Japan is home to 34 national parks, stretching from the far north with Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park to the far south with Yakushima (Island) National Park, and even further south with the Okinawa region’s Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park. They range from tropical to just below the subarctic, with a broad range of wildlife.
They’re all pretty stunning, but they work a good bit different from the National Parks of the United States. YouTuber National Park Diaries broke down the country’s national park system, digging deep into how it works and what it says about Japan’s approach to conservation.
“Japan’s National Parks operate unlike any system I’ve ever seen. For those more familiar with American-style National Park management, it might come as a bit of a shock (as it did to me) to see such widespread human development in a place called a “National Park.” But, the deeper you dive into the inner workings of Japan’s National Park system, the more you begin to understand that this system of National Parks WORKS. It works in the way Japan needs it to work, in the way that Japan approaches conservation. I find this fascinating.“
