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. Catalin is from Romania, a country that also has extensive beech forests and is keen to see how they compare. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, he encounters the Mother Tree, a beech thought to be 400 years old. He is guided through the forest of Shirakami Sanchi, meets the people who live there and explores this beautiful mountain area in early summer.