Kuji

The Kuji Amber Museum in Kuji, Japan

Although Japan is well-known for Akoya cultured pearls and jadeite jade, amber deposits can be found throughout much of the country from the Mikasa region of Hokkaidō to Shime in Fukuoka Prefecture. In the prefecture of Iwate, however, lies Kuji, a coastal city with a long history of amber excavation, and is one of the few sources of amber of significant size and quality for commercial gem and…