of uplifted reef limestones of Paleozoic age, which were thickened by overfolding during the Akiyoshidai orogenic movement. Subsequent erosion has created an undulating karst landscape dimpled with many dolines and countless limestone pinnacles up to two meters in height. Beneath the surface lie hundreds of caves, a few of them quite significant geologically. Numerous fossils of Pleistocene age have been found in these caves, including those of the Japanese rhinoceros, Stegodont elephant, Naumann elephant, Young tiger, and numerous other animals from the last interglacial period. The area around Akiyoshidai was once heavily forested about 500,000 years ago. In the Jōmon period, the area served as a hunting ground and the bottoms of sinkholes as vegetable fields. Numerous Paleolithic artifacts have been recovered. As farming began in Japan, the local people eventually replaced the forested landscape with Japanese pampas grass for feeding their animals and thatching houses. Repeated cycles of burning the grass have kept trees from growing back since. Transportation Trains West Japan Railway Company(JR Nishi Nihon) stations Mine Line Atsu Station Shirōgahara Station Minami-Ōmine Station Mine Station Shigeyasu Station Ofuku Station Roads Expressway Chūgoku Expressway Mine Interchange Mine-nishi Interchange Notable people from Mine Sekinari Nii, former governor of Yamaguchi Prefecture Mayu Iwatani, acclaimed professional wrestler with World Wonder Ring Stardom and Ring of Honor Kazuaki Okazaki, executed convicted murderer and former member of Aum Shinrikyo (Sakamoto family murder and Tokyo subway sarin attack) External links Mine City official website Yamaguchi Prefecture official website References Cities in Yamaguchi Prefecture