Kamegaoka Stone Age Site

Overview

The Kamegaoka Stone Age Site is the remains of a late Jōmon-period settlement in the Kizukuri area of Tsugaru City, Aomori Prefecture. Designated a National Historic Site, it has yielded clay figurines, clay masks, and spouted earthenware vessels recognized as National Important Cultural Properties, along with additional finds designated as Aomori Prefectural Treasures.

Highlights

• ●Settlement remains where a shakōki-dogū clay figurine was unearthed in 1887
• ●Clay figurines, clay masks, and spouted vessels designated as National Important Cultural Properties
• ●Additional excavated artifacts designated as Aomori Prefectural Treasures
• ●Part of the 2021 UNESCO World Heritage Site "Jōmon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan"

History

The site was designated a National Historic Site in 1944 under the official name "Kamegaoka Stone Age Site." It gained wide recognition after a shakōki-dogū, a distinctive "goggle-eyed" clay figurine, was unearthed here in 1887. Excavated clay figurines, clay masks, and spouted vessels have since been designated National Important Cultural Properties, and other artifacts are held as Aomori Prefectural Treasures. In 2021, the site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the "Jōmon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan."

Map

40.8849, 140.3396 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Travel by car about 20 minutes from Goshogawara Station to reach the site
2. 2Walk through the National Historic Site grounds to see the settlement remains
3. 3Learn about the excavated clay figurines, masks, and vessels on display
4. 4Consider combining the visit with other Jōmon sites in the World Heritage grouping

Did you know?

💡 The designated area of the site is roughly 10.1 hectares. The shakōki-dogū figurine unearthed here in 1887 remains one of the best-known examples of Jōmon-period clay art.

Nearby spots