Shirakami-Sanchi

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Exploring the Enchanting Landscape of Shirakami-Sanchi: A Journey into Japan's Last Virgin Forest

The Shirakami-Sanchi, nestled within the rugged mountains of northern Honshu, stands as a testament to the untouched beauty of nature that once blanketed the hills and slopes of Japan. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, this remote wilderness area offers a unique glimpse into the last vestiges of the cool-temperate forest of Siebold's beech trees that once dominated the landscape.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Situated in the mountains of northern Honshu, this trackless site includes the last virgin remains of the cool-temperate forest of Siebold's beech trees that once covered the hills and mountain slopes of northern Japan. The black bear, the serow and 87 species of birds can be found in this forest.

Encyclopedia Record: Shirakami-Sanchi

The Shirakami Mountains (White God Mountains) (Japanese: 白神山地, Hepburn: Shirakami-Sanchi) are a UNESCO World Heritage Site wilderness area in the Tōhoku region of northern Honshū, Japan. This mountainous area includes the last virgin forest of Japanese beech which once covered most of northern Japan. The area straddles both Akita and Aomori Prefectures, with three-fourths of it in Aomori Prefecture. Of the entire 130,000-hectare (500 sq mi) area, a tract covering 16,971-hectare (65.53 sq mi) was included in the list of World Heritage Sites in 1993. Fauna found in the area includes Japanese black bear, the Japanese serow, Japanese macaque and 87 species of birds. The Shirakami-Sanchi was one of the first sites entered on the World Heritage List in Japan, along with Yakushima, Himeji Castle, and Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area in 1993. Permission is needed from Forest Management to enter the heart of the Shirakami-Sanchi.

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