4 Building Blocks of Solution:
Integrating religious and traditional stewardship in the management of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range World Heritage, Japan

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1

Transboundary governing structure for the World Heritage Property

Integrating religious and traditional stewardship in the management of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range World Heritage, Japan

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2

Granting autonomy to religious bodies in the management of their sacred places (forests and temples)

Integrating religious and traditional stewardship in the management of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range World Heritage, Japan

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3

Continuation of the traditional community-based conservation of secondary forests

Integrating religious and traditional stewardship in the management of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range World Heritage, Japan

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4

Participatory conservation of pilgrimage paths

Integrating religious and traditional stewardship in the management of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range World Heritage, Japan

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Participatory conservation of pilgrimage paths

Published: 04 October 2020
Last edited: 06 May 2021
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Depending on their location, pilgrimage routes are owned by individuals, local or national governments who take care of their maintenance. Local inhabitants and Non-Profit Organizations (NPO) participate as well of the restoration, conservation and maintenance of some of the pilgrimage routes. For example, many preservation societies are active on the Iseji pilgrimage route where they conduct daily cleaning activities on the mountain passes where old roads remain. They also collaborate with patrolling after typhoons and heavy rains. These activities are recorded in the report and submitted to the respective Prefectural Board of Education via the respective Municipal Board of Education.

Classifications

Category
Communication, outreach and awareness building
Enforcement and prosecution
Scale of implementation
Local
Subnational
Phase of solution
Monitoring
Entirety

Enabling factors

  • Japanese culture emphasizes on the caring for the public space and the benefit of the community as a whole, as well as supports a strong identification with and caring for the environment. 
  • Support from the government and other agencies to facilitate citizen participation in volunteering activities, such as collection and distribution of donations.

Lessons learned

  • The government will cooperate with citizens who initiate volunteer activities.
  • In the World Heritage property, some of the activities need a  permission. This is something that needs to be confirmed in advance by the volunteers and the government.

Part of the panorama nature-culture solution

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