NIKKO TOURIST ASSOCIATION

World Heritage "Shrines and Temples of Nikko"

*Moment of Designation
	It was 5 minutes after the 1 o'clock December 2nd, 1999. Citizens of Nikko waited and waited for that moment. Shrines and Temples of Nikko were registered as World Heritage site at the 23rd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held at Marakesh in Morocco in December 1999. The Shrines and Temples of Nikko consist of Toshogu Shrine, Rinnoji Temple and Futarasan Shrine, and were designated as the 10th World Heritage Site in Japan.

The citizens of Nikko assembled at Tourist Information Center, and waited for a moment of Registration of World Heritage in spite of midnight. Fire was set on the 413 lanterns, and there was a big applause. Atmosphere of Nikko city was full of celebration. Japanese Government submitted a recommendation of "Shrines and Temples of Nikko" to the UNESCO in June 1998, and evaluated by International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) in December. Members of the committee visited Nikko and they esteemed the "Shrines and Temples of Nikko, " which has history of 1200 years.

Nikko Tourist Information Center
591, Gokomachi area, Nikko, Tochigi, Postal code:321-1404
TEL: +81-288-54-2496 FAX: +81-288-54-2495