A Hadrosaurus (duck-billed dinosaur) monument, which was established at Obira Dam in the town of Obira in Northern Hokkaido 28 years ago, appeared at Obimaru Plaza near the center of the town on September 29. The 7m-long monument can be seen from National Highway Route 232, and is attracting the attention of tourists.
　A Hadrosaurus fossil discovered in the upper reaches of the Obirashibe River in 1991 is widely known to be the first-ever dinosaur fossil to be discovered in Hokkaido, and only the second to be discovered in Japan. The monument was first established near a parking lot on the eastern side of Obira Dam when it was completed in 1992 and for a long time delighted the drivers there.
　Obira Town officials decided to relocate the monument “in order for it to be seen by more people”. Weighing approximately 2 tons, the monument was loaded onto an articulated truck on September 12 and transported for 2 hours by road along the 27 km route to its new location in the plaza.