Shirakami-Sanchi

Shirakami-Sanchi stretches across Aomori and Akita prefectures and protects the largest remaining virgin beech forest in East Asia at elevations reaching 1243 meters. The trees form a dense green canopy over steep slopes and narrow valleys where clear streams flow.

The beech forests survived the last ice age and remained in their natural state while similar woodlands in northern Japan disappeared through development. Recognition as a World Heritage Site in 1993 helped protect the area from further intervention.

The name combines characters for white and divine, pointing to the spiritual role the forested mountains held for people in surrounding villages. Hikers today can walk designated paths through the quiet beech groves and discover the many streams and small waterfalls that run through the valleys.

Visitors must obtain a permit seven days ahead to enter the protected core area, while the trail to Anmon Falls stays open without special permission. Sturdy footwear is advisable because of wet paths and steep sections throughout the range.

The forest shelters 87 bird species and rare mammals including Japanese black bears, mountain hawk-eagles, and dormice beneath the dense beech canopy. Some trees have trunks thicker than those found elsewhere in Japan because they have grown undisturbed for centuries.