Lake Suigetsu has the world’s longest varves
(45m long piled up for 70,000 years!)

Exhibitions

Varve theater

This theater shows you with beautiful screen image what varves are like and what we can learn from the varves of Lake Suigetsu.
70,000 Year Gallery of the Suigetsu Varves

Our gallery exhibits the longest varves in the world collected from the bottom of Lake Suigetsu accumulated for 70,000 years whose total length reaches as long as 45 meters.
Humanity and the Environment as Seen through the Suigetsu Varves

Varves of Lake Suigetsu serve as the scale measuring historical time. You can trace back what humans have experienced in the past 70,000 years.
Discovery ─The Secrets of Suigetsu Varves─

This section shows you how the world’s longest varves were formed.
Calibration ─More Accurate Dating─

This section shows you why the varves of Lake Suigetsu serve as the historical time scale and also the history of how they came to be a global standard of age determination. We also have activity corner where you can try age determination.
Standard ─Measuring for Mankind─

In this section, various kinds of unique weighing equipment are exhibited such as duplicated Qin Shi Huang box which the first Qin Emperor in China determined as the standard of quantity.
Archives ─Varves of the World─

In this section, we collected various varves around the world. You can see varves of the Cretaceous period when dinosaurs lived.
Reconstruction ─Landscapes from the Ancient Past─

We reconstructed the transition of landscapes around Lake Suigetsu from 70,000 years ago up to the present time revealed by the varves.
Outlook ─Varves and Our Future─

This section shows you the mechanism of climate change and the contents of future research of varves.

Location

122-12-1 Torihama, Wakasa-cho, Mikatakaminaka-gun, Fukui Prefecture 919-1331, JAPAN
inside Jomon Roman Park (adjacent to Wakasa Mikata Jomon Museum)

TEL

+81-770-45-0456

FAX

+81-770-45-3680

MAIL

varve-museum@pref.fukui.lg.jp

Opening hours

9:00 to 17:00(Entrance gate closes at 16:30.)

Closed days

every Tuesday & Year-end and New Year holidays (12/29 to 1/2)

If a national holiday falls on a Tuesday, the following day becomes a closed day.
No closed days during the Golden Week holidays and the summer holidays
We are subject to temporary closure due to maintenance of our facility, etc.

Admission fee

Adults: 500 yen / Students (aged 6 to 18): 200 yen

Combo ticket covering Wakasa Mikata Jomon Museum is 30 percent off.
A group over 20 people is 20 percent off.

Permanent exhibition	Individual	Ordinary admission ticket	Adults	500 yen
		Ordinary admission ticket	Students (aged 6 to 18)	200 yen
		Combo ticket covering Wakasa Mikata Jomon Museum	Adults	700 yen
		Combo ticket covering Wakasa Mikata Jomon Museum	Students (aged 6 to 18)	280 yen
	Group	Ordinary admission ticket	Adults	400 yen per person
		Ordinary admission ticket	Students (aged 6 to 18)	160 yen per person
		Combo ticket covering Wakasa Mikata Jomon Museum	Adults	560 yen per person
		Combo ticket covering Wakasa Mikata Jomon Museum	Students (aged 6 to 18)	220 yen per person

Admission is free for visitors over 70 and under 6.　People over 70　are required to show their ID cards verifying their age such as health insurance card, etc.
Group discount is applied to a group of over 20 people except those eligible for free entrance.
Admission is free for the students in Fukui Prefecture aged 6 to 18, including students in special support education schools and people in charge of each student group. (Prior reservation is required.)
No admission fee is required for the visitors who produce their physical disability certificate or certificate for livelihood assistance or education assistance at the information desk.
No admission fee is required for all the visitors on Family Day (every 3rd Sunday) and Hometown Day (February 7).

Our facility

70-space parking area (shared with Wakasa Mikata Jomon Museum)
3 wheelchair & 1 stroller
Multipurpose toilet & bed for diaper change
Elevator
In case of using a wheelchair, please tell us at the information desk. Our staff will assist the visitor in wheelchair.

Requests to the visitors

Please refrain from eating and drinking in the museum.
Smoking is prohibited in the museum.
Entry with your pets into the museum is prohibited except with helper dogs.
Please refrain from any nuisance to other visitors such as making a noise in a loud voice, running around in the exhibition rooms or down the hall, etc.

Explanation of exhibits

Up to three guides are permanently stationed in the museum, who explain our exhibits to the visitors. Should you have any questions, please feel free to ask them.
As for our guidance service, priority is basically given to the visitors with advanced reservation. When we have many visitors, however, please note that there are cases where we can’t provide appropriate guidance service.

Reservation

Prior reservation is recommended as much as possible for the group visitors. Without reservation, you may not be guided smoothly.
Please feel free to contact us by phone, fax and email for your reservation.
In case of visiting us in a group of over fifty people, we recommend that the entire group be divided into more than two smaller groups and visit us and Jomon Museum adjacent to our museum alternately. Over fifty visitors at a time may make our guides unable to provide appropriate guidance service. In that case, please consult with us in advance.