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中山道おしゃべりガイド
The Home of Obsidian
Nagawa Town is the home of obsidian,
designated as a "Japan Heritage"
under the title,
"Starry Central Highland of the Jomon World"
Obsidian is natural volcanic glass, and it was a precious material for crafting sharp-edged stone tools before the use of metals.
Mt. Wada, now a popular hiking destination along the historic Nakasendo road, was once a volcano that produced large quantities of obsidian aroud 900,000 years ago.
Obsidian from Wada-toge, twinkling under the light, is "a crystal of a dream and romance !"
 The Obsidian Experience MuseumLocated at the base of "Hoshikuso-toge," a historical osidian mining site, it showcases the history of obsidian based on the discovery from decades of excavation and research.. |  The Entrance HallThe spacious entrance hall welcomes visitors to the obsidian world. At the reception, you can purchase entrance tickets, and at the shop next to it, you can purchase various obsidian items unique to this museum. |  The Workshop RoomIt offers visitors experience to craft a variety of items, including ancient tools, accessories, good luck charms, woven ancient clothing and a lot more. |
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 The Layered StrataThis georama represents layered strata taken from the shaft in the Hoshikuso-toge Obsidian Mine. |  The Obsidian ShowroomThis room looks like a gemstone showroom. Many ancient obsidian tools discovered around this area are exhibited beautifully, shining under the light like gemstones, and captivating visitors. |
Ancient people believed
that shining pieces of obsidian were fragments of shooting stars ! How romantic!
 The HIking Path to Hoshikuso-kanIt takes approximately 30 minutes from the Obsidian Museum to Hoshikuso-kan. The mountain path is a comfortable hiking course surrounded by magnificent nature. It's cool even in summer. |  Hoshikuso-togeOn Hoshikuso-toge, you can see tiny pieces of obsidian on the ground.You are welcome to pick them up and examine closely, but it's importamt to return them to their origial spots for further significant research in the future. |  Hoshikuso-kanThis is a museum built just above the obsidian mining shafts dug during the Jomon Period (the New Stone Age) on Hoshikuso-toge. It looks like a big magic box placed deep in the mountain. |
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 The Projection MappingInside Hoshikuso-kan, you can see the projection mapping show cast onto the layered strata, illustrating how the Jomon people mined obsidian during the New Stone Age. |
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