The Japan Gallery
The National Museum of Nature and Science, established in 1877, is divided into two main buildings: the Japan Gallery and the Global Gallery. The Japan Gallery focuses on the natural history and formation of the Japanese islands. One of its famous exhibits is the preserved body of Hachiko, the Akita dog famous for his loyalty. After his death on March 8, 1935, Hachiko's body was taxidermied and has been on display at the museum since June 15, 1935. An autopsy revealed his cause of death was a parasitic infection of roundworms. His preserved organs are stored separately at the University of Tokyo.
This gallery also presents skeletons of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures found within the archipelago. Visitors can see fossils of Futabasaurus suzukii, a species of plesiosaur discovered in Fukushima Prefecture. Another display features Kamuysaurus japonicus, a hadrosaurid dinosaur discovered in Hokkaido. The gallery explains the geological history of Japan, the evolution of its flora and fauna, and the history of the Japanese people and their relationship with nature.