ICOMOS Approved Japan’s Mount Fuji to Be Declared as the UNESCO World Heritage Site

Mount Fuji, Japan: International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) approved Japan’s Mount Fuji to be declared as the UNESCO World Heritage site. Mount Fuji is the snow-topped volcano in Japan. Formal decision would be taken about its declaration as the world heritage site when the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO will meet in Cambodia in June 2013.

About Mount Fuji

• Japan’s Mount Fuji is located at 12460 feet and is the highest mountain of Japan.
• The volcano that erupted around a little more than 300 years ago is situated to south-west of Tokyo. It is visible from Tokyo easily.
• Mount Fuji is also featured in the historic art work of Japan, which also includes wood blocks prints.
• It is also said to be a part of traditional Three Holy Mountains, apart from Mount Haku and Mount Tate, both of which lie in Central Japan.

International Council on Monuments and Sites

• International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) approved Mount Fuji an appropriate site for registration.
• ICOMOS evaluates the cultural properties which are nominated to World Heritage List. It is also responsible for submission of the recommendation to UNESCO’s annual meetings.

At present, there are 16 World Heritage listed Sites in Japan, out of which 12 are cultural and four natural. Recent additions to this list were Buddhism-linked gardens and temples of Hiraizumi, which were recognised as World Heritage Site in 2011.