Special Exhibition: Fossils of Tokyo Discovered

About this event

The special exhibition 'Fossils of Tokyo Discovered', held at the Chiyoda City Hibiya Library & Museum, showcases rare fossils discovered in central Tokyo and the geological strata containing them. On display are fossils of extinct large animals (such as the Naumann's elephant and Yabe's giant deer) and marine life (such as walruses and Tokyo scallops) excavated during subway, road, and building construction projects. Highlights include the Naumann's elephant fossil found in front of the British Embassy, as well as genuine fossils from the 'Hamacho Specimen' and 'Harajuku Specimen.' In addition, a 35-meter continuous geological core sample extracted from deep underground is displayed, illustrating that Tokyo was submerged under the sea during the Pleistocene epoch starting approximately 2,588,000 years ago, shedding light on the formation of the topography of that era. This provides a rare opportunity to explore Tokyo's ancient past through fossils discovered across various areas of the metropolis, including Chiyoda, Chuo, Shibuya, Bunkyo, and Taito wards.

Venue

Chiyoda City Hibiya Library & Museum (Hibiya Toshokan Bunka-kan)

1-4 Hibiya Koen, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0012