What are Japan's UNESCO World Heritage Sites?

Year of Inscription: 1993 / Culture Heritage
Location: Ikaruga-cho, Nara Prefecture

• Horyuji Temple
• Hokiji Temple

_{Photo: Horyuji Temple}

Year of Inscription: 1993 / Culture Heritage
Location: Himeji-city, Hyogo Prefecture

Himeji Castle is known as the most beautiful castle in Japan. It's called as shirasagi-jo (white heron castle) because of the white walls.

Year of Inscription: 1993 / Natural Heritage
Location: Aomori Prefecture and Akita Prefecture

It's a mountain range stretches from southwest Aomori to northwest Akita. There is a large natural forest of beech trees.
Shirakami Sanchi Visitor Center (Japanese site)

Year of Inscription: 1993 / Natural Heritage
Location: Kagoshima Prefecture
Access: Takes 30 minutes to fly to Yakushima Airport from Kagoshima Airport. The ferry ride takes about 4 hours and the hydrofoil ride takes about 90 minutes from Kagoshima Port to Yakushima Port.

Yakushima Island is located off the Osumi Peninsula in Kyushu. It's known for Japanese cedar forests. Tourists attractions includes water falls, hiking trails, hot springs, beaches, and more.
Yakushim Tourism Association (Japanese site)

_{Photo: Yakushima Island Senpiro Falls}

Year of Inscription: 1994 / Culture Heritage
Location: Kyoto Prefecture and Shiga Prefecture

• Kamigamo Shrine (Kamowakeikazuchi-jinja)
• Shimogamo Shrine (Kamomioya-jinja)
• Toji Temple (Kyouougokoku-ji), Minami-ku Kyoto-city
• Kiyomizu Temple (Kiyomizu-dera)
• Enryakuji Temple, Otsu-city
• Daigoji Temple, Fushimi-ku Kyoto-city
• Ninnaji Temple, Ukyo-ku Kyoto-city
• Byodoin Temple, Uji-city
• Ujigami-jinja Shrine, Uji-city
• Kozanji Temple, Ukyo-ku Kyoto-city
• Saihoji Temple, Sakyo-ku Kyoto-city
• Tenryuji Temple, Ukyo-ku Kyoto-city
• Kinkakuji Temple (Rokuon-ji), Kita-ku Kyoto-city
• Ginkakuji Temple (Jisho-ji), Sakyo-ku Kyoto-city
• Ryouanji Temple, Ukyo-ku Kyoto-city
• Honganji Temple, Shimogyo-ku Kyoto-city
• Nijojo Castle, Kyoto-city

_{Photo: Kiyomizu Temple}

Year of Inscription: 1995 / Culture Heritage
Location: Gifu Prefecture and Toyama Prefecture
Access: Takes about 3 hours from Nagoya-city to Shirakawago by bus. Takes about 50 minutes by bus from JR Takaoka Station to Johana Station, then takes about 40 minutes by bus from Johana Station to Gokayama.

• Shirakawa-go (Shirakawa Village), Gifu
• Gokayama, Nanto-city, Toyama

These areas are known for its heavy snowfalls in winter, and there are interesting gasshozukuri-style houses with thatched roofs.

_{Photo: Gifu Shirakawa-go}

Year of Inscription: 1996 / Culture Heritage
Location: Hiroshima-city, Hiroshima Prefecture

Genbaku Dome (Atomic Bomb Dome) is a building destroyed by the atomic bombing in 1945 which was preserved as a reminder of the tragic history.
Hiroshima Travel Guide

_{Photo: Atomic Bomb Dome}

Year of Inscription: 1996 / Culture Heritage
Location: Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture
Itsukushima Shrine is located in Miyajima Island (Itsukushima) in the Sea of Seto. The shrine was founded in the 6th century, and one of Japan's most powerful men, Taira no Kiyomori, rebuilt the shrine in 12th century. The shrine appears to be floating at high tide.
Hiroshima Travel Guide

_{Photo: Itsukushima Shrine Red Torii Gate}

Year of Inscription: 1998 / Culture Heritage
Location: Nara Prefecture

• Todaiji Temple, Nara-city
• Koufukuji Temple
• Kasugataisa Shrine
• Kasugayama Genshirin (Kasugayama Primary Forest)
• Gangouji Temple
• Yakushiji Temple
• Toshoudaiji Temple
• Heijo-kyo Palace Site (ruins of ancient capital)

_{Photo: Todaiji Temple, Nara}

Year of Inscription: 1999 / Culture Heritage
Location: Nikko-city, Tochigi Prefecture

• Futarasan-jinja Shrine
• Nikko Toshogu Shrine
• Rinnouji Temple

The founder of the Edo Bakufu government, Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu was enshrined in Nikko Toshogu in the 17th century. There are lots of historical sites in Nikko.
Nikko Travel Guide

_{Photo: Nikko Toshogu}