Japan’s educational system developed in a way that is unique in all of world history. World Heritage Inscription Council for the Early Modern Japanese Educational Sites was established on November 17, 2012 by the cities of Mito (Ibaraki Prefecture), Ashikaga (Tochigi Prefecture), and Hita (Oita Prefecture) as a cooperative cross-regional organization with the goal of getting the Educational Heritage of Early Modern Japan, emblematic of Japanese education, registered as a World Heritage site. A fourth city, Bizen in Okayama Prefecture, later joined the council on May 31, 2015.

　The council proposes the concept of “educational heritage” as a new category of World Heritage, bringing together players from industry, government, and academia to conduct research on the educational heritage of Japan as well as promote activities to educate and raise awareness about the topic.