Huts burn down near World Heritage-listed thatched farmhouses of Shirakawa-go
Two huts were destroyed by fire Monday near the traditional thatched farmhouses of Shirakawa-go village in Gifu Prefecture, which are registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, Gifu Prefectural Police said. The police received an emergency call from a local resident at around 2:40 ...
Police say arson unlikely in fire that gutted Okinawa's Shuri Castle
Police do not believe the fire that destroyed Shuri Castle, a symbol of Okinawa and a World Heritage site, was caused by arson.
Probe into Shuri Castle blaze begins as Abe vows support to rebuild icon of Okinawa
As Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki seeks rebuilding assistance from Tokyo, authorities zero in on the landmark’s Seiden main hall as the source of the tragic fire.
Historic sites across Japan on alert following devastating fire at Okinawa's Shuri Castle
Thursday's fire that devastated Shuri Castle, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site in Okinawa Prefecture, triggered a sense of alarm among people and organizations managing historic sites in the country. At an emergency meeting held at Nijo Castle in the city of Kyoto, participants, ...
Typhoon Hagibis damaged 163 cultural assets in Japan, agency says
Powerful Typhoon Hagibis damaged 163 cultural assets in 22 prefectures, including a Tomioka Silk Mill building designated as a national treasure by the government, a Cultural Affairs Agency survey revealed Saturday. The agency is concerned that the number will rise further as more damage could ...
Of cats and rabbits: UNESCO World Heritage candidate caught in a bind over tourism drive
UNESCO designates World Heritage sites in order to preserve cultural or natural assets deemed significant to humanity. The idea is to maintain these assets for future generations, but UNESCO itself doesn't pay for maintenance. It is up to the countries where the sites are ...
South Korean sister city of Munakata, Fukuoka, to skip event in Japan amid fraying ties
A South Korean city will not take part in an annual event at a World Heritage site in the Fukuoka Prefecture city of Munakata this year due to deteriorating relations between the neighboring countries, the Munakata government said Wednesday. Gimhae, South Korea, which has sister-city ...
Temples join the hospitality industry to help survive the decreasing number of Buddhist parishioners in Japan.
Wonders of washi: Discovering the tradition of handcrafted paper
In November 2014, traditional washi papermaking techniques were included on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Over the next few weeks, we shall visit three of the nation's most prominent washi-making sites, largely unchanged for centuries, to discover the charm and potential inherent in handmade ...
Japan's UNESCO sites struggle to cultivate cultural cachet while keeping urban bustle at bay
An observation deck on the 21st floor of Osaka's Sakai City Hall provides visitors with a bird's-eye view of the surrounding area. In the midst of the urban jungle a few kilometers away, a large patch of greenery in the distance looks out of ...
'Environmental tragedy' as Canary Islands fire burns out of control, forcing thousands to flee
A fire raged out of control on the Spanish holiday island of Gran Canaria on Monday, forcing evacuations as flames rose so high even water-dropping planes could not operate in what was dubbed an "environmental tragedy. The blaze, the third in 10 days in the ...
