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.
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Yakushima’s tradition of mountain pilgrimages: Climbing mountains to worship the deities who reside there
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Take a drift ice walk and go bird watching to fully enjoy Shiretoko Peninsula in winter
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Delight in the local cuisine of the Shirakami-Sanchi snow country
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Experience the distinctive cuisine of Ogasawara, born from its uncommon island environment
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Climbing the steep cliffs and Mt. Mocchomu-dake, looking down on the nature of Yakushima Island and the ocean
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The local foods of Amami and Okinawa: Loved by the community and passed down through generations
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Watch videos introducing the charms of nature in each region.
