2026 will be a special year for UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan. The country is celebrating 75 years of cooperation with UNESCO and numerous significant milestones.
This year, Japan has further expanded its UNESCO list. The Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on July 26, 2026.
There are 27 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan: 22 are cultural sites and 5 are natural heritage sites. This once again highlights the extraordinary natural, historical, and cultural richness spread across the Japanese archipelago.
While Japan remains as popular as ever among international travelers, interest is also growing in destinations beyond the well-known “Golden Route.” These four islands reveal a whole new side of Japan with their pristine rainforests, mangrove forests, coral reefs, and extraordinarily rich native flora and fauna.
