Japan's Best UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Above, Itsukushima Shrine's grand vermillion torii gate at Miyajima. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of these days, tourists will flock again to Japan to enjoy its scenic beauty and take in Japanese culture.

Until then, all we can do is read about it and catch a video of Japan on YouTube and other sources.

Japan has a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for people to visit and Time Out Tokyo has listed the best ones.

They begin with:

It’s no secret that Japan is filled with some of the most picturesque sightseeing spots in the world – we’re talking soothing bamboo forests, summer festivals and winter villages. So many of Japan’s historic sites have been damaged or destroyed in natural disasters and wars, so the ones that still remain are considered rare and therefore special.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, or Unesco, aims to preserve global cultural, historical or natural landmarks by designating them as World Heritage Sites. And Japan boasts a whopping 23 World Heritage Sites, ranging from traditional villages to Shinto and Buddhist shrines and temples, and more.

Thanks to preservation efforts, both tourists and residents can still visit these ancient sites and learn about the history of Japan. Here are some of Japan’s best Unesco World Heritage Sites, from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial to Kyoto’s ancient monuments. 

To read more, go here.