International Obsidian Conference (IOC) Engaru 2023
Engaru Metro Plaza, Engaru Town, Hokkaido, Japan
3–6 July 2023
Website for IOC Engaru 2023: http://geopark.engaru.jp/ioc2023/

First circular
We invite those interested in all aspects of obsidian studies, from natural sciences toarchaeology, to IOC Engaru 2023. We hope to maintain a global scope by highlighting obsidianstudies throughout Northeast Asia at the conference. In addition, we will focus on geological
heritage studies with regard to the development of public education and tourism in rural areas.
Finally, we expect the further development of transdisciplinary research regarding obsidianstudies and the sustaining of our communities through this conference.

General information
IOC Scientific Committee
Biró, Katalin T. — Hungarian National Museum, Budapest, Hungary
Glascock, Michael — University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
Kuzmin, Yaroslav — Institute of Geology & Mineralogy, Siberian Branch of the Russian
Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
Le Bourdonnec, François-Xavier — University Bordeaux Montaigne, Pessac, FranceLexa, Jaroslav — Earth Sciences Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava,Slovakia
Markó, András — Hungarian National Museum, Budapest, Hungary
Ono, Akira — Professor Emeritus of Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
Torrence, Robin — Australian Museum, Sydney, Australia
Tykot, Robert — University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
Vianello, Andrea — University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA1

Local Organizing Committee
Ono, Akira (Chair) — Professor Emeritus of Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
Matsumura, Yoshifumi (Secretariat) — Engaru Town Office, Hokkaido, Japan
Hashizume, Jun — Niigata Prefectural Museum of History, Niigata, Japan
Ikeya, Nobuyuki — Meiji University, Tokyo, Japan
Kumagai, Makoto — Geo. Labo Co., Ltd., Engaru, Hokkaido, JapanSano, Kyohei — University of Hyogo, Hyogo, Japan
Shimada, Kazutaka — Meiji University, Tokyo, Japan
Suda, Yoshimitsu — Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
Takase, Katsunori — Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan
Wada, Keiji — Professor Emeritus of Hokkaido University of Education, Hokkaido, Japan
Yamada, Satoru — Kitami City Board of Education, Hokkaido, Japan
Registration
Full registration

15,000 (JPY)

Early-bird full registration (before 15 January 2023)

10,000 (JPY)

Students and accompanying persons

5,000 (JPY)

Early-bird student registration (before 15 January 2023)

4,000 (JPY)

Conference dinner

5,000 (JPY)

Post-conference field trip (optional)

TBC

Online registration will be available from October 2022 on the website for IOC Engaru 2023.
Deadlines
Registration for presenters:

17:00 JST, 1 March 2023

Registration for attendees not presenting a paper or poster:

17:00 JST, 1 June 2023

Submission of abstracts:

17:00 JST, 1 March 2023

Contact persons
Ono, Akira (ono@tmu.ac.jp)

Suda, Yoshimitsu (geosuda@nagasaki-u.ac.jp)

Matsumura, Yoshifumi (y.matsumura@engaru.jp)Note: If you require a visa to visit Japan, please contact us as soon as possible.

2Detailed information
Conference details
Venue: Engaru Metro Plaza, Engaru Town (https://engaru-metroplaza.jp )Duration: 4 days, 3–6 July 2023 (including a one-day field trip)
Post-conference field trip (optional): 2 days, 6–7 July 2023 (details to be announced)
Transportation
Participants can reach Engaru Town by train from New Chitose Airport (CTS). The journeytakes about five hours. For more information, see the following websites:Engaru Town (https://engaru.jp/information/page.php?id=224 )New Chitose Airport (https://www.new-chitose-airport.jp/en/ )Accommodation
We are considering a hotel booking system for participants because there are few hotels in
Engaru Town. Therefore, please wait until we provide further information before attempting tobook a hotel.
Conference sessions (to be confirmed)
1.

Formation of obsidian from a geological perspective2.

Obsidian sources and their characterization

3.

Analytical methods and databases of obsidian data

4.

Cultural aspects of obsidian during different archaeological periods

5.

Lithic technology and traceological studies

6.

Regional development in relation to geological heritage and archaeological obsidian

Conference format
In the second circular (October 2022), we will state the final conference format (i.e., onsite,virtual, or hybrid).
Styles of abstract and presentation
Conference participants can submit an abstract for an oral presentation and/or poster. The
abstract must not exceed 300 words (including the author affiliation details). Oral presentations
are limited to 15 minutes, followed by a 5-minute discussion. Presenters are asked to use astandard presentation format (i.e., PPT or PDF). Details on poster style and the format of theposter session will be announced in the second circular (October 2022). The official language ofthe conference is English.

3Day field trip during the conference
During the conference, attendees will visit the Shirataki obsidian source and Engaru
Archaeological Center as a day trip. For information, please see the following websites:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1CSJs5dN25IyZQSZcpxsnXcLNRjQvfFOb&ll=43.96735560106864%2C143.307415&z=12
https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=UbN2JmumPzw

Post-conference field trip (optional)
A two-day post-conference field trip is still under consideration, with the intention to visit
obsidian sources around Shirataki in Hokkaido. There will be an extra fee for attending the fieldtrip.
Notes for online registration
Online registration will be available from October 2022 on the website for IOC Engaru 2023 .
Registration will require the following information:•Name (family name, first name)•Title•Gender•Affiliation (institution, department, position)•Institution or home address (city, country, postal code)•Telephone number•

Email address•Presentation style (onsite or virtual; oral and/or poster)•Student registration (confirmation needed; i.e., student ID card)•Details of accompanying persons•

Special request(s)About Engaru Town and Geopark
Shirataki Geopark is a National Geopark that includes the Shirataki obsidian source andUpper Paleolithic sites of geological and archaeological importance, mainly distributed inEngaru Town. For detailed information on the Geopark and Engaru Town, see the following
files and website:
http://geopark.engaru.jp/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/SHIRATAKI-GEOPARK-GUIDEBOOK2009.pdf
http://geopark.engaru.jp/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/The-Shirataki-GeoparkProject2009.pdf
https://engaru.jp

The mean daily temperature in Engaru Town during early July is about 20°C, with apossibility of cold nights.

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