World Heritage Site as the place for education: the case of the Gango-ji Temple in Japan

World Heritage Sites serve as dynamic educational platforms, blending tangible and intangible heritage to foster learning. A study on the Gango-ji Temple in Japan's 'Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara' reveals that such sites facilitate social education through interactive experiences. The temple's main hall and exhibition room offer visitors the opportunity to engage with authentic cultural materials, promoting deeper understanding. Staff recommendations suggest a structured approach: studying exhibits for an hour before reflecting in the main hall. This study highlights heritage as an ongoing process where contemporary communities and tourists alike participate in preserving and learning from the past.

Serizawa, S., & Sunami, S. (2019). World Heritage Site as the place for education: the case of the Gango-ji Temple in Japan. Asian Education and Development Studies, 8(4), 454–462. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeds-02-2018-0052