Japanese Geoparks must undergo recertification once every four years. The results of this year's certification have been published. There is now an additional member of our network, making 36 total Japanese Geoparks (includes 7 Global Geoparks)
--------------------------------------------
1. Japanese Geopark Recertification Results
・Shirataki (Conditional Recertification)※
・Izu Oshima (Conditional Recertification)※
・Kirishima (Recertified)
・Muroto (Recertified)
2. New Japanese Geopark Certification Results
・Naeba-Sanroku Geopark (Certified)

※The two geoparks which have received conditional recertification must undergo further inspections in two years.
http://www.geopark.jp/about/datacenter/index.html

The winter sports season is finally upon us!

Itoigawa Global Geopark is home to two excellent ski resorts offering the kind of dynamic scenery that has made the Geopark so popular. Enjoy a number of slopes and snow activities for all ages and experience levels at Seaside Valley or challenge yourself to the deep, untamed powder snow which covers Charmant Hiuchi.

■Chamant Hiuchi Ski Area 12/19 (Fri) Open
■Seaside Valley Ski Area 12/20 (Sat) Open

See you on the slopes!

http://charmant-hiuchi.jp/
http://seasidevalley.com/

The results of the Itoigawa Geopark Guide Certification Practical Exam held Dec. 7th have been released. Those who have passed are listed below:
------------------------
■Exam Date: Dec. 7th, 2014
■Exam Location: Chojagahara Archaeological Museum (Miyama Park and Museums Geosite)
■Passed: 201442 (1 person)

The results of the 6th Geopark Certification Exam, held on Nov. 16, were released today at 10:00 a.m.

The ID numbers of those who have passed can be found at the URL below (Japanese). The results have also been posted in the Itoigawa City Office, Nou Branch Office, Omi Branch Office, Tokyo Satellite Office, and the Itoigawa Chamber of Commerce.

Certificates will be mailed out at a later date.
http://www.geo-itoigawa.com/pdf/20141126.pdf

This is the complete list of closures related to the earthquake which occured 22 November 2014 in Northern Nagano:

--------------------
□ Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line and Salt Trail (North) Geosite:
　　To ensure the safety of our visitors, the Fossa Magna Park will be closed from November 23rd until the following spring.

□ Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line and Salt Trail (South) Geosite:
　　The road to the Amakazari Foothills Shiroike Forest Park is closed.

□ Amakazari Geosite:
　　The road to Amakazari Hot Springs and the Amakazari Climbing Trail is closed.

□ Itoigawa Coast Geosite:
　　The Tanimura Art Museum and Gyokusui-en Gardens will be closed until further notice. For more information about the closure and reopening, please call the administrative offices. (025-552-9277)
　　The Hisui-en Gardens remain open as scheduled.

At this time, there are no other areas of the Itoigawa Geopark affected by the earthquake.

The Kirara Nature Society is hosting a tour of the plantlife of the autumn-colored Yakeyama Foothills.
－－－－－－
■Time: Nov. 2nd (Sun) 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
■Meetup: Sasakura Onsen Parking Lot 9:30 a.m.
■Tour Site: Yakeyama Foothills (Hanareyama Forest Route)
■Guide: Hiroshi Yashiki (Japan Mammal Society)
■Bring hiking clothes, lunch, drinks, raingear, writing gear, etc.
■Free admission
■Limit 20
■Contact the Fossa Magna Museum by Oct 31st to sign-up.
　　　　　℡025-553-1880

We will be presenting a course on fundamental knowledge about the Itoigawa Geopark. The lecture, aimed at people living in the Tokyo region, will be held in the Itoigawa City Tokyo Office. Business owners and employees alike can receive Geopark Master certification. The course is also free!

For more information or to apply, please call the Itoigawa Geopark Council at 025-552-1511.
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
Time: Oct. 31st (Fri) 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Place: Itoigawa City Tokyo Office
1-5-1 Uchikanda
Toraiemu Otemachi Building 7F
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Limit 15

See Japan's deepest vertical cave and enjoy a variety of alpine plantlife on a guided tour of Itoigawa Geopark's most illusory geosite, Maikomidaira.

Inaccessible outside of guided tours, take this opportunity to experience one of the Itoigawa Geopark's hidden wonder.
----
■Dates: 7/20 (Sun), 27 (Sun)
8/09 (Sat), 24 (Sun), 30 (Sat)
9/14 (Sun), 23 (Tue・Holiday)
10/11 (Sat), 26 (Sun)
■Each tour limited to 20 participants
■Fee: 6,500 yen (includes bus fare, lunch, guide fees, and insurance)
■Meet-up: 10:40 a.m. in front of the Jade Kingdom Centre
■For more information, contact the Itoigawa Destination Tour Society (San'ai Tours, KK)
025-552-3445

※Path conditions are quite rugged, please prepare for light mountain hiking.
※Maikomi-daira is a valuable plant and wildlife refuge and is also located in a belt of unstable topography. Please follow guide instructions carefully and take care not to damage local plant or wildlife.
※Tours are currently available in the Japanese language only.

Departs from Shinjuku Station, learn about and experience Japanese beekeeping and honey collection with Kiyoshi Satou, the "Grand Master of Honeybees."
－－－－－－－－－
◇Departs: Oct 25th (Sat) - Oct 26th (Sun)
　One night, two days
◇Limit 24
◇Minimum 20 participants
◇Participation fee: 24,800 yen
　Includes transportation, meals, and board
For more information, contact N Tour:
0570-076-888
http://ntour.jp/tour/shop/detail.php?shohin_id=2007

Why not enjoy the autumn colors of the Salt Trail? Participate in this walking event which follows the Salt Trail from Oami-toge Pass until the Seaside Valley Ski Area parking lot.
－－－－－－－－－－－－－
Date: Oct. 26th (Sun)
Fee: 1,000 yen
Schedule: 8:30 a.m. Meet-up, 9:00 a.m. Departure, 3:00 p.m. Goal
To sign-up, fill out your name, address, and telephone number at the bottom of the attached PDF and fax it to 025-558-2300 by September 25th.

Learn more about the plants and animals of the Geopark.
- - - - - -
■Time: September 21st (Sun) 9:00 - 15:00
■Place: Agero, Yamanba-do Cave (Expect steep trekking)
※Meet-up at 9:00 a.m. (City Office) and 9:20 a.m. (Oumi General Culture Hall)
■Lecturer: Hiroshi Yashiki (Japan Mammal Society)
　　　　　　　　Yosuke Ibaraki (City Curator)
■Signup: August 28th until September 19th
■Bring lunch, drinks, walking clothes, raingear, etc.
■100 yen insurance fee
■Limit 20
■This tour counts as credit for Geopark Guide Certification
■For more info, contact the Fossa Magna Museum

Learn about the plants and animals of this area.
- - - - -
■Time: September 15th (Mon) 9:00 - 12:30
■Place: Mt. Asaoyama, Amaike Pond, Omigawa Jade Gorge
　　　　　※Meet-up at 9:00 a.m. (City Office) and 9:20 a.m. (Oumi General Culture Hall)
■Lecturer: Hiroshi Yashiki (Japan Mammal Society)
　　　　　　　　Yosuke Ibaraki (City Curator)
■Signup: August 28th until September 12th
■Bring lunch, drinks, walking clothes, raingear, etc.
■100 yen insurance fee
■Limit 20
■This tour counts as credit for Geopark Guide Certification
■For more info, contact the Fossa Magna Museum

TIC Tokyo is a tourist information center located near the Nihonbashi Entrance to Tokyo Station. The center provides tourist information in four languages (Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean) as well as a wealth of promotional materials and other services for those visiting or traveling Japan.

The Itoigawa Global Geopark has partnered with TIC Tokyo to provide visitors an easy location to learn more about Itoigawa and the Itoigawa Global Geopark in Tokyo. Make sure to stop by!

■Address: Marunouchi Trust Tower North 1F
　　　　　 1-8-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
■Hours:　 10:00-19:00
■Access:
　　JR: Tokyo Station 1 min. walk from Nihonbashi Exit
　　Metro: Otemachi Station 2 min. walk from Exit B7
　　　 　　Nihonbashi Station 4 min. walk from Exit A3
http://www.tictokyo.jp/en/01_about/index.html

The Fossa Magna Museum will be closed for renovation from September 8th until March. To celebrate 20 years of service, admission will be free this weekend for both the Fossa Magna Museum and the Chojagahara Archaeological Museum. This may be your last opportunity to see the museum's exhibits as they are now, so don't miss it!
- - - - -
■Free admission dates: Aug 30 (Sat) and 31 (Sun) 9:00 - 17:00 (Reception open until 16:30)
■Admission free for Fossa Magna Museum and Chojagahara Archaeological Museum

The Minami Alps Geopark National Conference will be held from September 27th until the 30th, and the Itoigawa Global Geopark is looking for volunteers to join a delegation to it.
※Participation is restricted to residents of Itoigawa.
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
Fee: 35,000 (estimate for transportation, accommodation, etc.)
Limit 20
Sign up ends August 28th
For more information contact:
Itoigawa Geopark Council
025-552-1511
[email protected]
http://www.city.itoigawa.lg.jp/secure/10367/06P.pdf

The Itoigawa Global Geopark will present its Learn & Play event again this year.

A variety of fun activities are planned including rock collecting and magatama bead crafting. This year, as a new event participants will be able to craft their own replica fossils!

Enjoy learning and playing at Oyashirazu Pier Park over summer vacation. Bring your friends and your family!
----
■ Itoigawa Global Geopark Learn & Play 2014
　○Place:　Oyashirazu Pier Park
　○Time: August 9th 9:30 - 14:00 (Reception ends at 13:30)
　○Open to all
　○Some activities require a participation fee.

The Itoigawa Global Geopark is proud to present its series of Point-and-Say Conversation Cards! These cards have been distributed to shops, restaurants, hotels, museums, and other tourist facilities and businesses throughout Itoigawa. The cards, which come in 7 varieties, were made to help facilitate communication between English and Japanese speakers. Just take turns pointing at the relevant phrases on the cards and you\'ll be navigating the Itoigawa Global Geopark like a native!

The 7 different cards are available for download from the link below. The cards are a continuing work in progress, so if you have any comments or suggestions, we would love to hear them!
http://geo-itoigawa.com/eng/more/pascc.html

The National Myoko Youth Outdoor Learning Center is once again sponsoring the "Earth's Secrets Exploration Team" which will explore Itoigawa Global Geopark. Join us for an exciting hands-on learning adventure in Japan's First Global Geopark! (Japanese language only)

-----
■Time: Aug 18th (Mon) - Aug 20 (Wed) (2 nights 3 days)
■Location: National Myoko Youth Outdoor Learning Center and Itoigawa Global Geopark Geosites
■For 5th and 6th year elementary school students. Limit 30 participants.
■Fee: 5,000 yen
■Sign-up Deadline: Jul 31 (Mon) (By mail or fax)
■To sign up: Fill out the required fields on back of flyer (PDF attached) and submit by mail or fax to:
　　　　National Myoko Youth Outdoor Learning Center
　　　　Tel. 0255-82-4321
http://myoko.niye.go.jp/event/#1-4

The Itoigawa Geopark and the Itoigawa City Science Education Center are copresenting the "Total Experience Study - Tour for Educators." Experience the kind of hands-on learning that can take place in the Itoigawa Global Geopark.
----------
■Date
August 5, 2014 (Tue)
■Schedule
8:30 meetup at Fossa Magna Museum
Tour ends at 16:30
■Sign-up
Limit 20, sign-up by July 28th
■To sign up or for more information, contact the Itoigawa Geopark Council

A lecture and field trip regarding the fossils of Itoigawa\'s Kotaki district and what they tell us about the history of the Japanese archipelago is scheduled for later this month.
- - - - -
■Time: July 27th (Sun) 10:30 - 15:30
■Meetup: Takanami-no-ike Lodge
■Location: Kotaki District
■Lecturer: Junichi Tazawa (Niigata University Professor Emeritus)
■Fee: 300 yen (insurance and drink fee)
■Bring: Hiking clothes, drinks, writing utensils, etc. (Lunch is not provided, but there is a restaurant at Takanami-no-ike Pond)
■Contact for more information: Kotaki District Community Center 025-556-2002
■Sponsored by the Hakuba Foothills Citizen\'s Recreational Area Council

Enjoy a tour of the plant life of Mt. Gongendake and Tajimadani
－－－－－
■Time: July 13th (Sun) 9:00 - 15:00
■Meetup: City Office 9:00 / Nou Branch Office 9:20
■Guides: Hiroshi Yashiki (Japan Mammal Society)
　　　　 Yosuke Ibarake (City Curator)
■Signup: June 13th (Fri) - July 11th (Fri)
■Bring lunch, drinks, walking clothes, rain gear, etc.
■Fee: 100 yen (insurance fee)
■Limit 20
■This tour counts as credit toward Geopark Guide Certification
■For more information, contact the Fossa Magna Museum at 025-553-1880
http://www.geo-itoigawa.com/eng/geosite/geosite23/index.html

Rediscover the wonders to be found around the rapidly changing Itoigawa Station.
－－－－－
■Time: June 29th (Sun) 9:00 - 12:30
■Place: Around Itoigawa Station ※Meetup at Itoigawa Station at 9:00
■Guides: Tsutomu Kijima and Ko Takenouchi (City Curators)
■Sign-up: June 13th (Fri) - June 27th (Fri)
■Bring drinks, walking clothes, raingear, etc.
■Fee: 100 yen (insurance fee)
■Limit 20
■This tour counts as credit toward Geopark Guide Certification
■For more information, contact the Fossa Magna Museum at 025-553-1880

The Umidani Gorge is an expansive gorge deep within the Umidani Mountains. Formed when the Umikawa River bisected a massive volcano, the gorge is an unspoilt beauty and a paradise for nature and mountain enthusiasts.

Experience here the nature of the Komagatake Foothills and learn about the formation of Umidani Gorge on this Geopark Tour.
- - - - - -
■Time: June 15th (Sun) 9:00 - 16:00
■Place: Umidani Sankyo Park & Komagatake Foothills
■Meetup: City Hall 9:00
■Guides: Hiroshi Yashiki (Japan Mammal Society), Ko Takenouchi (City Curator)
■Sign-up: May 29th (Thu) - June 13th (Fri)
■Things to bring: Lunch, drinks, walking shoes, rain gear, etc.
■Fee: 100 yen (Insurance & materials fee)
■Limit 20
■This tour counts as credit toward Geopark Guide Certification
■For more information contact the Fossa Magna Museum at 025-553-1880

※Tour is currently available in the Japanese language only
http://geo-itoigawa.com/eng/geosite/geosite18/index.html

Mt. Komagatake, a beautiful trapezoidal mountain, is a familiar sight to the people of Itoigawa Geopark's Nechi Valley. Enjoy all the faces of Mt. Komagatake in this walking tour of the area with local residents/

■Time: Jun 8 (Sun) 9:00-15:30
■Place: Nechi Valley and Amakazari Hot Springs
■Meetup: Nechi Community Center 9:00 a.m.
■Signup: May 29 (Thu) - Jun 6 (Fri)
■Bring: Drinks, snacks, camera, walking gear (lunch provided)
■Cost: Free (Admission to Amakazari Hot Springs will cost extra)
■Limit 40

This event will tour the nature of Mt. Shirogamine (Tsutsuishi) and participants will learn about the origin of the stratification in the Tsutsuishi area. Sign-up starts on May 29th (Thursday).
- - - - - -
■Time: June 8th (Sun) 9:00 - 15:00
■Meetup: City Hall 9:00, Nou Branch Office 9:20
■Guides: Hiroshi Yashiki (Japan Mammal Society)
　　　　　Tsutomu Kijima, Ko Takenouchi (City Curators)
■Sign-up: May 29th (Thu) - June 6th (Fri)
■Things to bring: Lunch, drink, walking shoes, rain gear, etc.
■Fee: 100 yen (insurance & materials fee)
■Limit 20
■This tour counts as credit toward Geopark Guide Certification
■For more information contact the Fossa Magna Museum at 025-553-1880
http://www.geo-itoigawa.com/eng/geosite/geosite24/index.html

The Umasa Gisshiri Sea of Japan Train will arrive in Itoigawa on June 1st. Two special tours are being planned for the occasion. Why not join one of them?
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
◇Day: June 1st (Sun)
◇Meetup: Itoigawa Station 2nd Floor Corridor 11:15)
〈Course 1〉
Jade Course: Itoigawa Station→Hisui-en Gardens→Gyokusui-en Gardens & Tanimura Museum of Art (Lunch)→Jade Gorge→Itoigawa Onsen→Itoigawa Station (18:00)
Fee: Adults 3,900 yen Students 15 and below 3,600 yen Children below 6 1,500 yen

〈Course 2〉
Hot Springs Course: Itoigawa Station→Benten-iwa→Hakusan Shrine→Maseguchi Hot Springs District (Lunch)→Marine Dream Nou→Itoigawa Station (18:00)
Fee: Adults 3.600 Children below 6 Free
-------------------
◇Limit 15 per tour
◇For more info contact the Itoigawa City Tourism Association at 025-555-7344
◇Fee includes bus fare, lunch, and all admissions. Pay at the meetup.

Leave from Tokyo's Shinjuku Station to visit Oyashirazu and pick wild mountain vegetables.
－－－－－－－－－
◇Departs May 31st (Sat) and returns June 1st (Sun)
◇Limit 25
◇Minimum 20
◇Tour package cost: 23,000 yen (21,000 yen for children)

For more information, call the N-Tour Call Center at 0570-076-888

Enjoy the flowers of early summer. Open to non-society members.
－－－－－－
■Time: May 18th (Sun) 9:30-15:00
■Meetup: Taka-no-mine Plateau Forest Park Parking Lot
■Place: Taka-no-mine Plateau
■Guide: Hiroshi Yashiki (Japan Mammal Society)
■Bring: Lunch, drinks, raingear, clothes appropriate for hiking, writing utensils, etc.
■Fee: Free
■To register, contact the Fossa Magna Museum at 025-553-1880

Join us on our next Itoigawa Global Geopark Tour. The next tour will visit the Oyashirazu Cliffs, recently chosen as a National Area of Scenic Beauty.
－－－－－
■Time: May 11th (Sun) 9:00-15:00
■Place: Oyashirazu Geosite
　　　　　※Meetup in front of Itoigawa City Office at 9:00
■Guide: Yoichi Yamagishi and Hiroshi Miyajima (curators)
■Bring: Lunch, drinks, boots, raingear, hiking clothes, writing utensils, etc.
■Fee: 100 yen (Insurance and materials fee)
■Limit 20 people
■Other: Counts as credit for Geopark Guide Certification
■To register, please contact the Fossa Magna Museum at 025-553-1880

Oyashirazu Geosite:
http://geo-itoigawa.com/eng/geosite/geosite2/index.html

Fossa Magna Museum will host several events during Golden Week.
－－－－－－
■10th Annual Classic Car Meeting
　Come see 50 classic cars and enjoy a musical performance.
・Time: May 3rd (Sat) 9:30-14:30
■Citizen's Market Festival
　Browse a variety of vendors and enjoy food and drinks. A police car and a fire engine will be on display on Sunday and Monday.
・Time: May 3rd (Sat) through May 5th (Mon) 9:00-16:00
■Fossil Valley -- Hunt for 300 million year old fossils!
　300 yen per person (limit 2 hours and ages 6 and up)
For more information, contact the Fossa Magna Museum

On April 26th the Hakuba Foothills National Recreational Area (Takanami-no-ike Pond and Jade Gorge Fishing Park) will open in the Kotakigawa Jade Gorge Geosite.

To mark the opening of the Jade Gorge Fishing Park, a special discount will be given of 2000 yen for 7 fish (Normal price 2000 yen for 5 fish. Price includes rod, bait, and creel). The Takanami-no-ike Pond Cafe and Gift Shop will be selling locally made Takanami Soba and Chanmairo Miso.

Please visit the Hakuba Foothills National Recreational Area on the 26th!

For more information about Takanami-no-ike Pond and the Fishing Park, visit http://geo-itoigawa.com/eng/geosite/geosite9/index.html

------------------
■Jade Gorge Fishing Park Opening Festival
Time: April 26th (Sat) & 27th (Sun) 9:00-16:00
Fee: 2000 yen (Normal limit of 5 fish extended to 7 for festival)

The Fossa Magna Park, located upon the Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line which separates Japan between the North American and Eurasian continental plates, has opened for the 2014 Season. However, certain areas of the park are closed while crews remove trees that fell during the winter.
- - - - - -
■Open section: From the parking lot along Route 148 to the Exposed Section of the ISTL Fault
■Closed section: From the Exposed Section of the ISTL Fault until the Pillow Lava. Entry from Shimonechi Rural Park is not possible.
■For more information, contact the Fossa Magna Museum at 025-553-1880
http://geo-itoigawa.com/eng/geosite/geosite6/index.html

Fossil Valley is an outdoor activity center at the Fossa Magna Museum where visitors can try their hand at hunting for a variety of fossils including coral and sea lilies. Please inquire and pay admission at the museum's reception desk.

■Open to ages 6 and up.
※For safety reasons, children aged 6-18 must be accompanied by a guardian.
■Admission 300 yen (2 hr)
※Includes rental of hammer, goggles, and gloves.
※Admission fee must be paid for anyone entering Fossil Valley, including guardians, even if they do not plan on hunting themselves.
■To request admission, please inquire at the Fossa Magna Museum. Guests must sign a consent form prior to entry.
■You may take your fossil finds home with you. To protect them from damage, we recommend bringing old newspaper as well as plastic and paper bags.

You may have noticed we've updated to a new homepage! Take some time to explore it, we've added a great deal more information about the Itoigawa Global Geopark!
http://geo-itoigawa.com/eng/

The Omi Natural History Museum will be closing permanently on March 31st in order to merge with the Fossa Magna Museum. To celebrate the museum's history, a lecture and tour will be given. Admission is free and no registration is necessary. Please join us in celebrating the museum's 18 years of service.
- - - - - -
■Time: March 30th (Sun) 16:00 - 17:30
■Lecturer: Yoshiyuki Hasegawa (Professor Emeritus Niigata University)
◇Lecture
・Time: 16:00 - 16:40
・Place: Omi Lifelong Learning Center Conference Room #4
・Theme: Handing Omi's Nature to the Future　
・Fee: Free　※No registration necessary
◇Museum Tour
・Time: 16:45 - 17:30
・Place: Omi Natural History Museum
・Fee: Free
■For more information, contact the Fossa Magna Museum at 025-553-1880

The Omi Natural History Museum will close permanently on March 31st. In order to ensure the greatest number of people have an opportunity to visit the museum before it closes, entry to the museum will be free during the following period:
- - - - - -
■Free Entry Period: March 18th (Tue) - Mar 31st (Mon)
■Hours: 9:00 - 17:00 (Enter by 16:30)
■For more information, contact the Fossa Magna Museum at 025-553-1880

【3/16】 Geotour - Imai Geosite's Flora, Fauna, and Minerals

Discover the plants and animals which live in the Imai region's rivers and the stones used in the local temples and shrines. The tour will require walking in the river.
- - - - - -
■Time: 16 Mar (Sun) 9:00 - 15:00
■Meetup: City Office Main Entrance 9:00
■Guides: Hiroshi Yashiki (Mammal Society of Japan)
Yosuke Ibaraki (City Curator)
■Things to bring: Walking clothes, lunch, drinks, raingear, long boots, writing utensils, etc.
■Fee: 100 yen
■Limit 20 participants
■Registration: 1 Mar (Sat) - 14 Mar (Fri)

Mr. Yashiki of the Mammal Society of Japan will give a lecture on the origin of the names of some of the plants found within the Geopark.
- - - - - -
■Time: 9 Mar (Sun) 14:30 - 16:00
■Place: Fossa Magna Museum
■Lecturer: Hiroshi Yashiki (Mammal Society of Japan)
■Fee & Registration: None
■For more info, please call the Fossa Magna Museum at 025-553-1880

■Mr. Yashiki's Guidebook to the Plants of the Itoigawa Geopark is on salte at the Fossa Magna Museum for 1,050 yen.

In the March 2nd edition of the Yomiuri Shimbun, an article was published about the Itoigawa-born poet Gyofu Soma, writer of the famous children's song "Haru Yo, Koi."

The article also mentioned that Gyofu Soma contributed a great deal of research on the jade of Itoigawa, wrote the school song for the top-ranked Waseda University in Tokyo, and more.
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/otona/trip/meigen/20140228-OYT8T00780.htm

The Fossa Magna Museum and Chojagahara Archaeological Museum, located within beautiful Miyama Park, will be open every day starting March 1st.
- - - - - -
■Fossa Magna Museum (Tel. 025-553-1880)
・Open: 1 Mar (Sat) - 7 Sep (Sun) daily
・Closed: 8 Sep (Mon) - Mid March 2015
　※Closed for six months for renovation
■Chojagahara Archaeological Museum (Tel. 025-553-1990)
・Open: 1 Mar (Sat) - 30 Nov daily
・Closed: First and last days of the year, Mondays from December through February
　　　　　(If Monday is a public holiday, open that day and closed on Tuesday)
　※The Chojagahara Archaeological Museum will be open during the Fossa Magna Museum's renovation

※When visiting the museums, be sure to use the Town Loop Bus! Adults 100 yen, Children 50 yen.

Enjoy trekking through the snow while observing the various animal tracks and plantlife visible in winter.
－－－－－－
■Time: 26 January 2014 (Sunday) 9:00am-12:00pm
■Meetup: Fossa Magna Museum
■Place: Miyama Park
■Lecturers: Hiroshi Yashiki (Mammal Society of Japan) and Yosuke Ibaraki (Curator)
■Things to bring: Cold weather gear, boots, gloves, hat, writing utensils
Bring snowshoes if you have them. A limited number are available for rent.
■Fee: 100 yen (insurance fee)
■Limit 25 people. Please reserve in advance.
■For more information, contact the Fossa Magna Museum at 025-553-1880

The Omi Natural History Museum will close permanently at the end of March 2014. The exhibits and other materials will be moved to the Itoigawa Fossa Magna Museum for display there.
The staff ot the Itoigawa Global Geopark would like to thank the museum for 18 years of service.
－－－－－－
■Closure Date: 31 March 2014 (Monday)
■For more information, contact the Fossa Magna Museum at 025-553-1880