Reykjavik is a smokeless city. Almost 100% of the electricity and the heating depends upon hydropower and geothermal energy.| J-STAGE
Basaltic lava field, the Svartshengi geothermal power plant (right), and the Blue Lagoon (left).| J-STAGE
Palagonite ridge formed by subglacial eruption. Langjokull glacier in the background.| J-STAGE
Dettifoss waterfall. The waterfall is 44 m high. The river water is rich in suspended sediments and the waterfall volume is the greatest in Iceland.| J-STAGE
Gullfoss waterfall. The two-step cataract has a total drop of 32 m.| J-STAGE
The braided course of the Jokulfell downstream from Hofsjokull.| J-STAGE
Lakagigar fissure eruption. The 1783-84 Laka- gigar eruption resulted in a great famine, due to which Iceland lost 20% of its population.| J-STAGE
Earth hummock. Earth hummocks are among the periglacial phenomena. The knoll covered with vegetation is |about 0.5 m high.| J-STAGE
Normal fault at Thingvellir. The boundary between the North American plate on the left-hand side and the Eurasian to the right.| J-STAGE
Valley of Eldgja. The 934-40 Eldgja eruption occurred along a 75 km-long fissure.| J-STAGE
Jokulsarlon lagoon. The Breidamerkurjokull glacier has been retreating since about 1920. The lagoon formed at the glacial front shows a yearly increase.| J-STAGE
Geyser Strokkur. The geyser erupts at 5-10 minute intervals.| J-STAGE

Latest Issue

Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2025 Vol.134 No.1

2025 Vol.134 No.1

Natural History Museums as Cultural Facilities

These photographs show the exhibition room, collections, library corner, and auditorium of the Osaka Museum of Natural History, which is one of Japan’s leading regional natural history museums and exemplifies the concept of natural history museums as cultural facilities. The basic activities of a natural history museum are to continually collect, organize, and store specimens and materials related to nature, as well as to conduct research and share the results of their work with society at large through research presentations, exhibitions, and outreach activities. Whereas museum exhibits generally tend to attract the most attention, less is known about the vast number of valuable specimens and materials not on display that are stored in collections out of the public eye. These objects have been collected continuously over many years and are irreplaceable evidence of a region’s natural environment. They have been collected, organized, and studied with the cooperation of not only museum staff but also people associated with the museum, and these activities will continue for the foreseeable future. The role of natural history museums as cultural facilities is to utilize their facilities and equipment for promoting the dissemination of natural history science based on the specimens and materials under their stewardship.
Photo credit: Osaka Museum of Natural History (https://www.omnh.jp/ [Cited 2025/1/10])

(Shigeko HARUYAMA, Yasuji SAITO and Daiji HIRATA)

Special Issue: Considering Natural History Museums as Cultural Facilities

Overview: Publication of the Special Issue
“Considering Natural History Museums as Cultural Facilities”

Shigeko HARUYAMA, Yasuji SAITO and Daiji HIRATA

Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2025, 134(1), 1.

DOI:10.5026/jgeography.134.1

Editorial: Publication of the Special Issue
“Considering Natural History Museums as Cultural Facilities”

Shigeko HARUYAMA, Yasuji SAITO and Daiji HIRATA

Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2025, 134(1), 3.

DOI:10.5026/jgeography.134.3

Requirements for Natural History Museums to Become Cultural Institutions:
From the Science Council of Japan’s Public Symposium
“Considering Natural History Museums as Cultural Facilities” (Letter)

Shigeko HARUYAMA, Yasuji SAITO and Daiji HIRATA

Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2025, 134(1), 5.

DOI:10.5026/jgeography.134.5

Natural History Museum as a Center of Culture (Original Article)

Tatsuo OJI

Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2025, 134(1), 13.

DOI:10.5026/jgeography.134.13

Examining the Present Status of Natural History Museums in Japan (Review Article)

Hideki ENDO

Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2025, 134(1), 19.

DOI:10.5026/jgeography.134.19

Collecting and Managing the Storage of Fossil Specimens in Public Museums
(Review Article)

Keiji MATSUOKA

Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2025, 134(1), 29.

DOI:10.5026/jgeography.134.29

Natural History Collections as Research and Cultural Resources:
Natural History Museums Are Archivers of Local Cultural Resources
(Original Article)

Daisuke SAKUMA

Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2025, 134(1), 41.

DOI:10.5026/jgeography.134.41

Problems Associated with the Dispersal and Permanent Storage
of Scientific Specimens and Materials in Universities, and Challenges for the Future
(Original Article)

Rie S. HORI

Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2025, 134(1), 53.

DOI:10.5026/jgeography.134.53

Entrusting Heritage and Creation of Culture
to the National Okinawa Natural History Museum Project (Letter)

Harufumi NISHIDA

Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2025, 134(1), 63.

DOI:10.5026/jgeography.134.63

Preservation and Legacies of Natural History Collections (Original Article)

Kunio YAJIMA

Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2025, 134(1), 69.

DOI:10.5026/jgeography.134.69

Issues Affecting Natural History Museums and Implications for Museum Policy
(Review Article)

Yuji KURIHARA

Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2025, 134(1), 77.

DOI:10.5026/jgeography.134.77

History of the 2022 Museum Act Revision and Museum Facilities
that Are Custodians of Natural History Specimens in Japan (Review Article)

Daiji HIRATA

Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2025, 134(1), 89.

DOI:10.5026/jgeography.134.89

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