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<p><img width="265" height="42" alt="History / Scenes About The World Heritage" src="http://www.wakayama-kanko.or.jp/world/english/history/img/heritage_ttl.gif" /><br />
<img width="530" vspace="10" height="36" alt="&quot;Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range, and the Cultural Landscapes that Surround Them&quot;" src="http://www.wakayama-kanko.or.jp/world/english/history/img/heritage_copy.gif" /><br />
<span class="bold2green">1.Outline</span><br />
<img width="150" height="199" align="right" alt="Kumano Ancient Road" src="http://www.wakayama-kanko.or.jp/world/english/history/img/heritage_photo.jpg" /> <span class="txt1">Kumano-san-zan of Kii Mountain Range, Koyasan,  Yoshino, and Omine is a unique example of sacred sites of the Shinto and  Buddhist deities remaining widely in very good condition forming  various beliefs such as Shintoism based on the nature worship, Buddhism  which has been descended from China and showed original deployment in  Japan, and Shugendo which has the origin of the connection of both with  pilgrimage routes such as Omine Okugake-michi, Kumano pilgrimage route,  and Koyasan-choishi-michi. Moreover, they are very precious also in the  point of having still rooted among people.<br />
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<span class="bold2green">2.About the registration for The World Heritage</span><br />
<span class="bold1orange">Process and procedure before registration</span><br />
<span class="txt1">Since the set-up of The World Heritage Registration  Team at prefectural office in Apr. 2000, Wakayama prefecture have  executed many procedures necessary for the recommendation such as  designation of the recommended sites, enactment of scenic ordinance, and  their decision making panel or forum with municipal governments, Nara  Prefecture, and Mie Prefecture.<br />
And at the liaison conference of relevant government ministries and  agencies for The World Heritage (*) held on Jan. 16, 2003, the  governmental recommendation of &quot;Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in  the Kii Mountain Range, and the Cultural Landscapes that Surround Them&quot;  was determined, and the recommendation was submitted to the UNESCO World  Heritage Committee on Jan. 27, 2003.<br />
Also, the future schedule is: After on-site investigation by specialized  agency, ICOMOS: International Council on Monuments and Sites in 2003,  pros and cons of the registration to the list of The World Heritage will  be decided at the 28th World Heritage Committee held around June, 2004.<br />
(*) Consisted of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Agency for Cultural  Affairs, Ministry of the Environment, Forestry Agency, Ministry of Land,  Infrastructure and Transport.<br />
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