Ōdai Yamamoto I Site

Overview

The Ōdai Yamamoto I Site is an archaeological site in the town of Sotogahama, Aomori Prefecture, dating from the terminal Paleolithic to the Incipient Jōmon period. It is one of the component assets of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Jōmon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan," and is known for yielding some of the oldest pottery ever found. It is a precious archaeological place that speaks to the very beginnings of Japan's history.

Highlights

• ●A component asset of the World Heritage "Jōmon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan"
• ●Forty-six earthenware fragments unearthed in 1998
• ●Some of the world's earliest pottery, dating to around 14,500 BCE
• ●A stage of archaeology tied to National Historic Site and Important Cultural Property status

History

The site is designated a National Historic Site of Japan (under the name "Ōdai Yamamoto Site"), and the excavated artifacts are designated Important Cultural Properties. Excavations in 1998 uncovered forty-six earthenware fragments, some dated as early as 14,500 BCE (about 16,500 years ago), placing them among the earliest pottery currently known and marking the transition from the Japanese Paleolithic to the Incipient Jōmon. On 27 July 2021 the site was inscribed as a World Cultural Heritage property as part of the "Jōmon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan."

Map

41.0673, 140.5550 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Visit the Ōdai Yamamoto I Site in Sotogahama
2. 2Walk the grounds where some of Japan's oldest pottery was found
3. 3Reflect on the transition from the Paleolithic to the Incipient Jōmon
4. 4Combine it with related sites as part of the Jōmon heritage group

Did you know?

💡 The earthenware fragments found here are seen as evidence of the shift from Japan's Paleolithic to the Incipient Jōmon, with some dated to roughly 16,500 years ago.

Nearby spots