from Japan Part 1: Kyoto Mineral Shops, the Masutomi Geology Museum, and Cherry Blossom Stones JOHN RAKOVAN Department of Geology Miami University Oxford, Ohio 45056 [email protected] Sakhalin Island Figure 1. Mapof Japan, by William Besse. 270 ROCKS & MINERALS F rom January through August 2005 my wife, Monica, and I are living in Kyoto, Japan. While here, I am sharing my observations of the mineral collecting "scene" with readers of Rocks & Minerals in this article series. News from Japan. Although I have visited Japan twice before, it continues to - hold a mystique for me. Much here is still new and very for- eign, but there are also many similarities to life in the United States. Hamburgers and pizza, for example, have spread the world over, and Kyoto has some aspects that are as modern as those in any big city. However, it is the differences—the new things—that add spice to any cultural experience. Sushi and Sashimi have become commonplace in the West, hut nothing prepared me for my first taste of raw chicken and horse! Instead of bundling up in sweaters or sitting in front of a nice fire to ward off the cold of winter, Monica and I go skinny-dipping in large communal hot springs (onsen). Mineral collecting in Japan also has similarities and differ- ences with that in the West, and I will be reporting about collections, mineral shows and dealers, field coUerting sites, new mineral discoveries, and anything else that may be of interest to the mineral collector. Mineral Shops Altbough Japan is on the other side of the world, it is not realty that far from home by airplane—or, in some cases, by experiences. Wandering the narrow streets around Terama- chi Arcade in central Kyoto, I came across what appeared to be a small mineral and bead shop. Inside, much to my surprise, I found two floors packed with minerals recently purchased at the Tucson Show, including manyfluoritesand linarites from the Hansonburg mining district in Bingham, New Mexico. (It was only last summer that I watched Ray DeMark open the pocket in which many of these specimens were found.) There were also quite a few fluorite specimens from Clay Center, Ohio, my own Ohio back yard. The shop is called Crystal World, and it is located on Sanjo Street (Arcade), one-half block east of Teramachi Street. Later, walking in Gion, the famous entertainment and geisha district in eastern Kyoto, I discovered another mineral dealership. This shop's name is Gion Ishiy meaning "rock." It is located on the south side of Shijo Street, about a block west of its intersection with Higashioji Street, and carries a wide variety of minerals (in all price ranges), gems, and fossils, including large decorator specimens. Ishi also has a shop in Tokyo. Dr. John Rakovan, an executive editor o/Rocks & Minerals and a professor of mineralogy and geochemistry at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, is currently a visiting professor in the Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan.
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from Japan
P a r t 1 : Kyoto Mineral Shops,the Masutomi Geology Museum,and Cherry Blossom Stones
JOHN RAKOVANDepartment of GeologyMiami UniversityOxford, Ohio [email protected]
Sakhalin Island
Figure 1. Mapof Japan, by William Besse.
270 ROCKS & MINERALS
From January through August 2005 my wife, Monica,and I are living in Kyoto, Japan. While here, I amsharing my observations of the mineral collecting
"scene" with readers of Rocks & Minerals in this article series.News from Japan.
Although I have visited Japan twice before, it continues to -hold a mystique for me. Much here is still new and very for-eign, but there are also many similarities to life in the UnitedStates. Hamburgers and pizza, for example, have spread theworld over, and Kyoto has some aspects that are as modernas those in any big city. However, it is the differences—thenew things—that add spice to any cultural experience. Sushiand Sashimi have become commonplace in the West, hutnothing prepared me for my first taste of raw chicken andhorse! Instead of bundling up in sweaters or sitting in frontof a nice fire to ward off the cold of winter, Monica and Igo skinny-dipping in large communal hot springs (onsen).Mineral collecting in Japan also has similarities and differ-ences with that in the West, and I will be reporting aboutcollections, mineral shows and dealers, field coUerting sites,new mineral discoveries, and anything else that may be ofinterest to the mineral collector.
Mineral ShopsAltbough Japan is on the other side of the world, it is not
realty that far from home by airplane—or, in some cases, byexperiences. Wandering the narrow streets around Terama-chi Arcade in central Kyoto, I came across what appearedto be a small mineral and bead shop. Inside, much to mysurprise, I found two floors packed with minerals recentlypurchased at the Tucson Show, including many fluorites andlinarites from the Hansonburg mining district in Bingham,New Mexico. (It was only last summer that I watched RayDeMark open the pocket in which many of these specimenswere found.) There were also quite a few fluorite specimensfrom Clay Center, Ohio, my own Ohio back yard. The shopis called Crystal World, and it is located on Sanjo Street(Arcade), one-half block east of Teramachi Street.
Later, walking in Gion, the famous entertainment andgeisha district in eastern Kyoto, I discovered another mineraldealership. This shop's name is Gion Ishiy meaning "rock."It is located on the south side of Shijo Street, about a blockwest of its intersection with Higashioji Street, and carriesa wide variety of minerals (in all price ranges), gems, andfossils, including large decorator specimens. Ishi also has ashop in Tokyo.
Dr. John Rakovan, an executive editor o/Rocks & Mineralsand a professor of mineralogy and geochemistry at MiamiUniversity in Oxford, Ohio, is currently a visiting professor inthe Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies,Kyoto University, Japan.
Figure 2. Masutomi Geology Museum, Kyoto, Japan.
Among the several other mineral and rock establish-ments in Kyoto, is Oherikosha, a large shop on the west sideof town (Yamashita-cho 1-110, Tokiwa, Ukyo-ku). Globalspecimens comprise most of the stock in these stores. Itis more difficult to find classic Japanese minerals becausemining in Japan has decreased significantly in the last half-century, and many of the famous mineral locations are nolonger producing. Fortunately, the mineral collecting com-munity in Japan is alive and strong, and new mineral findscontinue to appear.
The Masutomi Geology MuseumKyoto is one of the most popular tourist destinations in
Japan, and rightfully so. It was spared the ravages of U.S.bombing during World War II, so more cultural heritagesites are preserved here than in any other part of the coun-try. Visitors who want to see Japanese minerals in Kyotofind that the best place to start is at the Masutomi GeologyMuseum, located on the north side of Demizu Street, a half-block west of Karasuma Street, on the west side of the Impe-rial Palace Park. The museum was established in 1973 by thelate Dr. Kazimosuke Masutomi, in whose honor the mineralmasutomilite [a mica with the composition K(Li,Al,Mn-" )̂̂(Si,Al)̂ Oijj(F,OH)T] was named. In 1991 its managementand ownership were converted to a foundation, and thepresent name was taken.
Although the museum has a Web site (http://www.masutomi.or.jp/engmuseumindoormap.html), it offers only lim-ited information in English. The museum is open to the
public on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 A.M. to 4 P.W. Ondisplay are minerals, fossils, meteorites, and some rocks,most of which are of reference quality. They represent onlya portion of the approximately twenty thousand-specimencollection. Gases are overcrowded with specimens and writ-ten information. Most of the labeling is in Japanese, butmineral names are usually in English. The display is agood representative collection of Japanese locations with anemphasis on minerals from Kyoto Prefecture.
The museum is intimately tied to the mineral collectingcommunity in Japan. Not only does it house and display theMasutomi collection, but it also has an affiliated society, theJapan Geological Studies Club {Chigakukenkyu-kai)^ whichsupports and has access to an extensive museum library,research equipment (including petrographic microscopes,sample preparation tools, and a powder X-ray diffractome-ter), and three full-time staff members. Mr. Takashi Fujiwara
i.^.^.ara, Masutomi Geology Museum.
Figure 4. Masutomi Geology Museum exhibit room.
Volume 80, July/August 2005 271
Figure 5. Pegmatite pocket in granite with large Baveno-twinned feldspar and smoky quartz crystals, Tahara,Hirukawa, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The pocket is 24 x 36cm. Masutomi Museum specimen.
Figure 6. Molybdenite in quartz, Hirase mine, GifuPrefecture, Japan. The specimen measures 10x7 cm.Masutomi Museum specimen.
Figure 7. Japan-law twinned quartz crystal,Suishotoge, Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan.The specimen is 6 x 4 cm. Masutomi Museumspecimen.
Figure 8. Sharp molybdenite crystal exhibiting well-formed{111} faces in quartz, Hirase mine, Gifu Prefecture, Japan.The crystal is 2 x 2 cm and is part of the specimen shown infigure 6. Masutomi Museum specimen.
is the chief researcher and aids in mineral identification andcharacterization for museuni members and at the manymuseum-sponsored activities.
The Masutomi Museum organizes mineral shows in Kyotoand Osaka as well as classes and field trips for its members.On 23 January a small show was held in Kyoto. In the morn-ing, attendees browsed the stocks of about fifteen Japanese
dealers who set up tables; in the afternoon several talkswere given, including one on new minerals from Japan byMr. Satoshi Matsubara, of the National Science Museum inTokyo. The museum and Chigakukenkyu-kai also publish aquarterly journal called Chigakukenkyu. With its articles onminerals, fossils, geology, and club activities, it reminds meof early issues of Rocks & Minerals.
272 ROCKS & MINERALS
Figure 9. Pyroxmangite, Taguchi mine, Sitara, AichiPrefecture, Japan. The specimen is 7 x 5.5 cm. MasutomiMuseum specimen.
Figure W. Cherry blossom stones, Yunohana, Kameoka,Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Masutomi Museum specimen.
Cherry Blossom StonesOne of the most interesting mineral occurrences in the
Kyoto area is known locally as "cherry (sakura) blossomstones." These are actually pseudomorphs of sericite (a fine-grained white mica) after cordierite and are found includedin hornfels or slate as a product of contact metamorphism.The original cordierite crystals were sixling twins that givethe pseudomorphs a flower-shaped cross section. Minorhematite gives some specimens a red color.
Coming NextAs I write this, the first reports of cherry blossoms in
Japan have made the national news, and anticipation offlower-viewing parties (o-hanami) and the mineral-collect-ing field season grows. In my next article I hope to reporton both!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS1 would like to thank Alfredo Petrov and Kiyoshi Kiikuni for their
helpful reviews and comments and William Besse for the map, I amalso grateful to Prof. Osamu Tamada, Prof. Kazuhiko Ito, Yukari Ito,Hideki Kanazawa, Naoyuki Kawame, and Keiko Kuzawa for beingmy guides, interpreters, and nomi tomodachi (friends). •
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Volume 80, July/August 2005 273
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