The Asuka and Fujiwara Capitals Registered as World Heritage; Japan's World Heritage Total Reaches 27
UNESCO's 48th committee added the Asuka and Fujiwara Capitals to its list, bringing Japan's total World Heritage sites to 27.Summary
On July 26, the 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee, convened in Busan, Korea, decided to register the Asuka and Fujiwara Capitals as a World Heritage site. The site, located in Kashihara, Sakurai, and Asuka villages in Nara Prefecture, comprises 19 constituent assets—including palace and government building sites, Buddhist temple sites, and tombs—dating from the late 6th to early 8th centuries. The committee based its decision on two criteria: the site’s demonstration of cultural exchange with mainland China and the Korean Peninsula and the spread of Buddhism, and its importance as evidence of the formation of ancient East Asian capitals under a centralized state. The committee also outlined preservation and management challenges, such as restoring wall paintings to their original positions, expediting historic site designation, developing disaster and risk response strategies, and monitoring vibrations from surrounding traffic.
(Source：美術手帖)