Sanbe Azukihara Buried Forest Museum

Overview

The Sanbe Azukihara Buried Forest Museum sits at the foot of Mount Sanbe in Oda City, Shimane Prefecture. Here, a forest that was buried by volcanic activity far back in the Jomon period, the Sanbe Azukihara Buried Forest, has been uncovered from beneath the ground, and visitors can view the great trees preserved from that ancient time up close. It is a one-of-a-kind museum where you can encounter the astonishing sight of a forest thousands of years old that lay sleeping while still standing.

Highlights

• ●Exhibits of the Sanbe Azukihara Buried Forest from the Jomon period
• ●A close look at giant trees still standing with their roots in place
• ●A grand setting at the foot of Mount Sanbe
• ●A one-of-a-kind museum where a forest millennia old comes alive

History

Around Mount Sanbe it is thought that, during the Jomon period, an eruption and the earth it carried buried the surrounding forest all at once, so that the trees were protected underground. Modern excavation revealed giant trees still standing with their roots in place, drawing great attention as a buried forest. The Sanbe Azukihara Buried Forest Museum was created to preserve and display this discovery. For details of the exhibits and their background, please refer to official information.

Map

35.1775, 132.5998 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Travel from central Oda toward Mount Sanbe to reach the museum
2. 2Study the giant trees of the Azukihara Buried Forest closely inside
3. 3Imagine the scale of the land where a Jomon forest lay sleeping
4. 4Spend the day pairing the visit with the grasslands and nature of Mount Sanbe

Did you know?

💡 Seeing giant trees that have stood for thousands of years up close is a rare experience even by world standards. Imagining how lush the Jomon-period forest must have been from the rings and thickness of the trunks is a pleasure unique to this museum.

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