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Reconstructed Jōmon and Yayoi Settlements

Reconstructing the past is popular in Japan. The Japanese are intensely interested in their origins and are willing to travel to out-of-the way places to visit archaeological sites. Various levels of government have responded by investing heavily in reconstructing buildings and other architectural features at prehistoric sites, the most important of which are designated as National Historic Remains.

Sannai Maruyama Iseki

Sannai Maruyama Iseki in Aomori Prefecture (iseki means “remains”) is the site of a Jōmon village that existed for around 1,500 years, from 3500 to 2000 BCE. Sannai Maruyama was situated on high ground overlooking Aomori Bay on the north. A road connected the center of the village and the eastern end of the high ground, with graves on both sides. In the center of the ceremonial space were a large pit dwelling, some smaller pit structures, and what may have been a large lookout tower, described below. So far, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of 800 pit dwellings, 120 post-and-beam structures (such as elevated storage buildings and observation towers), and over 10,000 holes, whose use is uncertain.

Though intact timbers no longer remain, a good deal can be inferred from excavated post holes. For example, excavated post holes indicate the circumference and height of the trees used. In one excava-tion, the bottoms of the holes slope in such a way that the poles must have leaned toward each other. Poles sloping in this way would have been unstable unless connected by a raised platform, and possi-bly a roof. It is inferred that this structure may have been used as a lookout tower. Remains of wood found in the holes are from large chestnut trees, probably raised for the nuts.

Exterior and interior of the large pit structure used for gatherings at the Fudōdō Iseki Jōmon site.

Smoke hole in the roof of the Fudōdō Iseki pit structure.

The findings at Sannai Maruyama have forced scholars to change their ideas about Jōmon communities. Contrary to earlier beliefs that Jōmon people had a primitive lifestyle based upon hunting wild animals, the residents of Sannai Maruyama settled in one place for an extended period of time, cultivated some food such as chestnuts, imported goods by boat from different parts of Japan, buried their dead, and lived at peace with their neighbors. So far, reconstruction has been completed on one large and five small pit dwellings, three raised floor structures, and one large structure consisting of posts sunk in the ground (perhaps used as a lookout), which may have had a roof. A committee of experts from the fields of architecture, archaeology, and ethnology are continuing research on how to proceed with reconstruction.

Fudōdō Iseki

Situated at the northeastern corner of Toyama Prefecture, the Fudōdō Iseki site dates from around 3000 BCE. Excavations started in 1973 and so far have uncovered nineteen house sites, nine deep holes which seem to have been used for storing food, and numerous earthen and stoneware vessels. Especially notable is the evidence of a huge oval-shaped pit building, measuring 8 by 17 meters (26 by 56 feet), in the middle of the settlement. Because this is four to five times larger than an average house site, and has four sets of stone structures for cooking, it is believed that this building was used for gatherings. This meeting hall and two other buildings have been reconstructed so far.

Yoshinogari Iseki

Yoshinogari Iseki, in Saga Prefecture, Kyushu, is situated on a low hill bordered by a river on two sides. Excavations, begun in 1986, have uncovered habitation sites spanning the entire Yayoi Period (300 BCE–300 CE). By the latter part of the mid-Yayoi Period, a large-scale settlement guarded by surrounding moats was in place. Excavations have uncovered numerous skeletons buried in ceramic urns and a rich material culture, including bronze implements and glass beads. Both skeletons and material remains indicate a Korean origin.

By the late Yayoi Period, Yoshinogari possessed two smaller areas within the larger area, marked off by inner moats and fences. The most important buildings were located in these smaller areas, one on the south and one on the north. In 1986, two watchtowers and three pit houses were reconstructed in the south fenced area, as well as two raised storage buildings to the west of this fenced area.

Reconstruction of the north fenced area has been under way since 1999. This area, which contains several buildings, was probably the compound of a chief. It includes a pit house and several raised structures, one of which is a large building believed to be an early shrine. The other raised buildings include what appear to be lookout towers, storehouses, and a structure that the chief may have used for residential, political, religious, and ceremonial functions—an early form of a palace. It would have been difficult, however, to construct a fire pit in a raised structure, so cooking was probably confined to the pit house. In later times, new methods of containing fire allowed cooking to be done in raised buildings.

In recognition of the fact that it was the largest Yayoi settlement surrounded by moats and that it probably developed into a key component of the emerging Yamato State, Yoshinogari Iseki has been designated as a Special National Historic Remain.

Ikegami-sone Iseki

This Yayoi site, in Osaka Prefecture, is located on a low hill surrounded by a moat, with rivers (that no longer exist) to the east and west. As at Yoshinogari, there is a smaller enclosed area that seems to have been set aside for the chief, as well as factory areas for making stone tools and other products.

A large-scale excavation was done in 1969–71, leading to the designation, in 1976, of Ikegami-sone Iseki as a National Historic Remain. In 1994, archaeologists discovered the remains of a large building with a floor area of 130 square meters (323 square feet). A distinguishing feature of this building is the use of thick posts to support the roof at both ends, in the fashion of a shrine. Parts of the seventeen posts used in the building are still in the ground. Using modern dating methods, it has been determined that one of the posts was cut in 52 BCE. So far, one pit house and two elevated post-and-beam buildings have been reconstructed.

LONG HOUSE AT SANNAI MARUYAMA

Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of 800 pit structures and 120 post-and-beam structures at Sannai Maruyama Iseki. The long house shown here, based on a model at the National Museum of Japanese History, is the largest of the pit structures. Because of its size, it is believed to be a public building used for meetings and ceremonies. The massive roof rests on walls, unlike most small pit structures in which the roof rests directly on the ground.

Yoshinogari is a very large Yayoi site containing two smaller areas for the most important structures, one on the north and one on the south. Depicted here are the buildings that were reconstructed in the south area in 1986. They are enclosed by a fence on top of a high earthen wall and two moats. There are entrances at both ends and watchtowers on both sides. Elevated storehouses and numerous pit dwellings lie outside the enclosed area.

Ceremonial building at the Ikegami-sone reconstructed Yayoi site. The members of the structure are tied together, as was common in prehistoric buildings and later farmhouses. Since rope can stretch, such buildings could move during a typhoon without causing serious damage. Next to the building is a covered well, made from a hollowed-out camphor tree, probably used for purification ceremonies connected with the large building. Photograph above courtesy of Izumi City.

Changing Conceptions

It was long thought that the Jōmon people lived a simple hunting and gathering lifestyle that required only simple buildings and tools. In contrast, it was believed that the Yayoi people brought a much more sophisticated culture with them from the mainland, including agriculture and more advanced forms of tools, weapons, and architecture. As a result, it was long assumed that Yayoi culture rapidly displaced the more primitive Jōmon culture.

Though there is undoubtedly some truth in this generalization, the distinction between Jōmon and Yayoi cultures should not be overemphasized. Recent findings indicate that although Yayoi villages were more heavily fortified and exhibit a greater degree of social stratification, Jōmon villages were sometimes quite large, diverse, and persisted over considerable periods of time. Moreover, Jōmon people traveled long distances by boat, engaging in trade with areas as far apart as Hokkaido and western Honshu. Imported items included jade and obsidian implements, fish, and asphalt. The latter was mixed with clay to make utensils and to decorate clay figurines. The Jōmon people also cultivated chestnuts and appear to have experimented with growing other crops such as a dry land form of rice.

One of the most interesting findings is that there also is considerable continuity between Jōmon and Yayoi architecture. For example, it was long assumed that elevated storehouses began in the Yayoi Period. It is now known that elevated Yayoi storehouses, which later developed into shrines and palaces, were a continuation of an earlier Jōmon tradition.

Reconstructed shrine from the northern enclosure at Yoshinogari. Like the elevated storehouses, the shrine was constructed on posts sunk in the ground. It also may have had some of the features of later Shinto shrines, such as verandas that encircled the interior space. The actual appearance of the building, however, is conjectural. For example, it is impossible to know whether it had two stories, as indicated in the reconstruction, or a single story, as in the case of later shrines, such as those at Ise.

EVIDENCE USED IN RECONSTRUCTIONS

Archaeologists working at the Yoshinogari Yayoi site in Kyushu.

Reconstructing what buildings may have looked like at Yoshinogari and other prehistoric sites involves educated guesswork based upon archaeological evidence, designs on bronze mirrors and bells, designs on earthenware pots, and clay models (haniwa) of buildings that have been found in concentric rings on the slopes of tomb mounds. Clues can also be obtained from contemporary ethnographic evidence such as Shinto shrines that have periodically been rebuilt over the centuries, the construction methods used in centuries-old farmhouses, temporary structures that were used until recently for a variety of purposes such as birthing, and architectural styles still found in other parts of Asia that supplied immigrants to Japan in prehistoric times. Piecing these various kinds of data together requires a high degree of teamwork.

Iegata haniwa (house-shaped clay model) found at the Saitobaru site in Miyazaki Prefecture.

Pot in the Osaka Prefectural Museum of Yayoi Culture depicting a raised structure, from the Karako site in Nara Prefecture.