About
The first two World Natural Heritage sites in Japan were registered in 1993. They were the remote “Yakushima” island in Kagoshima Prefecture and “Shirakami Sanchi,” a vast, primal beech forest that spans Aomori and Akita Prefectures. The Shiretoko peninsula, which protrudes into the Sea of Okhotsk in the northeastern part of Hokkaido, was registered in 2005, and the Ogasawara Islands, oceanic islands about 1,000 km away from central Tokyo, were registered in 2011. Most recently, the area consisting of Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island were registered in 2021, for a total of five World Natural Heritage sites in Japan. Japan’s natural heritage is a place where all of its rich and unique ecosystems are valued and you can feel the circle of life, including rare plants and animals.
Video
Article
Yakushima’s tradition of mountain pilgrimages: Climbing mountains to worship the deities who reside there
Read ArticlePick Up
-
Lessons in coexistence with nature provided by the Ainu culture that lives on in Shiretoko
-
Learn about the traditions of the Matagi, who live in harmony with the forest of Shirakami-Sanchi
-
The traditional Nanyo-odori dance and music of the Ogasawara Islands
-
Spring Trekking on Yakushima Island: Experience Wild Cherry Blossoms and Fresh Greenery
-
Textiles of Japan’s southern islands born from the bounty of nature: Amami’s Oshima Tsumugi and Okinawa’s Bashofu
-
Watch videos introducing the charms of nature in each region.
