Abstract
The preservation of the forest ecosystem is very important in Shirakami-sanchi World Heritage. The influence that the visitors have in the area is becoming a problem. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an effective method of management for protection of the World Heritage. In the present paper, we clarified the visitors' dynamics and attribute in the Shirakami-sanchi area. The study was conducted at Anmon Falls, Mount Shirakami-dake and Mount Futatsumori at 1996-1997 and 2001-2002. Data was collected by a count investigation and questionnaire survey for visitors. The major findings were as follows; i) The number of visitors was 292-1269 a day. The Anmon Falls was visited by 80 percent of the visitors. ii) A large number of visitors were middle aged and accompanied by family. iii) Where the visitor's resided and how often they visited the forest were related to the place and season of the visit. iv) The visitors could be classified by their residence and the frequency of visits to the forest. v) During the past five years, the characteristics according to site have become obscure, and the visitors from far away are coming to visit the World Heritage.
