The Kuji Amber Museum in Kuji, Japan
Although Japan is well-known for Akoya cultured pearls and jadeite jade, amber deposits can be found throughout much of the country from the Mikasa region of Hokkaidō to Shime in Fukuoka Prefecture. In the prefecture of Iwate, however, lies Kuji, a coastal city with a long history of amber excavation, and is one of the few sources of amber of significant size and quality for commercial gem and…
In Kuji, Japan, a coastal city with a rich history of amber excavation, residents have discovered that the area is one of only a few sources of significant amber deposits suitable for commercial gem and ornamental uses. The Kuji Amber Museum is the sole institution in the country dedicated to the display and study of this fossilized tree resin.
Visitors to the museum have the opportunity to engage in a unique amber mining experience, where they can dig for their own amber fossils in the same landscape that once supported dinosaurs during the late Cretaceous period in the Mesozoic Era. Any amber weighing less than one kilogram can be taken home as a souvenir. The museum offers various workshops, including jewelry-making and other fossil excavation simulations, apart from the main amber mining activity.
Visitors can also explore the Kohaku Shrine, also known as the Amber Shrine, and the entrance to an inactive amber drift mine, which are located on the museum grounds.
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