city in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Gunkanjima and Glover Garden in Nadasaki city are popular.
Guide to Hagi city Guide to Gunkanjima (Nagasaki city) Guide to Glover Garden (Nagasaki city)
Hidden Christian Sites (Nagasaki, Kumamoto Prefs.)
Oura Catholic Church in Nagasaki city
Hidden Christian Sites are dotted in Kyushu island.
Christianity was introduced into Japan in 1492, but it was banned by Shogun in 1614.
But, there were hidden Christians and they lived secretly.
Many of them lived in Kyushu island.
After the end of samurai period, the ban on Christianity ended in 1873.
The hidden Christians built the Christian Churches.
The related sites remain in Nagasaki, Hirado and Amakusa islands.
Guide to Oura Catholic Church Guide to Hirado city Guide to Amakusa islands
Yakushima island(屋久島, Kagoshima Pref.)
Jomon cedar in Yakushima
Yakushima island is located about 70 km south of Kyushu Island.
It is a nearly circular island about 25 km across.
The whole island is mountainous, and the much rain has grown the rich forests.
The trees over 2,000 years old are attractive.
Especially, the tree called "Jomon cedar" is about 2,700 years old.
Whole Yakushima island was designated a World Natural Heritage.
Amami-Oshima island, Tokunoshima island, Northern Part of Okinawa island, and Iriomote island (Kagoshima, Okinawa Prefs.)
Iriomote Island
Between Kyushu island and Taiwan, many small islands are dotted in a row.
They have a subtropical climate and protect biodiversity.
Among them, Amami-Oshima island, Tokunoshima island, northern Part of Okinawa Island and Iriomote island were designated as the World Natural Heritage.
They have rich nature, and the tropical sea is beautiful.
Especiaslly, the areas have valuable endemic species.
Guide to Cape Hedo in Okinawa island Guide to Iriomote Island
Ruins of Ryukyu Kingdom (琉球王国, Okinawa Pref.)
Shuri Castle
Ryukyu Kingdom exited from 1429 and was absorbed into Japan in 1609.
The territory was the islands between Amami-Oshima and Taiwan, and the center was Okinawa island.
In the early period, some castles were built in Okinawa island by the powerful families.
The constructions were different from the ones in the mainland of Japan, and they are similar to Chinese style.
Shuri Castle in Naha city became the king's castle.
The other castles became ruins.
Nakijin Castle Zakimi Castle Katsuren Castle Nakagusuku Castle Shuri Castle Shikina-en garden Seifa-Utaki