From the World Heritage inscription for the Itsukushima Shinto Shrine: The island of Itsukushima, in the Seto inland sea, has been a holy place of Shintoism since the earliest times. The first shrine buildings here were probably erected in the 6th century. The present shrine dates from the 12th century and the harmoniously arranged buildings …
From the World Heritage inscription for the Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome): The Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) was the only structure left standing in the area where the first atomic bomb exploded on 6 August 1945. Through the efforts of many people, including those of the city of Hiroshima, it has been preserved in …
With the end of the year upon us, I wanted take the time to take some time and remind people that there are ways you can follow what I’m doing and support the site that you might not have been aware of. The first thing is my map: View Larger Map If you have Goolge …
From the World Heritage Inscription for Yakushima: Located in the interior of Yaku Island, at the meeting-point of the Palaearctic and oriental biotic regions, Yakushima exhibits a rich flora, with some 1,900 species and subspecies, including ancient specimens of the sugi (Japanese cedar). It also contains a remnant of a warm-temperate ancient forest that is …
From the World Heritage inscription for the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu: Five hundred years of Ryukyuan history (12th-17th century) are represented by this group of sites and monuments. The ruins of the castles, on imposing elevated sites, are evidence for the social structure over much of that period, while …
From the World Heritage inscription for the Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park: This park features a spectacular limestone karst landscape with an underground river. One of the river’s distinguishing features is that it emerges directly into the sea, and its lower portion is subject to tidal influences. The area also represents a significant habitat for …
I’ve been in Chiang Mai for two days now. It reminds me a lot of Phuket without the beaches. It is very touristy, and I mean that in the worst sense. The night market area is just an endless row of vendors selling the same crap. Everyone I’ve been in SE Asia has some sort …
The above photo is of the Vigan Cathedral and the central plaza. The plaza area has small models of the wonders of the world as well as a map of the Philippines with models of the Filipino World Heritage sites on it. Vigan is a very quaint city and you can tell it is different …
The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras are among one of the most remarkable landscapes in the region—and in the world in fact. So unique are these rice terraces that in 1995 UNESCO recognized the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras as a World Heritage Site for its outstanding cultural landscape that can be traced …