JAPAN- KANSAI EASTERN (Nara, Wakayama, Shiga, Mie)
SACRED SITES AND PILGRIMAGE ROUTES IN THE KII MOUNTAIN RANGE WHS encompasses three main sacred sites – Kumano Sanzan, Koyasan, and Yoshino & Omine – and the ancient pilgrimage routes that connect them. These sites, rich in natural beauty and spiritual significance, reflect a 1,200-year-old tradition of sacred mountains and mountain worship, representing a unique fusion of Shintoism and Buddhism.
Kumano Sanzan: This refers to three grand shrines: Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Hayatama Taisha, and Kumano Nachi Taisha, which are revered as sacred sites of nature worship. The most popular pilgrimage route to reach these shrines is the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi, a historic trail traversing the Kii Peninsula.
Shingu: Kumano Hayatama Taisha
Koyasan: Located in Wakayama Prefecture, Koyasan is a major center of Shingon Buddhism and was founded by Kobo Daishi. It is connected to the Kumano Sanzan via the more challenging Kohechi route.
Kora: Saimyō-ji
Koya: Koyasan Okunoin
Yoshino & Omine: This area in Nara Prefecture is renowned for its sacred mountains, including Mount Yoshino, famous for its cherry blossoms, and Mount Omine, a spiritual training ground for the Shugendo sect of Buddhism. Kumano Kodo: This collective term refers to the network of pilgrimage routes, including the Nakahechi, Kohechi, and Ohechi routes (which runs along the coast), linking these sacred sites. Another route, the Iseji route, connects to the Ise Grand Shrine.
Yoshino: Kinpusen-ji
Tentative WHS: Hikone-Jo (castle) (01/10/1992)
NARA
Art Museums: Nara: Museum of Japanese Art
Railway, Metro, Funiculars, Cable Cars: Nara: Ikoma Cable Line
Hospitality Legends: Nara: Nara Hotel
Music, Film and Photography Museums: Nara: Irie Taikichi Memorial Museum of Photography
WAKAYAMA
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Wakayama: Wakayama Castle
YOKKAICHI/SUZUKA/TSU/KAMEYAMA
Urban Legends: Suzuka: Suzuka Forest Garden
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Kameyama: Kameyama Castle
Art Museums
Tsu: Louvre Museum of Sculpture
Tsu: Mie Prefectural Art Museum
Archaeology and Anthropology Museums: Wakayama: Wakayama Prefecture Kii-fudoki-no-oka Museum of Archaeology and Folklore
Religious Temples
Suzuka: Tsubaki Grand Shrine
Tsu: Senju-ji Honzan
Villages and Small Towns
Nara: Totsukawa
Omihachiman
Wakayama: Yuasa
Railway, Metro, Funiculars, Cable Cars
Kōyasan Cable
Mie: Gozaisho Ropeway
Shiga: Sakamoto Cable
Roads, Road Bridges and Tunnels
Bridge – Ardabil: Kara Su Bridge
Road – National Route 42 (Hamamatsu-Wakayama)
Scenic Road – Metasequoia Tree Road in Shiga
Castles, Palaces, Forts
Hikone Castle
Iga: Iga Ueno Castle
Kameyama: Kameyama Castle
Vestiges of the Past
Asuka: Ishibutai Tumulus
Asuka: Kitora Tumulus
Art Museums
Koka: Miho Museum
Otsu: Museum of Modern Art
House and Biographical Museums
Iga Ueno: Basho’s Birth House
Kashihara: Imanishi Family Residence
Archaeology and Anthropology Museums: Asuka: Asuka Historical Museum
Architectural Delights: Otsu: Lake Biwa Otsu Prince Hotel
Religious Temples
Ikaruga: Hokki-ji
Ikaruga: Hōryū-ji
Nachikatsuura: Seiganto-ji
Nagahama: Hōgon-ji
Otsu: Enryaku-ji
Otsu: Mii-dera
Sakurai: Hase-dera
Tenri: Isonokami Shrine
Uda: Murō-ji
Monuments: Kushimoto: Turkish Memorial
World of Nature: Biwako Quasi-National Park, Ibi-Sekigahara-Yōrō Quasi-National Park, Kōya-Ryūjin Quasi-National Park
Waterfalls: Nachi Falls
Trails 1 – Treks: Kumano Kodo Trail
Aquariums: Toba: Toba Aquarium
Theme Parks, ‘Fun’ Museums and Miniatures: Kuwana: Nagashima Spa Land
Lighthouses: Shima: Anorisaki Lighthouse
Museums – Decorative Arts, Design, Fashion: Shigaraki: Ceramic Cultural Park
Museums – Various: Iga Ninja Museum
Bizzarium: Gojō: Nara Kaki Persimmon Museum
CHIBU SOUTH-EAST (Nagoya, Nagano, Yamanashi, Shizuoka)
FUJISAN, SACRED PLACE AND SOURCE OF ARTISTIC INSPIRATION WHS
SITES OF JAPAN’S MEIJI INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining WHS
Islands: Izu islands
FUJI
Roads, Road Bridges and Tunnels: Scenic Road – Mount Fuji: Touge Roads
Architectural Delights: Fujinomiya: Mt. Fuji World Heritage Centre
Science, Technology and all Industry and Mining Museums: Fujiyoshida: Mt.Fuji Radar Dome Museum
Urban Legends: Fujiyoshida: Arakurayama Sengen Park
HAMAMATSU/TOYOHASHI
Castles, Palaces, Forts
Hamamatsu: Hamamatsu Castle
Toyohashi: Yoshida Castle
MATSUMOTO
Art Museums
Matsumoto: Japan Ukiyo-e Museum
Matsumoto: Museum of Art
Pedestrian and Historical Bridges: Matsumoto: Kappa Bridge
NAGANO
Art Museums: Nagano: Mizuno Museum
Railway, Metro, Funiculars, Cable Cars: Nagano Electric Railway
Religious Temples: Nagano: Zenkō-ji
Museums – Various: Nagano: Togakushi Ninja Museum
NAGOYA
Art Museums
Nagano: Mizuno Museum
Nagoya: Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art
Nagoya: Furukawa Art Museum
Nagoya: Kuwayama Museum
Nagoya: Matsuzakaya Art Gallery
Nagoya: Nagoya City Art Museum
Nagoya: Nagoya/Boston Museum of Fine Arts
Nagoya: Tokugawa Art Museum
Nagoya: Yamazaki Mazak Museum
House and Biographical Museums: Nagoya: Cultural Path Futaba Museum
Architectural Delights
Nagoya: Mode Gakuen Spiral Towers
Nagoya: Nippon Gaishi Hall
Religious Temples
Nagoya: Atsuta-jingu Shrine
Nagoya: Osu-kannon Temple
Science, Technology and all Industry and Mining Museums:
Nagoya: Brother Museum
Nagoya: Nagoya City Science Museum
Zoos: Nagoya: Higashiyama Zoo
Aquariums: Nagoya: Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium
Planetariums: Nagoya City: Nagoya City Science Museum Planetarium
Hospitality Legends: Nagoya: Kawabun Restaurant
Malls/Department Stores: Nagoya: JR Central Towers
Music, Film and Photography Museums: Nagoya: Mandolin Melodies Museum
Museums – Various: Nagoya: Arimatsu Narumi Shibori Tie-Dyeing Museum
Maritime/Ship Museums
Nagoya: Antarctic Museum and Former Research Ship Fuji
Nagoya: Marine Museum
SHIZUOKA
Railway, Metro, Funiculars, Cable Cars
Shizuoka: Ikawa Line
Shizuoka: Izunokuni Panorama Park Ropeway
Shizuoka: Nihondaira Ropeway
Shizuoka: Ōigawa Railway (Steam)
Shizuoka: Shimoda Ropeway
Shizuoka: SL Express
Art Museums
Shizuoka: Bernard Buffet Museum
Shizuoka: Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art
Hospitality Legends: Shizuoka: Chojiya Restaurant
TOYOTA
Art Museums: Toyota: Toyota Municipal Museum of Art
Villages and Small Towns: Hachijo Town, Karuizawa, Kiso, Nagiso, Oshika, Takato, Narai,Kawane Honcho: Matsuzaki, Yamanashi: Hayakawa
ATAMI
Urban Legends: Atami: Plum Garden
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Atami: Atami Castle
Art Museums: Atami: MOA Museum of Art
House and Biographical Museums: Atami: Kiunkaku
Religious Temples: Atami: Kinomiya Shrine
Monuments: Atami: Omiya and Kan-Ichi Statue
Beaches: Atami Sun Beach
Markets: Atami: Heiwadori Shotengai
Museums – Various: Atami: Hihokan – Adult Museum Atami
FUJIKAWAGUACHIKO
Art Museums
Fujikawaguchiko: Kawaguchiko Konohana Museum
Fujikawaguchiko: Kawaguchiko Muse Museum
Fujikawaguchiko: Kawaguchiko Museum of Art
Caves, Sinkholes and Saltmines
Fujikawaguchiko: Fugaku Wind Cave
Fujikawaguchiko: Lake Saiko Bat Cave
MISHIMA
Art Museums: Mishima: Sano Art Museum
Religious Temples: Mishima: Mishima Taisha
Pedestrian and Historical Bridges: Mishima: Mishima Sky Walk
Airports: Hachijojima (HAC), Nagoya (NGO), Nagoya Airfield (NKM), Shizuoka (FSZ)
Railway, Metro, Funiculars, Cable Cars
Awashima Kaijō Ropeway
Kanzanji Ropeway
Kawaguchiko ~ Mt. Fuji panorama ropeway
Kita-Yatsugatake Ropeway
Linimo Maglev (Aichi High-Speed Transit Tobu Kyuryo Line)
Ontake Ropeway
Ryuoo Ropeway
Yamanashi: Fujikyuko Line
Roads, Road Bridges and Tunnels: Scenic Road – Venus Line (Chino to Utsukushi Ga Hara)
History, Culture, National and City Museums
Fujiyoshida: Fujisan Museum
Fujiyoshida: Fujisan World Heritage Center
Narusawa: Mt. Fuji Museum
Castles, Palaces, Forts
Kakegawa: Kakegawa Castle
Kōfu: Kōfu Castle
Numazu: Imperial Villa Memorial Park
Okazaki: Okazaki Castle
Takato: Takato Castle
Ueda: Ueda Castle
Vestiges of the Past: Mishima: Yamanaka Castle Ruins
Art Museums: Kubota Itchiku Art Museum
House and Biographical Museums: Izunokuni: Egawa House (Residence)
Religious Temples
Karuizawa: Karuizawa’s Churches
Suwa: Suwa Taisha Kamisha Honmiya
Togakushi: Togakushi-Jinja
Ueda: Anraku-ji
Yamanashi: Seihaku-ji
Religious Monuments: Itō: Usami Kannonji
Natural History and Earth Museums: Yamanashi: Gem Museum
World of Nature: Aichi Kōgen Quasi-National Park, Chichibu Tama Kai NP, Fuji Hakone Izu NP, Jigokudani Monkey Park, Minami Alps NP, Yatsugatake-Chūshin Kōgen Quasi-National Park
Botanical Gardens
Hachijojima: Hachijo Botanical Park
Higashiyama: Higashiyama Botanical Garden
Nagaizumi: Fuji Bamboo Garden
Waterfalls: Shiraito Falls, Yamanashi: Five Steps and Seven Pools Falls
Caves, Sinkholes and Saltmines
Narusawa Ice Cave
Tensodo Cave
Lakes: Lake Kawaguchi, Nojiri Lake, Suwa Lake
Trails 1 – Treks: Kamikōchi Day Hikes
Trails 2 – Hikes: Koshu Kaido Hike
Zoos
Awashima: Marine Park
Susono: Fuji Safari Park
Aquariums
Hekinan: Hekinan Seaside Aquarium
Numazu: Izu Mito Sea Paradise
Numazu: Numazu Deep Sea Aquarium
Theme Parks, ‘Fun’ Museums and Miniatures
Fujiyoshida: Fuji-Q Highland
Gamagori: Lagunasia
Kawaguchiko Music Forest
Nagakute: Ghibli Park
Nagoya: Legoland Japan
Beaches
Izu Peninsula: Shirahama Beach
Miho Beach
Hospitality Legends: Yamanashi: Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan Hotel
Malls/Department Stores
Gotemba: Gotemba Premium Outlets
Karuizawa: Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza
Well-being
Distilleries: Suntory Hakushu Distillery
Distillery: Hakushu
Eco-Experience: Hoshinoya Karuizawa
Factories: Unagi Pie Factory
Hot Springs: Asama Onsen
Thermal Springs: Hashiri-yu
Wineries: Château Mercian
Wineries: Katsunuma Wineries
Pedestrian and Historical Bridges: Shimada: Horai Bridge
Museums – Decorative Arts, Design, Fashion
Okaya: Okaya Silk Museum
Seto: Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum
Music, Film and Photography Museums
Hamamatsu: Museum of Music Instruments
Yamanashi: Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts
Sports Museums: Nozawa Onsen: Japan Ski Museum
Vehicle Museums
Okazaki: Mitsubishi Auto Gallery
Oyama: Fuji Motor Sports Museum
Aviation Museums
Omi: Hijiri Aviation Museum
Toyoyama: Aichi Museum of Flight
Railway Museums: Tsuru: Yamanashi Prefectural Maglev Exhibition Center
Open-Air Museums
Fujikawaguchiko: Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba (Traditional Japanese Village)
Inuyama: Meiji-mura
The Dark Side: Aokigahara (Suicide Forest)
Bizzarium: Gamagori: Takeshima Fantasy Museum
