On Nov. 21 and 22, the city of Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture will host the 6th World Heritage Summit coinciding with the commemoration of the Shrines and Temples of Nikko being added to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) World Heritage list. The summit will focus on world heritage sites, their preservation and communal cooperation.
Nov. 21 has been set aside for subcommittees to discuss issues like traditional techniques necessary for proper restoration of historic wooden structures, collaboration with heritage sites in eastern Japan or local tourism. The theme of the Nov. 22 conference, on the other hand, will be the broader issue of world heritage and inbound tourism. David Atkinson, CEO of Konishi Decorative Arts and Crafts Co., Visit Kyoto ambassador and expert member of Nikko's special committee for policy issues, will deliver the keynote address.
Nikko was first recognized by UNESCO in 1999 when the buildings of its two Shinto shrines (Toshogu and Futarasan) and of its Buddhist temple (Rinnoji), as well as their natural surroundings, were added to the World Heritage List as a single, 50-hectare complex. The Shrines and Temples of Nikko consist of a total of 103 buildings, the majority of which were constructed in the 17th century. Their histories, however, are much longer, going back to when the sites were first established in Nikko in the eighth century.