One of the world's largest beech forests spreads over the slopes of the Shirakami Mountains. The mountains, about 1,300 square kilometers in area, straddle the boundary between Aomori and Akita Prefectures in northern Japan. Deep in the heart of the mountains, an ancient beech forest still stands, a priceless gift from the past covering about 170 square kilometers. Inscribed in the list of World Natural Heritage Sites in 1993.