World Heritage Identification Number: 913
World Heritage since: 1999
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇯🇵 Japan
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific
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Shrines and Temples of Nikko: A Sacred Site of Architectural and Decorative Masterpieces
The Shrines and Temples of Nikko, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, stand as a testament to Japan's rich cultural heritage and historical significance. Located in the town of Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, this sacred site boasts a collection of 103 buildings and structures that harmoniously blend with their natural surroundings. These structures include two Shinto shrines – Toshogu Shrine and Futarasan Shrine – and one Buddhist temple, Rinnō-ji.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The shrines and temples of Nikko, together with their natural surroundings, have for centuries been a sacred site known for its architectural and decorative masterpieces. They are closely associated with the history of the Tokugawa Shoguns.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (i): The Nikko shrines and temples are a reflection of architectural and artistic genius; this aspect is reinforced by the harmonious integration of the buildings in a forest and a natural site laid out by people.
Criterion (iv): Nikko is a perfect illustration of the architectural style of the Edo period as applied to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. The Gongen-zukuri style of the two mausoleums, the Tôshôgu and the Taiyû-in Reibyô, reached the peak of its expression in Nikko, and was later to exert a decisive influence. The ingenuity and creativity of its architects and decorators are revealed in an outstanding and distinguished manner.
Criterion (vi): The Nikko shrines and temples, together with their environment, are an outstanding example of a traditional Japanese religious centre, associated with the Shinto perception of the relationship of man with nature, in which mountains and forests have a sacred meaning and are objects of veneration, in a religious practice that is still very much alive today.
Encyclopedia Record: Shrines and Temples of Nikkō
The UNESCO World Heritage Site Shrines and Temples of Nikkō encompasses 103 buildings or structures and the natural setting around them. It is located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. The buildings belong to two Shinto shrines and one Buddhist temple (Rinnō-ji). Nine of the structures are designated National Treasures of Japan while the remaining 94 are Important Cultural Properties. UNESCO listed the site as World Heritage in 1999.Additional Site Details
Area: 50.8 hectares
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions
Coordinates: 36.7475 , 139.6105556
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© Koichi Sato, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
