Sendai City Tomizawa Site Museum – Unearthing a 20,000-Year-Old Forest Beneath the City

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Ambience & Setting
Located in the southern part of Sendai, the Sendai City Tomizawa Site Museum (仙台市富沢遺跡保存館) offers a fascinating window into prehistoric Japan. Built directly above an excavated Paleolithic settlement, the museum preserves an ancient forest and traces of human life from over 20,000 years ago — remarkably displayed beneath a modern glass-roofed structure. The serene and educational atmosphere contrasts beautifully with the bustling city outside, making it a rare archaeological experience.

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Highlights of the Visit
• Preserved Paleolithic Forest: The museum’s main attraction is the actual excavation site, where a 20,000-year-old forest and the remains of human habitation have been preserved exactly as discovered. The site’s preservation under controlled temperature and humidity offers a breathtaking view into Ice Age Japan.
• Archaeological Artifacts: Stone tools, animal bones, and daily life remnants from the Paleolithic period illustrate how ancient humans lived, hunted, and adapted to the environment.
• Life Reconstruction Zone: Detailed dioramas and interactive displays recreate what life looked like in Tomizawa’s prehistoric settlement, engaging both adults and children.
• Educational Films & VR Experience: Multimedia presentations help visitors visualize the excavation process and environmental changes over millennia.
• Workshops & Learning Activities: Regular events allow children to handle replica tools and learn about archaeology through hands-on programs.

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Practical Info
• Location: 4-3-1 Nagamachi-Minami, Taihaku Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
• Opening Hours: 9 AM – 4:45 PM (closed Mondays and during New Year holidays)
• Admission: Around ¥460 for adults; ¥230 for students; free for children under junior high
• Access: About 5 minutes’ walk from Tomizawa Station (Sendai Subway Namboku Line)
• Facilities: Gift shop, rest area, educational space, and guided tours available

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Why It’s Worth Visiting
• Offers one of Japan’s best-preserved Paleolithic archaeological sites under one roof.
• Provides a vivid, science-based understanding of early human life and environmental change.
• Interactive and family-friendly — perfect for students, researchers, and history enthusiasts alike.
• Combines ancient history with modern museum design, creating a unique immersive experience.

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The Sendai City Tomizawa Site Museum brings prehistory to life beneath the surface of modern Sendai — an awe-inspiring journey back 20,000 years where visitors can stand face-to-face with Japan’s ancient past preserved in time.