Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2015

Presentation information

Oral

Symbol O (Public) » Public

[O-01] Geoparks in Japan

Sun. May 24, 2015 2:15 PM - 4:00 PM IC (2F)

Convener:*Mahito Watanabe(Institute of Geology and Geoinformation, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology), Chair:Mahito Watanabe(Institute of Geology and Geoinformation, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology)

2:35 PM - 2:55 PM

[O01-02] Enjoy time travel for 100 million years!! Proposal of educational travels at the Mikasa Geopark

*Ken'ichi KURIHARA1, Kei SHIMOMURA1 (1.Secretary of the Mikasa Geopark Promotion Council)

Keywords:time travel for 100 million years, science education, social studies education, educational travel, Mikasa Geopark

The Mikasa Geopark, admitted to the Japanese Geoparks Network in 2013, is located in Central Hokkaido, Japan.

The story of modern Mikasa begins with the discovery of "burning stone" coal in the Horonai district, southeastern part of Mikasa, in 1868. This discovery became an opportunity for forming the coalmine city, and supporting the industrialization of Japan. Moreover, the investigation of underground resources, including coal, also revealed that well-preserved ammonite fossils, that lived 100 million years ago, yielded abundantly.

Hence the Mikasa Geopark is a place where visitors can enjoy "Time travel for 100 million years", and know the evolutionary history of ancient life, and humuan history into which it developed with coal.

The Mikasa Geopark is now trying to attract educational travels for sicience education and social studies education. In the presentation, we indtroduce attribute of the Mikasa Geopark, and propose the educational travels in which students can learn and/or expecience in the Mikasa Geopark.