Jomon Jiyukan is the visitor and guidance center at the entrance to the Sannai Maruyama Site, a Special Historic Site in Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture. Sannai Maruyama is one of the central sites of the Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan, which were inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage property.
The facility provides an introduction to the archaeological site and helps visitors understand the lives, beliefs, and culture of the people who lived here during Japan’s Jomon period. In addition to exhibits, visitors can learn through films, reconstructed displays, and hands-on activities.
One of the first sights visitors encounter is the impressive Jomon Big Wall at the entrance. Approximately 6 meters high, the wall is decorated with 5,120 fragments of Jomon pottery.
The enormous display creates a striking visual impression and represents the long passage of time preserved in the archaeological remains. Thousands of individual pottery fragments come together to create a single wall, offering a memorable introduction to the world of Jomon archaeology.
Beyond the wall is the Jiyu Tunnel, which leads toward the archaeological site. The tunnel is designed to create the feeling of traveling backward through time, from the modern world into the prehistoric landscape of the Jomon period.
The tunnel is also practical in Aomori’s snowy climate. Because the region receives substantial snowfall during winter, the covered passage helps visitors reach the site while being less exposed to snow. Rental boots are also available to make walking around the archaeological grounds more comfortable.
Before heading outside, it is worth visiting the Jomon Theater. A short film of approximately eight minutes introduces the Sannai Maruyama Site and explains the archaeological excavations through easy-to-understand images.
The film provides useful background on what archaeologists have discovered and why the site is important. Understanding the excavation process and the significance of the remains beforehand can make the experience of walking through the actual site much more meaningful.
For first-time visitors, the theater serves as a convenient introduction to the history and archaeology of Sannai Maruyama.
The centerpiece of Jomon Jiyukan is the permanent exhibition area, Sanmaru Museum. Approximately 1,700 artifacts excavated from the Sannai Maruyama Site are displayed here, including around 620 objects designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan.
The exhibits explore different aspects of Jomon society, including daily life, tools, food, religious beliefs, and the organization of the community. Authentic archaeological objects are presented alongside explanatory displays, helping visitors understand how people lived thousands of years ago.
After passing through the museum’s time-scale tunnel, visitors will find the “Spirit of the Jomon People” section.
Among the highlights are the important cultural property known as the Large Flat-Shaped Clay Figurine, large jade beads, and enormous chestnut tree pillars associated with the Sannai Maruyama Site.
These objects provide clues about the spiritual world of Jomon society. They suggest that people maintained a close relationship with nature and had beliefs and rituals that played an important role in their lives.
The “Understanding the Life of the Jomon People” thematic exhibition uses figures and reconstructed models to show what everyday life may have looked like.
Visitors can see reconstructions of life inside pit dwellings, including scenes of food preparation and the use of everyday tools.
The Jomon people relied on hunting and fishing, but their diet and way of life were much more diverse. They made systematic use of nuts such as chestnuts and walnuts and also cultivated certain plants. The displays help visitors understand the knowledge and resourcefulness that supported long-term settlement in the area.
Jomon Jiyukan also has a special exhibition gallery, where temporary exhibitions are held several times a year. Depending on the exhibition, visitors may have opportunities to see particularly valuable archaeological objects, including Important Cultural Properties.
Another fascinating aspect of the facility is the artifact processing room. Here, archaeological specialists carry out work such as fitting pottery fragments together, restoring artifacts, and taking detailed measurements.
The general storage room is equipped with shelves approximately 4 meters high and houses a vast collection of pottery, stone tools, and other archaeological materials. Although much of this work is normally hidden from visitors, it provides an insight into the continuing research that supports the study and preservation of Sannai Maruyama.
Visitors can do more than simply look at archaeological objects. The hands-on workshop offers activities that allow participants to experience aspects of Jomon craftsmanship for themselves.
Programs include making a Jomon-style pouch, flat-shaped clay figurines, and magatama beads. Around eight types of hands-on activities are offered, with many programs available without advance reservations.
These activities are suitable for both children and adults. By making something with their own hands, visitors can gain a more personal understanding of the skills and creativity of the Jomon people.
A handmade item can also become a memorable souvenir of a visit to Sannai Maruyama.
Jomon Jiyukan and Sanmaru Museum is more than a conventional museum. It serves as the starting point for understanding the entire Sannai Maruyama archaeological site through exhibitions, films, research, and hands-on experiences.
After learning about Jomon culture inside the facility, visitors can explore the outdoor archaeological site and see reconstructed pit dwellings and large post-built structures. These reconstructions make it easier to imagine the settled community that existed here thousands of years ago.
Sannai Maruyama preserves evidence of a long-term settlement dating back approximately 5,900 years. Walking through the site after visiting the museum allows visitors to connect the artifacts on display with the landscape where they were originally discovered.
For travelers interested in Japanese history, archaeology, ancient cultures, and traditional ways of life, Jomon Jiyukan and Sanmaru Museum provides an excellent introduction to one of northern Japan’s most important archaeological sites.
Start your visit inside the museum, explore the exhibits and archaeological discoveries, try a hands-on activity, and then head outside to explore Sannai Maruyama itself. This combination of learning, experiencing, and exploring offers a deeper appreciation of the Jomon culture that developed in northern Japan thousands of years ago.