Horseshoe crabs possess blue, copper-based blood that is harvested by the pharmaceutical industry to test for bacterial contamination in medical products.
The species is often referred to as a 'living fossil' because its physical appearance has changed very little since the Triassic period.
Kasaoka Bay is officially recognized as a 'National Natural Monument' for the horseshoe crab, the only such designated habitat in Japan.
The museum actively conducts a 'rearing program' to help increase the survival rate of young horseshoe crabs before releasing them back into the bay.
The creature is actually more closely related to spiders and scorpions than to true crabs or crustaceans.
The Kasaoka City Horseshoe Crab Museum is the world's only museum dedicated exclusively to the conservation and study of the horseshoe crab, Tachypleus tridentatus. Located in Kasaoka, a city designated as a protected habitat for these prehistoric creatures, the facility showcases their evolutionary history spanning over 200 million years. The museum features indoor tanks where living horseshoe crabs are raised and observed in various life stages. Educational exhibits detail the biology of the species, their role in medical science, and the specific environmental conservation efforts within the Kasaoka Bay region. Dinosaur replicas are included to provide context for the era in which horseshoe crabs first appeared. Visitors can study the creature's internal anatomy, shell shedding processes, and unique blue copper-based blood. The facility serves as both an educational center and a research hub for marine biology.
The large model of a horseshoe crab located in the main exhibition hall for scale reference.
Observe the observation tanks carefully, as the juvenile horseshoe crabs are often buried partially under the sand.
Check the bulletin boards near the entrance for current research updates regarding the local population in Kasaoka Bay.
Allocate time to walk the immediate outdoor area to see the natural habitat zones adjacent to the facility.
Do not mistake the horseshoe crabs for aggressive animals; they are harmless to humans.
Closed on Mondays and during the end-of-year holidays.
Maintain a quiet volume near the observation tanks to avoid stressing the live specimens.
