Exhibit #3 - Birth of the Japanese Islands
This room explains the phenomenon which gives the museum its name: The Fossa Magna. Learn how this massive rift cleaved the Japanese Islands in two as they were separating from the Asian continent while dinosaurs still roamed the Earth. This exhibit also houses a collection of artifacts related to Dr. Edmund Naumann, the German geologist who first introduced modern Geology to Japan and discovered the Fossa Magna.
Two massive 200 inch screens on the wall and floor show a dramatic video explaining what the Fossa Magna is and how it helped create the Japanese Islands we see today.
Exhibit #4 - Our Changing Land
Discover how our land continues to move and change around us, even now in the Age of Man. Learn about Itoigawa’s earthquakes, volcanoes and the awe-inspiring karst landscapes and vertical caverns of Maikomidaira.
There are also exhibits about how we benefit from and make use of the land around us. Learn about the bountiful natural resources which continue to be mined today and about the beautiful mountain trails enjoyed by thousands each year, including the daunting Tsugami Shindo Geotrail.
Stone Garden
The Fossa Magna Museum’s central garden is a beautiful stone garden, featuring a large stone map of the Japanese Islands and the Fossa Magna. This map is incorporated into a massive sundial, with numbers made of raw jade stones.
Virtual Tour
Use Explore 3D Space to take a virtual tour of the museum, wherever you are! Visit the Virtual Tour page for more info.