Hiraizumi Cultural Heritage
The Path to World Heritage Registration
| March 5 | Yaginogosho Site Designation as Historic Site |  Lectures on potentials for Hiraizumi registration SUZUKI Kakichi (Oct. 18, 1998) |
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| May 22 | Iwai Culture and Tourism Promotion Executive Committee makes appeal for “World Heritage Registration as the Hiraizumi Cultural World Heritage.” (The first time World Heritage recognition for Hiraizumi was requested.) | |
| December 24 | Initial consultation between the prefecture and the town concerning World Heritage registration |
| June 11 | Town Board of Education Cultural Affairs hearing concerning World Heritage registration |
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| August 25 | Tour of Nikko (by interested parties from Chūson-ji, Hiraizumi, and Iwate) |
| September 17 | At September’s regular meeting of the Hiraizumi Town Council, the mayor remarked, “I want to establish an office for promoting World Heritage registration.” (Policy for promotion is made clear.) |
| October 18 | Hiraizumi Cultural Chamber lecture
“Talking about World Heritage”
Lecturer: Kakichi Suzuki (Previous Director, Nara National Research Institute, Nara Prefecture) Regarding the possibility of Hiraizumi registration |
| July 24 | Hiraizumi UNESCO Association established |
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| February 2 | Iwate prepares draft for “Hiraizumi Properties to be included are: Chūson-ji (Konjikidō, Fukudō, Kyōzō, Ganjoju-in Pagoda, Shakusoku-in Gorin Pagoda), Mōtsū-ji, Muryōkō-in Ato, and Yanaginogosho sites. |
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| April | Iwate designates Hiraizumi sites as “Important Landscape Formation Area.” |
| June | Hiraizumi Town Council establishes Special Committee for Attracting National Museum / Registration as World Cultural Heritage |
| September 22 | Agency for Cultural Affairs and Cultural Property Protection Council asked for investigation and deliberation on candidate property for addition to the World Heritage Provisional List. The Cultural Heritage Protection Council established the World Heritage Convention Special Committee and started deliberations and deliberations. |
| November 6 | Hiraizumi Town Council tours Nikko. |
| November 17 | Cultural Property Protection Council accepts addition of “Hiraizumi Cultural Heritage” to provisional list. |
| January 24 | Hiraizumi World Cultural Heritage Registration Promotion Council Organizational General Meeting |  Established council parent to registration promotion (Jan. 24, 2001) |
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| February 18 | First World Heritage Lecture
Topic: “The Significance of World Heritage”
Continued annually with AOYAMA Shigeru (Professor Emeritus Tezukayama College) | |
| April 6 | “Hiraizumi Cultural Heritage” listed on World Heritage Interim List | |
| June 22 | The Golden Light of the Most Victorious Kings Sutra, Golden-Lettered Treasure-Pagoda mandala, in ink of various colors on navy blue paper Designated National Treasure | |
| December 24 | Hiraizumi World Cultural Heritage Registration and Advisory Committee holds first meeting “Registration requires designation of about 18 hectares of additional historic sites.” |
| January 16 | Town hall meeting on designation of historic sites for World Heritage registration (Held at District 12 / 13 Community Center) *Second meeting held on January 23. |  Town Hall meeting held for additions to designations of historic sites (Jan. 16, 2002) |
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| April 1 | Hiraizumi establishes World Heritage Promotion Office | |
| June 20 | Sponsor: World Cultural Heritage Registration Promotion Council (Members) Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Iwate Prefecture, Hiraizumi Town Examines Chūson-ji, Mōtsū-ji, Muryōkō-in, Yanaginogosho sites, as well as Mt. Kinkeisan, as candidates for Historic Site designation. | |
| December 20 | Hiraizumi establishes World Heritage Promotion Fund and Foundation Steering Committee |
| February 12 | Meeting held by Holding Committee for World Cultural Heritage registration Agreement to aim for 2008 as the year for registration |  Announced logo selected from 201 entries (Oct. 21, 2003). |
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| May 30 | Hakusan Shrine Noh Stage Designated Important Cultural Property | |
| October 9 | World Cultural Heritage Registration Promotion Council holds second meeting Recommended properties confirmed. Mayors of Ichinoseki, Maesawa and Koromogawa added as members. Consideration of adding additional properties. Agreement to aim for Historic Site designation for Takkokunoiwaya, Honodera-mura Shoen Site, Chojagahara Haiji Site and Shirotoridate Site. | |
| October 21 | World Heritage Promotion Council Logo for Hiraizumi Cultural Heritage determined |
| March | “Hiraizumi CG Reproduction” completed Became a great contribution to sharing the value of “Hiraizumi.” |  Presented CG restoration created based on latest research results (March 2004) |
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| April | Established World Heritage Organization in Iwate Prefectural Board of Education Lifelong Learning and Culture Division | |
| June 8 | The statues and canopy of the Konjikidō Designated Historic Site | |
| June 24 | Iwate Board of Education establishes Committee for Preparing Recommendation for World Heritage Registration of “Hiraizumi Cultural Heritage.” (Hereinafter referred to as Committee for Preparing Recommendation) | |
| September 30 | Muryōkō-in Ato added as Special Historic Site. Yanaginogosho added as Historic Site. | |
| November 19 | Committee for Preparing Recommendation holds first meeting. *Six meetings held through June 22, 2006. |
| February 22 | Mt. Kinkeisan, Designated Historic Site |  Lecture on Pride and the Heart of Intelligence CHIDA Koshin, Chief Abbot (Sep. 18, 2012) |
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| March 2 | Takkokunoiwaya, Honodera-mura Shoen Site designated Historic Sites Kanjizaiō-in Gardens designated Place of Scenic Beauty | |
| July 14 | Mōtsū-ji Keidai Tsuketari Chinjusha Ato designated Special Historic Site and changed name Yanaginogosho Site and Hiraizumi Site area, designated Historic Site and changed name * Designations of Shirotoridate Site and Chojagahara Haiji Site included |
| January 1 | Hiraizumi Landscape Ordinance comes into effect. |  International specialists tour Chūson-ji. (June 9, 2006) |
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| January 26 | Muryōkō-in Ato designated Special Historic Site. Honodera-mura Shoen site designatd Historic Site. | |
| February 20 | Oshu Landscape Ordinance comes into effect. | |
| April 1 | Ichinoseki Landscape Ordinance comes into effect. All related municipalities enact and put into effect landscape ordinances. Procedures related to setting up a buffer zone completed. | |
| June 8 | International Meeting of Specialists for “Hiraizumi Cultural Heritage” held through June 11. Evaluations of the value of “Hiraizumi” with experts from the Netherlands, China and Korea. | |
| June 22 | Committee for Preparing Recommendation holds sixth meeting and gives approval. | |
| July 21 | Rural landscape of Ichinoseki Hondera selected as Important Cultural Landscape. Legal procedures completed for all properties. | |
| September 14 | Conference of Ministries Relative to World Heritage Decision for government recommendation | |
| July 21 | Approval of submission of recommendation of “Hiraizumi” from Culture Council, Cultural Property Subcommittee. Property named, “Hiraizumi – Cultural Landscape Based on Jodo Ideals” | |
| December 14 | Letter of Recommendation completed. | |
| December 26 | Letter of Recommendation received by UNESCO World Heritage Center |
| January 19 | Iwate World Heritage Preservation Promotion Council established (Meeting held Feb. 7). |  World Heritage Tree Festival (April 21, 2007) |
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| April 21 | World Heritage Tree Planting Festival 200 seedlings of Aoba Hiba planted on 600㎡ in the Osawa area of the town. | |
| May 21 | Meeting held for regional leadership in preservation management *Advance preparation for ICOMOS field survey | |
| August 26 | ICOMOS Field Survey through August 30 Investigator: Jagas Weirasinha (Committee member of ICOMOS, Sri Lanka) | |
| November 4 | “Hiraizumi” World Heritage Forum held. -On the Eve of World Heritage Registration, Learning from Predecesors- | |
| November 6 | Submitted “Supplemental Information and Materials” to ICOMOS at the request of the ICOMOS investigator. | |
| December 18 | ICOMOS sends questions on four items concerning “Hiraizumi.” Additional information requested. |
| January 26 | Iwate presents “Hiraizumi Cultural Heritage” images (Symbols, Logos, Images, Music) |  Images presented (Jan. 26, 2008) |
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| February 28 | Agency for Cultural Affairs submits “Additional Information and Material” to ICOMOS. | |
| March 2, 3 | KONDO Seiichi, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Japan to UNESCO tours “Hiraizumi.” | |
| May 23 | Recommendation for “Postponement” announced from ICOMOS to Agency for Cultural Affairs | |
| June 10 | Paris Conference Through June 13 The Agency for Cultural Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Iwate Prefecture, and other persons from the related municipalities visit Paris to discuss specific measures. Later, Ambassador Kondo gives speech to the committee. | |
| June 14 | Iwate / Miyagi Nairiku Earthquake Intensity of strong 5 | |
| July 2 | The 32nd World Heritage Committee held in Quebec City (Canada) until July 10. | |
| July 7 | Deliberation over “Hiraizumi” complete, with a decision for postponement (local time July 6, 20:36). Japanese delegation holds press conference. “Hiraizumi” is given top priority for future work on recommendations. It is announced that it will take on resubmission to the World Heritage Committee in 2011. Second start. | |
| September 5 | Town Hall Meeting on World Heritage held. | |
| September 22 | Meeting held by Committee for Preparing Recommendation for “Hiraizumi Cultural Heritage” for World Heritage registration. Ten meetings held through July 20, 2011 (hereinafter referred to as Committee for Preparing Recommendation). History from previous preparation / submission of Letter of Recommendation through decision by World Heritage Committee. Discussions about schedules and such. | |
| November 14 | Special exhibition held. “Hiraizumi: The Jodo of Michinoku” Through April 19, 2009 Locations: Sendai City Museum, Fukuoka City Museum, Setagaya Art Museum Approximately 200,000 visitors |
| February 21 | Meeting with international specialists (First) through Feb. 23. Herb Stovel (Associate Professor, Carleton University, Canada) Invited Lu Bou (Tsinghua University professor, China) Received instruction on creating unified concepts of the “Jodo World” and “Hiraizumi.” |  Invited international specialists for re-recommendation (March 21, 2009). |
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| April | Revised landscape ordinances in Hiraizumi to comply with the Landscape Law. | |
| April 4 | Second meeting with international specialists As for the properties, Chūson-ji, Mōtsū-ji, Muryōkō-in Ato, and Mt. Kinkeisan are included in the 2010 recommendation. The Yanaginogosho site may be included in the 2010 recommendation as a core of urban development. Others may be included as properties through “expansion” in stages when results of research can be arranged for in the future. | |
| April 14 | Hiraizumi Cultural Heritage Center opens. Previous Hiraizumi Regional Museum renovated. | |
| April 23 | Discussion between officials from the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Iwate Prefecture, Ichinoseki, Oshu and Hiraizumi. Agreement on properties for second recommendation. Aim for registration in 2011 for five properties: Chūson-ji, Mōtsū-ji (including Kanjizaiō-in), Muryōkō-in Ato, Mt. Kinkeisan, and the Yanaginogoshi site. | |
| May 15 | “Hiraizumi” World Heritage Symposium held. | |
| May 19 | "International Study Group on Utopia and Gardens in East Asia" held through May 21 (Location: Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties) Evaluation of Hiraizumi’s gardens with experts from China and Korea. | |
| June 16 | Committee for Preparing Recommendation (Sixth meeting) Separate Kanjizaiō-in from Mōtsū-ji for a total of six properties. | |
| September 28 | Submitted an Interim Letter of Recommendation to the UNESCO Headquarters, World Heritage Center. | |
| November 21 | Town Hall Meeting held on submitting “Provisional Version of World Heritage Registration Recommendation.” | |
| November 26 | Committee for Preparing Recommendation (Eighth meeting), accepts formal version of draft recommendation. Name of property: “Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land” | |
| December 11 | Accepted submission of Letter of Recommendation from Cultural Council, Cultural Property Subcommittee. |
| January 18 | Ministry Liaison Conference related to World Heritage Convention
Determination on re-recommendation of “Hiraizumi” Submission of Letter of Recommendation to UNESCO World Heritage Center received. |  Urban Planning Through History NISHIMURA Yukio (March 13, 2010) |
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| February 22 | Mt. Kinkeisan and Yanaginogosho Site added to designation as Historic Sites. Muryōkō-in Ato designated Special Historic Site. | |
| April 1 | Outdoor advertising ordinance put into effect in Hiraizumi. | |
| April 24 | Yanaginogosho Historical Park opens. Renewed Yanaginogosho Museum opens. | |
| June 29 | “Iwate-Hiraizumi Excavated Relics” from Hiraizumi and “Iwate-Hiraizumi Excavated Goods (Excavated from Yanaginogosho)” designated as Important Cultural Properties. | |
| July 25 | The 34th World Heritage Committee through August 3 Director of World Heritage Promotion Office from Hiraizumi participates. | |
| September 7 | ICOMOS investigation through September 9 Investigator: Wang Lijun (Committee member of ICOMOS, China) |
| March 3 | World Heritage lecture held. Speaker: Former UNESCO Director-General, MATSUURA Koichiro |  The 35th World Heritage Committee Hiraizumi Registration Approved (June 25, 2011) |
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| March 11 | Great East Japan Earthquake Tsunami Earthquake intensity of Strong 5 in Hiraizumi | |
| April 7 | Aftershock Earthquake intensity of Weak 6 in Hiraizumi | |
| May 7 | ICOMOS announces recommendation for “Inscription.” Requests exclusion of “Yanaginogosho Site” and a change in the name of the property. | |
| June 26 | The 35the World Heritage Committee Meeting (in Paris) where “Hiraizumi” is registered (Local time: June 25, 17:50). | |
| June 29 | Registration authorized, official inscription on the list of World Heritage Sites. | |
| July 2 | Celebration held for World Heritage registration (in front of Hiraizumi Station and at Muryōkō-in Ato). | |
| November 8 | Ceremony in Hiraizumi for Hiraizumi World Heritage Registration |
| February 13 | Presentation Ceremony of World Cultural Heritage Certificate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
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| November 25 | In expanding the properties of “Hiraizumi,” “Yanaginogosho Site,” “Takkokunoiwaya,” “Honodera-mura Shoen Site” (in Ichinoseki), “Chojagahara Haiji Site” and “Shirotoridate Site” (in Oshu) added to interim list. |