Yamagata Prefectural Museum

The Yamagata Prefectural Museum is a modern building in Kajo Park that displays natural history collections, geological specimens, and archaeological artifacts. The exhibitions spread across multiple galleries and show the natural and cultural history of the region.

The museum opened its doors in 1971 and became a center for regional education and research. Since then it has documented and made the natural and cultural history of Yamagata Prefecture accessible to the public.

The museum holds the Jomon no Megami, a nationally designated cultural property from the Jomon period that shows how ancient people expressed artistic ideas. This figure helps visitors understand how people in that distant time saw and shaped their world.

The museum has multiple exhibition areas with different focuses that are easy to navigate. Visitors should allow enough time to explore the various galleries and take in the information provided.

The museum houses a rare fossil of a Daikaigyu, an extinct sea cow discovered in Yamagata Prefecture. This fossil was recognized as a prefectural natural monument and shows the diverse animal history of the region.

Location: Yamagata

Inception: 1971

Architects: Toshirō Yamashita

Official opening: April 1, 1971

Website: http://english.yamagata-museum.jp

GPS coordinates: 38.25440,140.32900

Latest update: December 12, 2025 12:01