Iwakishi Sekitan Kasekikan, Coal and fossil museum in Iwaki, Japan.
The Iwakishi Sekitan Kasekikan displays regional fossils, minerals, and coal mining equipment across several exhibition spaces with scientific explanations. The collections document both the geological history and the working methods of the mining industry.
The museum was established in 1984 to preserve the heritage of the Joban coalfield, which was once the largest mining area on Honshū. Its founding reflects the desire to document this important industrial period for future generations.
This place shows how coal mining shaped daily life in the region and its importance for local communities. The exhibits reveal what miners' work was like through original tools and personal records from past eras.
The museum is easily accessible by public transport and sits within walking distance of a train station. Visitors should allow enough time to explore the different exhibition areas and read through the scientific explanations.
The museum houses the complete skeleton of Futabasaurus suzukii, an ancient marine reptile discovered in local geological formations. This fossil reveals the prehistoric history of the region that formed over millions of years.
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