Hokkaidō Heritage, Wakkanai

Hokkaidō Heritage is an initiative aimed at the valorization and transmission to the next generation of the tangible and intangible natural, cultural, historical, and industrial heritage of Hokkaidō, Japan. It is advanced by the Hokkaidō Heritage Council, an NPO, and endorsed by the prefectural government, amongst other bodies. Sixty-seven assets have been identified to date in three sessions, the first twenty-five on 22 October 2001, a further twenty-seven on 22 October 2004, and more recently, fifteen on 1 November 2018. The scheme does not include a formal system for management or preservation but is intended to be a citizen-led movement with the concomitant benefits of promoting tourism, fostering pride and a sense of belonging in local communities, developing human capital and potential, and the revitalization of local economies. ()