Shiretoko National Park

Shiretoko National Park
知床国立公園
IUCN category II (national park)
View from the sea
Map showing the location of Shiretoko National Park
Shiretoko National Park in Japan
Location Hokkaidō, Japan
Coordinates 44°06′N 145°11′E / 44.100°N 145.183°E / 44.100; 145.183Coordinates: 44°06′N 145°11′E / 44.100°N 145.183°E / 44.100; 145.183
Area 386.33 km2 (149.16 sq mi)
Established June 1, 1964
Official name Shiretoko
Type Natural
Criteria ix, x
Designated 2005 (29th session)
Reference no. 1193
State Party Japan
Region Asia-Pacific

Shiretoko National Park (知床国立公園, Shiretoko Kokuritsu Kōen) covers most of the Shiretoko Peninsula at the northeastern tip of the island of Hokkaidō, Japan. The word "Shiretoko" is derived from an Ainu word "sir etok", meaning "the place where the earth protrudes".

One of the most remote regions in Japan, much of the peninsula is only accessible on foot or by boat. Shiretoko is best known as the home of Japan's largest brown bear population and for offering views of Kunashiri Island, ownership of which Japan and Russia dispute. The park has a hot springs waterfall called Kamuiwakka Falls (カムイワッカの滝, Kamuiwakka-no-taki). Kamui wakka means "water of the gods" in Ainu.

The forests of the park are temperate and subalpine mixed forests; the main tree species include Sakhalin fir (Abies sachalinensis), Erman's birch (Betula ermanii) and Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica). Beyond the forest limit there are impenetrable Siberian dwarf pine (Pinus pumila) thickets.

In 2005, UNESCO designated the area a World Heritage Site, advising to develop the property jointly with the Kuril Islands of Russia as a transboundary "World Heritage Peace Park". Shiretoko's listing as Natural Heritage was seen by the Indigenous Ainu as contradicting the long history of Ainu settlement in the park area.[1].

The Shiretoko Park Nature Center is in Shari. It serves as the visitor center and includes a movie about the park, a restaurant, and a gift shop.

Features

See also

  1. ↑ M. Hudson, M. Aoyama, “Occupational apartheid and national parks: the Shiretoko world heritage site,” in F. Kronenberg, N. Pollard, D. Sakellariou, eds. Occupational Therapies Without Borders: Towards an Ecology of Occupation Based Practices (Edinburgh: Elsevier), pp. 247-255
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