Everything into Thin Sections.
Tajiri Thin Section Lab specializes in advanced thin-sectioning techniques for rocks, fossils, biological tissues, and more, helping researchers in geology, biology, and medicine.
Our Story
Tajiri Thin Section Lab, Tbased in Osaka, specializes in Hakuhen-thin sections of rocks, composites, and biological tissues for research. Awarded the Osaka Excellent Manufacturing Award 2024, it has showcased work at the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025, contributed to academic publications, and been featured in major media. The lab continues to support diverse scientific and educational projects with expertise in sample preparation for microscopic and structural analysis.
Commitment to Precision — Our advanced methods allow for unmatched precision in creating Hakuhen-thin sections for analysis under the microscope, enabling new insights in multiple fields.
Viewing hard and soft tissues together in one section for medical and biological studies.
Revealing mineral phase transitions in kidney stones, aiding in research and medical diagnosis.
Ultra-thin rock and mineral sections for detailed structural analysis in geology and materials science.
Bridging the gap between geology, biology, and medicine through collaborative research and precision techniques.
Head Office
3-1-11 Sannose, Higashi-Osaka-shi, Osaka 577-0849, Japan
Contact
TAJIRI Rie
Tel: +81 0 5476 9503
Email: riethinsection@gmail.com
Web: https://www.thinsection.net/
Q1. What exactly is a “thin section”?
A thin section is a slice of material polished down to about 20–30 micrometers so that light can pass through it, allowing us to observe internal structures under a microscope.
Q2. What materials can be made into thin sections?
We can prepare thin sections from rocks, fossils, shells, bones, and even kidney stones — each requires different embedding and polishing conditions.
Q3. What made you start applying your thin-section work to biology and medicine?
When more people discovered my technique, new collaborations began in many areas. I hope it can also be useful in the UK.
Q4. What kind of insights have you gained in medical research?
Before, researchers studying kidney stones could not see the inside. They had to crush the stones into powder for chemical tests, which only showed the average composition. Now, by making thin sections, we can see the structure inside and analyze each layer directly. This helps us understand how kidney stones are formed.
Q5. What kind of collaboration do you hope to build with UK researchers?
I hope to collaborate with researchers at Harwell to bridge life, material, and earth sciences through shared observation and analysis methods.
Q6. How automated is your process?
It is mostly manual, as tactile control and subtle pressure adjustment are crucial — but we are developing partial automation to improve consistency.