Katsuyama Dinosaur Forest Park

This park is unique to Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture, which boasts the largest number of dinosaur fossils excavated in Japan.

The vast park is dotted with facilities and playgrounds related to dinosaurs, such as the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, which is known as one of the world's three major dinosaur museums and is popular for its exhibition of dinosaur skeletons using real bone fossils and its giant life-size diorama, the Katsuyama Dino Park, where 44 life-size dinosaurs are hiding in the forest, a walking path with an ancient pond, and a plaza with playground equipment.

At the "Fossil Excavation Land," visitors can try their hand at breaking rocks to uncover fossils from the Early Cretaceous period, about 120 million years ago. You can even take home the fossils you find as souvenirs. (However, fossils of vertebrates such as dinosaurs that can be used as research materials must be donated to the museum.)

The park has restaurants and cafes, a garden with barbecue facilities, and food stalls selling Dinosaur Burger and Dinosaur Yaki, the specialties of Dinosaur Forest. Various hands-on events are also held according to the season.