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DISCOVER THIS PROPOSAL
Explore This ProposalJapan still has many valuable cultural properties that are little known internationally!
A certified World Heritage expert has organized them as potential World Heritage
sites,
introducing Japan's lesser-known history and culture.
This is purely an imaginative project titled “World Heritage (If It Could Be)”, not an official designation.
But we sincerely hope these places could one day become recognized World Heritage sites!
There are 13 proposals.
The following criteria guided their selection:
One of the reasons I created this website was my concern about the prevailing notion that Japan has already exhausted its potential for World Heritage sites.
Japan still has countless historical and cultural treasures that remain relatively unknown. I wanted to explore the value and potential of these heritage sites from a World Heritage perspective, and share the excitement of discovering aspects of Japan's history and culture that many people have yet to encounter. That is the spirit behind this website.
And above all, researching these undiscovered sides of Japan is simply fun! (Haha.)
At present, none of the proposals has yet been supported by sufficient research or evidence of its value to be ready for World Heritage inscription as it stands.
However, this does not mean that these proposals have no potential to become World Heritage sites. Much remains to be examined, including the selection of component sites, the verification of their historical context, and the clarification of their Outstanding Universal Value. Nevertheless, I believe that the overall directions of these proposals are worth pursuing as potential World Heritage candidates.
Through this website, I hope to explore these possibilities and identify new options for World Heritage inscription that reflect the richness of Japan's history and culture.
Hikone Castle is an important cultural heritage site that conveys the characteristics of castle architecture in the Edo period and the way feudal lords governed their domains. However, from a World Heritage perspective, I find it difficult to demonstrate its Outstanding Universal Value through the castle alone.
For this reason, rather than treating Hikone Castle as a standalone candidate, this website positions it as part of the proposed Tōkaidō, Nakasendō and Related Heritage Sites. By considering its historical connections with the highways, post towns, and other related sites, I believe it may be possible to demonstrate values that Hikone Castle alone cannot fully convey.
Kiraku
─ Nippon Creator ─
"I want to deliver exciting ideas and experiences to everyone in Japan."
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