Omori Katsuyama Stone Circle
Omori-Katsuyama Iseki · Ōmori Katsuyama
Late Jomon (2000–1000 BCE)·Late Jomon (Tsugaru–Iwaki region)·🇯🇵 Aomori Prefecture, Hirosaki City, foot of Mt. Iwaki (Tsugaru plain west), Japan
MChew · CC BY-SA 4.0
About
About Omori Katsuyama Stone Circle
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 encircling a central 2 m monolith, excavated 1998–2006. Omori Katsuyama is the westernmost Jomon stone circle in Aomori, showing Iwaki volcanic stone transport 10 km and Jomon astronomical orientation (midwinter sunset through monolith gap); UNESCO Jomon component (1632-016) with best-preserved Tsugaru standing stones.
Why it mattersWesternmost Aomori stone circle; proves Iwaki stone long-distance transport and Jomon mountain cosmology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Is central monolith Mt. Iwaki effigy — mountain worship?
Theories
- 01Tsugaru winter-solstice mountain alignment model
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.2000 BCE (outer 48 m); inner 29 m c.1700 BCE
- Period
- Late Jomon (2000–1000 BCE)
- Culture
- Late Jomon (Tsugaru–Iwaki region)
- Builders
- Jomon communities (Iwaki foothill)
- Purpose
- Ritual stone circle and mountain-viewing cosmology center
- Abandoned
- c.1000 BCE
- Rediscovered
- 1998 Hirosaki City excavation
- Excavation
- Excavated
c.2000 BCE
Outer 48 m circle with 77 andesite standing stones erected
c.1700 BCE
Inner 29 m circle and 2 m central monolith added
2021
UNESCO Jomon Prehistoric Sites 1632-016 inscription
On the ground
Structures & features
Gallery