Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 23 (ANI): Yumi Sai, a member of the 75-member Japanese delegation, led by Kotaro Nagasaki, Governor of Yamanashi Prefecture, which visited Sarnath on Saturday, described her visit as a very special experience.

He said that visiting the sacred land of Sarnath after its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site was even more special. Visiting the sites associated with Lord Buddha's first sermon, along with seeing the Dhamek and Chaukhandi Stupas up close, was a testament to the centuries-old shared spiritual and cultural ties between India and Japan.

His remarks come as, on Saturday, at Sarnath, the sacred land of Lord Buddha, another strong link was added to the centuries-old Buddhist and cultural ties between Uttar Pradesh and Japan.

Governor Nagasaki's wife was also included in the Japanese delegation which visited Sarnath, the preaching place of the Buddha. During the visit, guests closely explored the historical and spiritual heritage of key sites associated with Buddha, including the Dhamek Stupa and Chaukhandi Stupa.

Meanwhile, Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh stated that 'Sarnath's UNESCO World Heritage status has strengthened Uttar Pradesh's Buddhist tourism profile globally.'

He added that the arrival of the Yamanashi Prefecture delegation to Sarnath is an important opportunity to further strengthen the centuries-old Buddhist and cultural ties between India and Japan. This will also help introduce more Japanese tourists to Uttar Pradesh's rich Buddhist heritage, historical sites, and spiritual traditions.

This visit by the Japanese delegation is considered even more special following the recent inclusion of Sarnath in the UNESCO World Heritage List. With this international recognition, Sarnath has become the 45th World Heritage Site in the country and the fourth in Uttar Pradesh. Inclusion in the UNESCO list has given the state's Buddhist circuit a new identity on the global tourism map.

It is believed that tourist interest from countries with deep ties to the Buddhist tradition, such as Japan, will increase and the potential for Buddhist tourism in Uttar Pradesh will gain new momentum.

This visit also highlighted new possibilities in the field of Buddhist, spiritual, and cultural tourism between Uttar Pradesh and Japan. Sarnath, the place where Buddha preached, is rapidly strengthening its identity as a major international centre of the state's Buddhist heritage. The growing interest of foreign tourists and Buddhist followers is giving Sarnath a new identity on the global tourism map.

Earlier, the delegation received a grand welcome at Hotel Taj Ganges upon its arrival in the city before setting out to explore two of Varanasi's prominent cultural and spiritual landmarks.

The delegation first visited Sarnath, the historic site where Gautama Buddha is believed to have delivered his first sermon.

During the visit, the members were briefed about the site's history, the museum and the religious and historical significance of the Buddha Stupa. (ANI)