‘For men only’ island nominated for World Heritage Site status

Okinoshima Island in Japan. Photo from Facebook/Tonino D’arienzo.

The so-called “gender barriers” have slowly been disappearing over the years, but one island in Japan remains reserved only for males.

The testosterone-filled Okinoshima Island in southwestern Japan is now being recommended for listing as an official World Heritage Site.

The secluded haven, which houses the Munakata Taisha Okitsumiya shrine, has refused female visitors due to religious practices, The Japan Times said.

Many of the island’s facilities pay homage to the “goddess of the sea” through on-site rituals for the safety of ships and successful trades between people of the Korean Peninsula and China.

Aside from its ban on women, visitors must follow strict rules including stripping naked and performing a cleansing ritual before stepping foot on the shrine. Visitors must also never disclose the details of their trip, the report said.

Furthermore, guests are prohibited from bringing back souvenirs to the mainland—not even a scoop of sand or a blade of grass.

The prestigious billing, meanwhile, is awarded to landmarks that possess cultural, historical, scientific or some other form of significance.

Apart from global recognition, heritage sites are legally protected by international treaties.

The Okinoshima Island will be presented to the World Heritage committee of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation by an advisory panel in July.  Khristian Ibarrola /ra/rga