🇯🇵 Japan · Rock art
Fugoppe Cave
Late Jomon to Epi-Jomon / Zoku-Jomon (c.300 BCE–350 CE, figures ~1600 BP) · Zoku-Jomon
Zoku-Jomon rock art cave (800 engravings, ~1600 BP) — winged figures pecked into soft Miocene tuff on Maruyama Hill.
🇯🇵 Japan · Megalith
Omori Katsuyama Stone Circle
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…
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient village
Ofune Jomon Site
Early–Middle Jomon 3500–2000 BCE · Jomon Early–Middle Hokkaido maritime
Early–Middle Jomon coastal settlement (3500–2000 BCE) on Ofune River terrace facing Uchiura Bay, Hokkaido, renowned for 100+ deep pit graves, stone pile graves, and massive whale-bone midden (sperm…
🇯🇵 Japan · Tumulus
Kitora 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
Yoshinogari Saga Moated Settlement
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
Takamatsuzuka Tumulus Nara
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 · Ancient village
Shimoyakebe
Late Jomon 3000–500 BCE → Yayoi 400 BCE–300 CE (paddy) · Jomon → Yayoi (Kanto lowland)
Waterlogged Yayoi lowland at Shimoyakebe — paddy wooden tools and chestnut pits in peat (3000 BCE–300 CE).
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient village
Kamegaoka Stone Age Site
Final Jomon to Early Yayoi 1000–300 BCE · Kamegaoka culture (Final Jomon–Yayoi transition, Tsugaru)
Final Jomon–Early Yayoi ritual settlement (c.1000–300 BCE) on Kamegaoka plateau at Tsugaru City — 4 ha with 40 pit dwellings, ritual clay figurine (shakōki-dogū Goggle-eyed) concentration (over 200…
🇯🇵 Japan · Tumulus
Daisenryo Kofun (Nintoku's Tomb)
Middle Kofun 5th c CE (Yamato apex) · Yamato middle Kofun (Mozu group)
Daisenryo Kofun — largest kofun in Japan (486 m long, 35 m high) and one of world's largest tombs (equal Great Pyramid footprint), built mid 5th c CE (c.425–475) for Emperor Nintoku per tradition, on…
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient village
Korekawa Site
Middle to Late Jomon 3500–1700 BCE · Middle–Late Jomon (Hachinohe region)
Middle–Late Jomon lacquer production village (c.3500–1700 BCE) on the Nii River terrace at Hachinohe, Aomori — 3 ha with 80+ pit dwellings, large midden, and lacquer-ware workshop that produced 400+…
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient village
Chōshichiyachi Shell Midden
Middle to Late Jomon 3500–1700 BCE · Middle–Late Jomon (Hachinohe wetland)
Middle–Late Jomon wetland shell midden (c.3500–1700 BCE) adjacent to Korekawa at Chōshichiyachi, Hachinohe — 2 ha midden (Corbicula and yamato shijimi) 3 m thick with 20+ pit dwellings and…
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient village
Yoshinogari Site
Yayoi period 400 BCE–300 CE (peak 1st–3rd c CE) · Yayoi (Kyushu farmer, Korean peninsula immigrants)
Largest Yayoi (400 BCE–300 CE) moated village and chiefdom at Yoshinogari hills, 40 ha inner enclosure within 117 ha, with outer moat 2.5 km, watchtowers, raised-floor granary precinct, and king's…
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient city
Fujiwara-kyo
Asuka Period (694–710 CE) · Yamato (Empress Jito to Monmu)
Fujiwara-kyo is Japan's first planned Chinese-grid capital (694–710 CE) — 5×5 km Chang'an-style city with Fujiwara Palace (1 km² Suzaku Boulevard) at 60 m Yamato plain.
🇯🇵 Japan · Archaeological wonder
Torihama Shell Midden
Incipient→Early→Middle Jomon 10000–1000 BCE (Jomon hunter-fisher-gatherer with peat preservation) · Jomon (Wakasa Bay Incipient–Early Jomon, Neolithic without agriculture)
Early–Middle Jomon shell midden and wetland village (c.12000–3000 BP, 10000–1000 BCE) at Torihama lowland wetland near Lake Mikata, Wakasa, Fukui — 2 ha peat midden excavated 1962–85 by Wakasa Mikata…
🇯🇵 Japan · Tumulus
Fujinoki 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
Kashiwabara (Hokkaido)
Jomon Late 1000 BCE → Epi-Jomon 300 BCE–500 CE → Satsumon 500–1100 CE → Honshu Yayoi influence · Epi-Jomon (Hokkaido) with Yayoi rice intrusion
Hokkaido rice-frontier paddy trial (300 BCE–300 CE) at Kashiwabara Ebetsu — 8 pit houses with failed rice vs salmon–nut; paddy northern limit.
🇯🇵 Japan · Submerged site
Northern Yonaguni Necropolis I — Yonaguni (58-46)
Medieval (regional) · Medieval
Northern Yonaguni Necropolis I — Yonaguni (58-46) at Yonaguni, Japan is a Medieval (regional) submerged city of the Medieval tradition, built c. 1200 BCE for necropolis and associated settlement.
🇯🇵 Japan · Megalith
Kiusu Earthwork Burial Circles
Final Jomon 1200–800 BCE · Jomon Final Hokkaido
Late Jomon collective burial banked circles (1200–800 BCE) on terrace above Ushiku River at Chitose — 9 embanked circular enclosures diameter 12–75 m built of external ditch and internal bank housing…
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient city
Heijō Palace (Heijō-kyō)
Nara Period 710–784 CE (with brief return 745–784) · Yamato / Nara Japanese (Ritsuryo)
Imperial palace of Heijō-kyō capital (710–784 CE) modeling Tang Chang'an, 1.2×1.6 km enclosure with Daigokuden audience hall, Suzaku Gate and Eastern Palace Garden ponds.
🇯🇵 Japan · Archaeological wonder
Awazu Shell Midden
Incipient Jomon (12000) → Early Jomon 8000–6000 BCE (Jomon lakeshore forager) · Jomon (Lake Biwa Incipient–Early Jomon)
Incipient–Early Jomon lakeshore shell midden (c.12000–6000 BCE) on Lake Biwa eastern bank at Awazu, Otsu — 0.8 ha freshwater shell mound (Seta shijimi clam) excavated 1962–86 by Shiga Prefecture,…
🇯🇵 Japan · Submerged site
Yonaguni Submerged Stepped Terrace South Face
Bronze Age to Classical (2000 BCE–300 CE) · Bronze Age–Classical
Yonaguni Submerged Stepped Terrace South Face in Okinawa, Yonaguni, Japan is a Bronze Age to Classical (2000 BCE–300 CE) submerged city attributed to Bronze Age–Classical.
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient village
Oishi Yayoi Site
Jomon Late c.3000 BCE → Yayoi Early–Middle 500 BCE–100 CE → Edo overburden · Jomon → Yayoi (Tokyo Hongō branch)
Tokyo's Yayoi name-bearer extended — Yayoi 2-chome Oishi precinct on Hongō (1884 Yagi, Yayoi type).
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient village
Tawayama Shell Midden
Jomon Early 5000 BP → Late Jomon 3000 BP · Jomon San'in coastal — Tawayama Hamayu tradition
Tawayama Shell Midden — Jomon mid-to-late shell midden (5000–3000 BP) on Tawayama hill at Lake Koyama 5 km NW Tottori, San'in Sea of Japan coast, excavated 1980s–90s by Tottori University.
🇯🇵 Japan · Tumulus
Kitora Tumulus Nara
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.