Ashoro Museum of Paleontology

The Ashoro Museum of Paleontology in inland Hokkaido holds one of the world's largest collections of Desmostylus hesperus fossil replicas, a hippo-like marine mammal that lived 23 to 10 million years ago when this part of Hokkaido was underwater. Two species unique to the area, Ashoroa laticosta and Behemotops katsuiei, were discovered locally in 1976 and 1980. Ancient whale skulls from Ashoro show evidence of both teeth and baleen, a transitional stage in whale evolution. The museum also displays present-day whale skeletons from Hokkaido's waters, including sperm whale, orca, and minke. Hands-on activities include a mini-excavation and making plaster replicas of prehistoric animals, taking about 20 to 40 minutes each.