Options in Japan

Rote amateur here, going to Japan for two weeks starting Dec. 28th. I will be in the Kyoto area. My options and schedule are wide open, and I’m willing to take significant train ride as long as I can attach some other activity to mineral hunting (gotta keep the girlfriend happy!).

Any classic locations you guys can feed me for this area? Anyone been there recently? Will I have problems bringing rocks home? (just planning on wrapping samples in newspaper and putting them in my checked bag).

I will be in the southern part of the largest island (Honshu).

Region: Kinki, Kyoto Prefecture

Mindat shows 16 distinct destinations, some with multiple sites. Any advice on picking potential sites to visit? Is there any way to distinguish localities listed on Mindat that are directly accessible by hikers/enthusiasts?

Would love to get some direct feedback or recommendations for this area. Looking for any information from someone who's visited/collected here recently.


-n

Nicholas, perhaps talking with Alfredo Petro will enlighten you on what areas are open to collecting near your destination.

Nicholas, I've been collecting several times in the Kyoto area, but you're going in the winter, and although Kyoto city itself might possibly have nice weather, the collecting sites in the mountains around it will likely not. Even the tourist manganese mine there closes down in the winter. I suggest going southwest to warmer areas. The nearest one in a warmer climate and easily accessible and which is (or used to be last time I was there) open for collecting was on Ikuchi island in the Seto Naikai (Inland Sea) - Check under "Setoda" on Mindat.

No problem bringing rocks home (I'm assuming "home" is the USA, although you didn't say) in your luggage, although it is essential that anything self-collected be well washed, because if there is any soil or dirt adhering to them, the agricultural inspectors will have a fit when you land in the USA. I'm also assuming that you are only planning to bring home a reasonably small quantity, like less than 10 Kg, in your luggage - If you bring a huge amount, they might make you go to the hassle and expense of hiring a customs broker, in spite of the fact that there is no import tax due on natural unpolished stones.

Good luck, have a good trip.

Brilliant info Alfredo, exactly some of what I'm looking for; thank you. Yes i'm out of the States; i'll be sure to properly prepare and pack any specimens.

I have no experience with what it will actually be like on the ground. I'm from Louisiana, sometimes we forget that it actually snows some times in other parts of the world. I'm wondering what is considered acceptable behavior when collecting.

Hypothetically, can i just amble up to a road cut and start poking around? The phrase "open for collecting" is mainly what i'm curious about. I'm not so much expecting hostility so much as I'm wondering about how legitimate it looks/is to just start digging around in some potential locality.

I suppose it depends on what is mean by "locality".

If you have the spare time; the Masutomi Geology Museum in Kyoto is worth a visit. Or maybe I'm a little biased because the building has a steel plaque of a carlsbad-twinned feldspar attached on its front.

Russell, thanks for the advice. I'm a big museum guy, i'll deffinately check this place out.


-n

Remember to treat this particular museum like a japanese home and take your shoes off when you go inside, otherwise they will be totally shocked by your barbarian behaviour!!! Downstairs is the office and a small rock shop, upstairs are the displays, with a lot of Kyoto-area minerals, rocks and fossils. Nice place, just a 5-minute walk from the Emperor's palace.

Nicholas,

You're most welcome. Linda & I are also big on museums. We both have an abnormal fondness for this one.


Alfredo,

Thanks, I should have mentioned those things in my post.

Russ the Barbarian B)-

I figured I'd come back and post some pictures of the the Masutomi Geology Museum in Kyoto for others to see. Thanks for the recommendations. This post is a test of how attaching photos works here. Forgive the camera.


-n

various pics

various pics

various pics

If you are reduced to silver picking, you might want to see if the two rather good 'Crystal World' rock shops in central Kyoto are still there...