Shirakami-Sanchi World Heritage Conservation Center Fujisato Facility
The World Heritage Conservation Center in Fujisato is a hub for information and activities related to the Shirakami Sanchi World Natural Heritage Site, a UNESCO-designated mountain wilderness that straddles the border with Aomori Prefecture. The Fujisato building acts as the visitor center for the Akita side of the site.
The center opened in 1998, following Shirakami Sanchi’s World Heritage registration in 1993. It houses exhibits in Japanese and English on Shirakami Sanchi’s topography, animal and plant life, and the delicate ecological balance maintained in Japanese beech forests. Exhibits also document the UNESCO registration process. Staff can often provide English explanations of Shirakami Sanchi’s environment and its many nature activities. There are also maps and pamphlets detailing hiking trails, sites of interest, hands-on activities, and events in the wilderness area. Other pamphlets describe activities and events in Fujisato and the neighboring municipalities.
The Conservation Center is the starting point for several hikes, hands-on activities, and ecotours. English-speaking guides are available for hire or to provide advice on hiking in the mountains.
Admission to the center is free. From April to December, opening hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. In January, February, and March, they are shortened to 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Between April and December, the center is closed on Tuesdays (and Wednesday if Tuesday is a national holiday). In January, February, and March, the center closes on Mondays and Tuesdays (plus Wednesday if Tuesday is a national holiday).