Hiwa Natural Science Museum

■Main BuildingThis museum focuses on the nature of the Chugoku Mountains and the lives and culture of people who make use of nature. There are many specimens of moles in particular, which is why it is nicknamed the "Mole Museum." There are detailed exhibits on their ecology. ・Small mammals such as moles and mice ・Medium and large mammals such as foxes and Asiatic black bears ・Chugoku Mountains birds ・Freshwater bivalves ・Insects such as butterflies and stag beetles ~Try the quiz and get museum goods!~ In the permanent exhibits of the main building, there are 10 museum quizzes to help you understand the exhibits better. Those who answer five or more questions correctly will receive goods from the Hiwa Natural Science Museum. Let's try the museum quiz while enjoying the museum exhibits! ■Geology BranchFossils of four whales discovered in Shobara City, including the Shobara whale, are on display. These whales migrated to this area about 16 million years ago, when the Chugoku Mountains were a sea. Besides whales, the museum also exhibits various fossils that tell the story of the environment at that time, as well as a wide variety of rocks and minerals, including Bingo sand and aromatic stone that characterize the Shobara region, and fossils such as trilobites and ammonites, some of which can be actually handled and observed.