Geological features of the Kanto Plain

The Kanto Plain, the largest plain in Japan, was created by the accumulation of more than 3000 meters of mud and sand that began to build up 20 million years ago. In the plain, there are lowlands along the rivers and higher plateaus. Tsukuba Science City is located on the Tsukuba Plateau 20 meters above sea level. The Tsukuba Plateau is made of a sand and mud stratum called the "Simosa group" and an overlying layer of volcanic ash soil called the "Kanto loam bed." In this section, you can see piles of strata from a model and cored samples. A fossil shell-condensed layer is also on display.