Latest news with #Fukuiraptor
Japan Today
03-06-2025
- General
- Japan Today
Step back in time and explore the ancient world at Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum
By Abhijit Sen Located in Katsuyama, Fukui Prefecture, the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum is one of the largest in Japan and is recognized as one of the world's best dinosaur museums. It offers visitors a chance to step back in time and explore the ancient world. Fukui Prefecture is known for its rich deposits of dinosaur fossils, particularly from the Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry. Since 1989, significant discoveries have been made, including unique species like Fukuiraptor and Fukuisaurus. These fossils help paint a vivid picture of life in Japan millions of years ago. Dinosaur World is the museum's main attraction, featuring a wide range of exhibits that dive deep into the lives of dinosaurs. Here, visitors can explore sections like 'Biology of Dinosaurs,' 'Dinosaurs of Japan and Asia' and the exciting 'Real-size Dinosaur Diorama.' These areas include immersive exhibits, animatronic dinosaurs that move and roar, and breathtaking life-sized models that make you feel like you've traveled back to the Jurassic period! One of the highlights of Dinosaur World is the Dinosaur Hall, where you can see nearly 50 full-scale dinosaur skeletons. Notably, the Camarasaurus on display comprises over 90% of its original fossil material. Additional Highlights Image: PIXTA/ KEIJI YOSHII The Dino Lab offers a chance to study real fossils up close. You can try your hand at activities such as finding and identifying fossils or magnifying observations, making it an unforgettable experience for both young and adult science enthusiasts. These activities let you play the role of a paleontologist! Special exhibitions occur from July to October, so plan accordingly. Beyond Dinosaurs Click here to read more. External Link © GaijinPot
11-05-2025
- Science
Japan's 1st Dinosaur Faculty Opens at Fukui University
Eiheiji, Fukui Pref., May 11 (Jiji Press)--Japan's first university faculty dedicated to dinosaur studies opened last month in a prefecture known as a major dinosaur fossil excavation site. The Faculty of Dinosaur Paleontology at Fukui Prefectural University allows students to engage in cutting-edge research by participating in fossil excavations in cooperation with museum staff. It welcomed 34 students in April at the campus in the Fukui town of Eiheiji near mountains where fossils of Fukuiraptor and many other new dinosaur species were found. During their four-year degree course, students will study techniques required for dinosaur research, including geological exploration, fossil replica creation, CT scanning and 3D modeling. Teachers include five world-renowned dinosaur researchers. In their second year, students will move to the campus in the city of Katsuyama, which is being built adjacent to the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, to acquire practical skills in cooperation with museum staff. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
Yomiuri Shimbun
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
2025 Osaka Expo: Kansai Pavilion Shows Appeal of Region's 9 Prefs; Dinosaurs, Sand Dune, Traditional Dance
The Yomiuri Shimbun The Center Circle in the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo's Kansai Pavilion on Yumeshima Island in Osaka OSAKA — The Kansai Pavilion, which features exhibits from nine prefectures in the Kansai region — Shiga, Kyoto, Hyogo, Nara, Wakayama, Tottori, Tokushima, Fukui and Mie — has attracted many visitors at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. The pavilion, located in the East Gate Zone of the Expo, has the theme 'The Brilliance of Kansai's Rich History and Its Present Day.' The Yomiuri Shimbun The Yomiuri Shimbun The Kansai Pavilion is seen from above. The lantern-inspired hexagonal structure houses booths that introduce the prefectures through videos and interactive events. On April 13, the opening day of the Expo, visitors viewed projections of the landscapes and food of each prefecture on a huge circular screen at the pavilion's Center Circle, before proceeding to booths that interested them. A huge screen in the Tokushima booth projects a video of a famous summer dance festival in Tokushima City called the Awa Odori. Watching the dance video, visitors were taught how to move their hands and feet to become instant performers of the local traditional art known as the 'dancing fools.' The Yomiuri Shimbun The Tokushima booth, where visitors can experience the Awa Odori dance Fukui Prefecture, which calls itself 'Dinosaur Kingdom,' features virtual reality images of Fukuiraptor, whose fossils were excavated in the prefecture, and other dinosaurs on massive screens. Screens are installed in front, behind and on both sides of visitors, allowing them to experience dynamic images of dinosaurs on the attack, with realistic sound effects for their footsteps and roars. The Yomiuri Shimbun A video shows the rise and fall of dinosaurs in the Fukui booth. Courtesy of Fukui Prefecture A dinosaur coprolite is on display at the Fukui booth. Another highlight of the Fukui booth is the display of a dinosaur's coprolite, an item from the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum's collection. The fossil, which is 23 centimeters long and 14 centimeters wide, is believed to be from the Jurassic period (about 200 million to 145 million years ago) and was excavated in Utah. Visitors can touch it through the hole in the display case. The Yomiuri Shimbun Visitors use a special device to search for treasure in the area covered with sand from the Tottori Sand Dunes at the Tottori booth. The Yomiuri Shimbun Visitors walk through the Tunnel of Time at the Mie booth. At the Mie booth, the 7.5-meter-long Tunnel of Time, which is made up of 400 mirror panels, offers visitors a fantastic visual experience of reflected light. The Tottori booth features an area covered with sand from the Tottori Sand Dunes that is about 50 square meters and about 7 centimeters deep, re-creating the prefecture's signature landscape. Visitors can search for items hidden in the sand with a device like a magnifying glass. 'I had only ever associated Kansai with Osaka and Kyoto, and I wasn't familiar with rest of the area,' a 41-year-old Tokyo woman said. 'But I learned that each prefecture has attractive natural scenery and festivals, making me want to visit there sometime.' A 60-year-old Osaka man said he spent 2½ hours getting around all the exhibits in the pavilion. 'I was surprised with the smoothness of the sand from the dunes in the Tottori booth and rediscovered the beauty of Hikone Castle in the Shiga booth,' he said. 'Even in regions I have visited, I learned about many interesting things that I had not noticed.'
