The Kayano Archaeological Site is located on the foothills of Mount Haruna in Shinto Village, Kitagunma District, Gunma Prefecture. This valuable archaeological site provides an insight into the lives of people who lived here during the Late to Final Jōmon period, several thousand years ago.
Today, the site has been developed as a lush green park, allowing visitors to reflect on the distant past while enjoying a peaceful natural setting.
The site was once a Jōmon-period settlement dating back approximately 2,500 to 3,000 years. Numerous artifacts have been excavated, including pottery, stone tools, and objects associated with rituals. Among the most remarkable discoveries are 577 clay earrings, which are highly valued as important archaeological materials representing Jōmon culture and are now designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan.
The Kayano Site is situated on a volcanic plateau on the southeastern foothills of Mount Sōma, one of the outer peaks of the Mount Haruna volcanic range. The Jōmon people established a settlement in this naturally rich environment and are believed to have lived primarily through hunting and gathering.
Excavations have uncovered numerous remains that reveal aspects of daily life, including pit dwellings, burial pits, water facilities built around natural springs, and work areas. Hearths surrounded by stones have also been identified, suggesting that dwellings and workspaces were rebuilt and reused over long periods.
Food processing is believed to have taken place at work areas near the water. Large stone grinding plates and polishing stones weighing more than 100 kilograms have been discovered, providing evidence of how the Jōmon people processed nuts and other natural resources obtained from their surroundings.
The Kayano Site came to light through archaeological excavations conducted between 1989 and 1990. Before an agricultural land improvement project began, the Shinto Village Board of Education surveyed an area of approximately 10,000 square meters. The investigation revealed a large number of archaeological remains and artifacts.
The discoveries included pottery, stone tools, clay figurines, stone rods, and magatama beads. Together, these objects provide valuable information about the everyday lives, beliefs, and rituals of the people who lived at the settlement.
A total of approximately 1,950 artifacts were recovered. In 1992, the collection was designated collectively as an Important Cultural Property of Japan by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
The most remarkable discovery was the collection of clay earrings. The excavation of 577 earrings in a single archaeological site is exceptionally unusual in Japan and suggests that the Kayano Site may have been an important center for the production or use of personal ornaments during the Jōmon period.
Some of the excavated artifacts have also been exhibited at an exhibition held at the British Museum in the United Kingdom, demonstrating the international interest in the archaeological discoveries from Kayano.
The Kayano Site is considered highly significant for understanding society during the Late and Final Jōmon periods. For this reason, it was preserved and officially designated as a National Historic Site of Japan in 2000.
The excavated remains have since been reburied to protect them. The surrounding area, however, has been developed as a public park that visitors can freely explore.
From the site, visitors can enjoy the natural scenery around the foothills of Mount Haruna and views toward Mount Haruna and Mount Akagi. Walking through the peaceful landscape offers an opportunity to imagine what the area may have looked like when Jōmon communities lived here thousands of years ago.
The discovery of the extraordinary collection of clay earrings at the Kayano Site led to the creation of the Shinto Village Earring Museum. Known as the world’s first specialized museum dedicated to earrings, the museum introduces Jōmon earrings alongside examples of earrings collected from cultures around the world.
The permanent exhibition includes clay earrings excavated from the Kayano Site, as well as Jōmon pottery, clay figurines, rock tablets, stone rods, and hand-lamp-shaped clay objects. These valuable archaeological materials are designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan.
The museum also displays approximately 1,000 earrings collected from all five continents. The collection allows visitors to explore the remarkable diversity of personal adornment across different periods and cultures.
The museum’s collection includes historically significant examples from the ancient Near East, gold earrings dating from the 1st and 2nd centuries during the Roman era, and elegant jewelry from the Victorian period.
The materials are equally diverse, ranging from gold and silver to enamel, wood, and seeds. Each piece reflects the aesthetic values, traditions, and lifestyles of the culture and period in which it was created.
The exhibition is divided into three themes — Contemporary, History, and Jōmon — making it easy to follow the changing relationship between people and earrings throughout history.
The Shinto Village Earring Museum also offers hands-on activities that allow visitors to experience aspects of Jōmon culture. A variety of workshops are available for both children and adults.
The free Jōmon costume experience allows visitors to recreate the appearance of a Jōmon person. Participants can wear clay and stone earrings, clothing inspired by angin weaving, and pendants made from the teeth of wild boar or bears.
Photography is also possible, making this a popular activity for families and visitors who want a fun way to experience prehistoric Japanese culture.
Visitors can create their own magatama, a distinctive curved ornament that was used in ancient Japan. The process involves shaping and polishing a piece of stone by hand.
The completed magatama can be threaded onto a cord and taken home as a necklace or strap, providing a unique souvenir and lasting memory of the visit.
Visitors can also make simple original accessories using colorful wooden beads. Another activity involves decorating a piece of stone similar to the rock tablets used by the Jōmon people and turning it into a good-luck pendant.
These creative activities provide an enjoyable way to become familiar with Jōmon culture while making a personal souvenir to take home.
The Kayano Archaeological Site and the Shinto Village Earring Museum offer a rare opportunity to experience the culture and daily life of prehistoric Japan at close range. In the quiet natural surroundings, visitors can imagine the lives of people who inhabited this region thousands of years ago.
Surrounded by beautiful scenery with views toward Mount Haruna and Mount Akagi, the area offers a peaceful setting in which to explore the history and culture of the Jōmon period.
For travelers interested in archaeology, ancient Japanese history, traditional culture, or simply unusual destinations, the Kayano Site provides a fascinating glimpse into a distant chapter of Japan’s past. Combined with a visit to the nearby Earring Museum, it is an engaging way to discover the artistic creativity, spiritual life, and connection with nature of the Jōmon people.