Overview: Shirakami Sanchi is a vast region of forested mountains in northern Japan, straddling the border of Aomori and Akita prefectures. It is home to one of the largest virgin beech forests in the world, which has had barely any human impact over the centuries. That is why the core area of Shirakami Sanchi has been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, Catalin Munteanu visits this ancient forest, which is also a popular destination for trekking and river activities, such as rafting.