Sanbe Azukihara Buried Forest, Natural monument and ancient forest site in Ōda, Japan.
Sanbe Azukihara Buried Forest is an underground museum in Ōda, Japan, where real tree trunks preserved by volcanic ash from Mount Sanbe can be seen in their original positions. The display includes both upright and fallen trunks from several tree species, buried deep beneath layers of volcanic material.
Around 4000 years ago, an eruption from Mount Sanbe buried the surrounding forest under ash and volcanic debris, sealing the trees and protecting them from decay. The site remained unknown until excavation work in 1983 brought the preserved remains to light.
The site shows what a forest looked like when Jomon people lived in this region, with original tree trunks still standing where they once grew. Seeing the trees in their original positions gives a direct sense of what the land looked like long before human settlement changed it.
The museum is outside Ōda city center and is most easily reached by bus from Odashi Station. Once inside, visitors descend underground, so sturdy footwear is a good idea before heading down.
About 73 percent of the upright trunks uncovered during excavation turned out to be Japanese cedar, which told researchers that this species dominated the area before the eruption. This was unexpected, since the exact composition of the forest had been completely unknown before the digging began.
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