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78 places in the atlas, 20 of them inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage.
🇯🇵 Japan · Rock art
Jomon (Final to Zoku-Jomon) · Zoku-Jomon maritime hunter-gatherers of western Hokkaido
Hokkaido shore tuff cave with 800 winged-human and boat incisions 300 BCE–500 CE, Jomon rock art.
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient village
Yayoi Late 1st c BCE–1st c CE (late Yayoi classic) · Yayoi Tokai Etsu — Toro paddy tradition (Suruga plain)
Toro Yayoi Paddy Settlement — classic Yayoi late wet-rice village (1st c BCE–1st c CE, late Yayoi) on Abe River floodplain 4 km south Shizuoka, discovered 1943 (Land Reform) excavated 1947–48 by Y.
🇯🇵 Japan · Tumulus
Late Kofun 560–710 CE (Asuka) · Late Kofun (Yamato–Silla contact)
Unlooted 48 m Kofun at Ikaruga — gilt horse trappings and lacquer coffins (late 6th c, 1985 discovery).
🇯🇵 Japan · Tumulus
Asuka Late 645–710 CE → Nara 710–784 · Yamato–Asuka (Chinese Kaiyuan–Korean star lore)
Asuka round tomb (700 CE) at Kitora south Asuka — 13.8 m with 28-zodiac astronomical ceiling and four gods National Treasure murals.
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient village
Yayoi 300 BCE–300 CE (Middle Yayoi zenith) · Yayoi Saga — Northern Kyushu rice chiefdom (Himiko candidate)
Yoshinogari Saga Moated Settlement — Japan's largest Yayoi moated village and Himiko Yamatai candidate (300 BCE–300 CE, 40 ha inner enclosure) on Yoshinogari hills at Chikugo River north Kyushu,…
🇯🇵 Japan · Tumulus
Asuka Late 645–710 CE · Yamato–Asuka with Tang Kaiyuan import
Asuka Tang-style painted round tomb (700 CE) at Takamatsuzuka — 23 m with Asuka bijin court ladies in Tang dress National Treasure.
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient village
Yayoi Early 300 BCE → Middle 100 BCE → Late 100–300 CE → Kofun · Yayoi (Tōkai–Suruga paddy culture)
Textbook Yayoi paddy (300 BCE–300 CE) at Toro Shizuoka — 370 waterlogged paddy plots with wooden spades and weir on Abe fan.
🇯🇵 Japan · Tumulus
Kofun Late 6th c CE Asuka transition · Late Kofun Yamato royal — Ikaruga Horyuji corridor
Fujinoki Kofun Ikaruga — late 6th c CE keyhole kofun (zenpo-koen 50×48 m, two-chamber) 300 m west Horyuji temple at Ikaruga, Nara basin NW, excavated 1985–88 by Kashihara Archaeological Institute…
🇯🇵 Japan · Tumulus
Kofun Late 7th–early 8th c CE (Asuka) · Asuka late Kofun court — shijin astronomical Daoist
Kitora Tumulus Nara — 7th–8th c CE late Kofun painted tomb (zenpo-koen remnant 13.8×9.8 m) on Abuyama hill at Asuka, Nara basin, National Treasure since 1983.
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient village
Late Jomon 3rd c BCE → Yayoi 300 BCE–300 CE → Kofun · Yayoi rice-farming (Tokai Yayoi)
Toro — Yayoi rice-paddy village (1st c CE Yayoi, also 3rd c BCE late Jomon) 2 km south Shizuoka station, Abe River lowland, excavated 1943–47 (Japan's first post-war dig) by Matsumoto.
🇯🇵 Japan · Tumulus
Kofun Late 500–600 CE (Yamato Kinmei) · Yamato Late Kofun with Silla–Sassanian imports
Largest unlooted Late Kofun mound (560–590 CE) at Fujinoki west Horyu-ji — 48 m gilt-crown and Sassanian glass in stone corridor.
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient village
Jomon Early 5000 BCE → Middle 3000–2000 BCE → Late 2000–1000 BCE · Jomon (Noto Sea of Japan coastal, Hokuriku)
Mid-Jomon bayhead village (4000–1200 BCE) at Mawaki Noto — 30 m wooden post circle and 6 m pit-house row with dolphin harpoon.
🇯🇵 Japan · Tumulus
Late Asuka (Fujiwara) 694–710 CE · Asuka–Nara court (Tang-influenced)
23 m Asuka bijin mound (694–710 CE, 1972) — court women fresco, four beasts, sun–moon (National Treasure).
🇯🇵 Japan · Tumulus
Kofun Late Asuka 7th–8th c CE · Asuka court elite — naturalistic procession mural
Takamatsuzuka Tumulus Nara — 7th–8th c CE decorated kofun (stone chamber 2.65×1.0×1.13 m) on Asuka hill 500 m north Kitora, famous 1972 National Treasure discovery of Asuka court murals: west wall…
🇯🇵 Japan · Megalith
Late to Final Jomon (2300–400 BCE) · Late Jomon (Tsugaru region)
Late Jomon megalithic cemetery (c.2300–1700 BCE) on Hakkoda foothills in Aomori City — massive ring-ditch stone circle 35 m dia.
🇯🇵 Japan · Megalith
Late Jomon (2000–1000 BCE) · Late Jomon (Tsugaru–Iwaki region)
Late Jomon double stone circle (c.2000–1500 BCE) at the foot of Mt. Iwaki near Hirosaki, Aomori — two concentric andesite rings 48 m and 29 m diameter, with 77 standing stones up to 1.5 m high…
