1. What are Cultural Landscapes?
Cultural Landscapes are formed by the climate of a given region and people's lives or work there, and are indispensable for understanding the livelihood and work of the Japanese people (Item 5, Paragraph 1, Article 2 of the Act on Protection of Cultural Properties).
The value of cultural landscapes may not be easily recognizable, as they are the familiar landscapes that are deeply rooted in the daily lives of the people. By establishing systems for protecting Cultural Landscapes, their cultural values are properly appreciated, protected and passed on to the next generation.
Particularly important cultural landscapes are selected as Important Cultural Landscapes based on proposals from prefectures or municipalities.
Any alterations to the current state of Important Cultural Landscapes, or other actions that would impact their preservation, require a prior notification to the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs under the Act on Protection of Cultural Properties, with the exceptions of normal production activities and emergency measures during disasters.
The national government subsidizes various projects to protect and utilize cultural landscapes, including research projects, projects for formulating preservation plans, maintenance projects, and dissemination and awareness-raising projects.
Important Cultural Landscapes are in accordance with the new method of protecting cultural properties introduced with a partial amendment of the Act on Protection of Cultural Properties in 2004.
2. Important Cultural Landscapes
As of October 7, 2015, 50 areas across the country have been selected as Important Cultural Landscapes.
- Cultural Landscape along the Sarugawa River resulting from Ainu tradition and modern settlement
- Farm village of Hondera area, Ichinoseki
- Tono Arakawakogen Farm, Tsuchibuchi Yamaguchi Community
- The Mogami river and Aterazawa landscape
- Wetland of meeting of Tonegawa and Watarasegawa Rivers
- Agricultural and mountainous landscape of Sado Nishimikawa trace back to Sado Gold Mine
- Mine and Mining town of Sado Aikawa
- Cultural landscape in Kanazawa. Tradition and culture in the castle town
- Ōzawa and Kami-Ōzawa Village surrounded Windbreak Bamboo Fences
- Rice terraces in Obasute
- Cultural landscapes of Kosuge village and Mt. Kosuge
- Cultural landscape of Gifu seen in the middle area of Nagara-gawa River
- Wetland in Omi-hachiman
- Waterfront of Kaizu, Nishihama, and Chinai in Takashima City
- Waterfront of Harie and Shimofuri in Takashima City
- Mountainous landscape of Higashi Kusano
- Lakefront village landscape of Sugaura
- Ōmizo Lakeside Landscape
- Cultural Landscape in Uji
- Cultural landscape of Miyazu Amanohashidate
- Cultural Landscape of Okazaki in Kyoto
- Farm village of Hinenosho Ogi
- Cultural landscape of Ikuno mine and townscape
- Cultural landscape of Oku-Asuka
- Agricultural and mountainous landscape of Aragijima and Mita/Shimizu
- Cultural landscape of Tatara iron manufacturing and rice terraces in Okuizumo
- Rice terraces and farm village in Kashihara
- Danbata (terraced fields) in Yusumizugaura
- Cultural landscape in the Shimantogawa River basin. Villages in the mountains to the headwater region
- Cultural landscape in the Shimantogawa River basin. Villages and rice terraces in the mountains at the upstream region.
- Cultural landscape in the Shimantogawa River basin. Circulation and traffic among agricultural and mountainous villages at the upstream region.
- Cultural landscape in the Shimantogawa River basin. Circulation and traffic among agricultural and mountainous villages at the middlestream region
- Cultural landscape in the Shimantogawa River basin. Vocations, circulation and traffic in the downstream region.
- Kure port and fishing townscape
- Rural landscape at Kubote
- Rice terraces in Warabino
- Cultural landscape in Hirado Island
- Cultural landscape of the Ojika islands
- Cultural landscape of Kuroshima Island in Sasebo
- Cultural landscape of Hisakajima Island in Goto
- Cultural landscape of Kita-Uonome in Shinkamigoto
- Landscape with terraces retained by stonework at Sotome, Nagasaki
- Island landscape at Shinkamigoto
- Landscape with Tsujun irrigation channel and rice terraces in Shiraito Plateau
- Fishing village of Sakitsu, Amakusa
- Cultural landscape of Misumiura
- Ontayaki Village
- Rural landscape of Tashibunosho Osaki
- Steam and hot spring landscape at Beppu
- Agricultural and mountainous landscape of Sakatani and rice terraces of Sakamoto
List and descriptions of Important Cultural Landscapes
Mine and Mining town of Sado Aikawa
(Sado City, Niigata)
Ōzawa and Kami-Ōzawa Village
surrounded Windbreak Bamboo Fences
(Wajima City, Ishikawa)
Cultural Landscape of Okazaki in Kyoto
(Kyoto City, Kyoto)
3. Our Treasure Cultural Landscapes to future generations
This pamphlet provides easy-to-understand description of cultural landscapes protection systems. Click here to view the pamphlet.
4. Contact
Cultural Landscapes Branch, Monuments and Sites Division, Cultural Properties Department, Agency for Cultural Affairs
Phone: +81-(0)3-5253-4111 (Extension: 3142)
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