The Yaze Ruins are the remains of a settlement dating from the Late to Final Jōmon Period, approximately 3,000 to 2,500 years ago, located in Minakami Town, Gunma Prefecture. Designated as a National Historic Site, the ruins offer a valuable insight into the daily lives and spiritual practices of people who lived in the upper reaches of the Tone River.
The site occupies a riverside terrace overlooking Mount Ōmine in an area surrounded by rich natural scenery. Because numerous elements of a Jōmon settlement have been discovered together, the Yaze Ruins are regarded as an important archaeological site for understanding how people lived and worshipped in prehistoric Japan.
Today, the area has been developed as part of Michi-no-Eki Tsukiyono Yaze Shinsui Park. Reconstructed pit dwellings, ritual facilities, and a water area allow visitors to experience the layout and atmosphere of a Jōmon settlement.
One of the most remarkable features of the Yaze Ruins is that the major components of a Jōmon settlement were discovered together within a relatively compact area. Excavations carried out over three years beginning in 1992 clearly identified separate areas for residences, graves, rituals, and communal work.
Excavations in the residential area revealed the remains of 22 pit dwellings. Particularly notable is a dwelling containing a Yosumi Sode-tsuki Ro, a distinctive type of hearth for which the site is known as the first archaeological example discovered in Japan.
This unusual hearth provides important clues for understanding the lifestyle and spiritual culture of the people who lived here during the Jōmon Period.
The burial area contains approximately 110 stone-arranged graves. These graves were marked or surrounded with stones and provide valuable evidence of Jōmon beliefs concerning death, burial, and ancestral traditions.
A row of large wooden posts, made by splitting massive logs approximately 50 centimeters in diameter, was also discovered. It is regarded as the first archaeological example of its kind found in the Kanto region.
Inside the wooden-post arrangement is a stone altar consisting of three upright stones. Its location suggests that this was an important place for rituals and ceremonies.
The close proximity of the ritual area to both the residential and burial areas provides a glimpse into a Jōmon society in which everyday life, death, and spiritual practices were closely connected.
Archaeologists also discovered channels and water facilities that made use of natural springs, as well as communal work areas accompanied by paved stones and rows of standing stones.
Near the water area, large quantities of nuts such as horse chestnuts and walnuts were found scattered in their original context. These discoveries provide concrete evidence of the foods consumed and natural resources utilized by the inhabitants.
A wide range of other artifacts has also been unearthed, including stone crowns, clay figurines, tubular beads, curved beads, pottery, and stone arrowheads. Together, these discoveries make it possible to gain a detailed picture of both the spiritual culture and everyday life of the Jōmon people.
The area around the ruins has been developed as Michi-no-Eki Tsukiyono Yaze Shinsui Park. Reconstructed pit dwellings, ritual facilities, and a water area are arranged throughout the park, helping visitors understand the structure of the ancient settlement visually and spatially.
The site is also conveniently located approximately 10 minutes on foot from Jōmō-Kōgen Station on the Jōetsu Shinkansen. Visitors can combine a historical walk with a relaxing stroll through the surrounding natural landscape.
Located on a terrace overlooking the Tone River, the site also offers views toward Mount Ōmine. Standing amid this scenery, visitors can imagine the lives of people who lived here thousands of years ago.
Approximately 500 meters south of the Yaze Ruins is the Minakami Town Tsukiyono Local History Museum. The museum displays pottery, ear ornaments, ritual objects, wooden post bases, and other artifacts excavated from the Yaze Ruins, allowing visitors to learn more about the archaeological discoveries.
The museum also introduces the Yaze Ruins as a settlement with strong ritual characteristics dating from the Late to Final Jōmon Period, as well as the Yatsukahagi Cave Site, a burial site from the Yayoi Period.
Its collections extend from archaeological materials dating back to the Paleolithic Period through to the modern era, along with historical documents and ethnographic materials. The museum provides a comprehensive introduction to the history and culture of the Minakami region.
The museum is approximately 10 minutes by car from the Tsukiyono Interchange on the Kan-Etsu Expressway. Visiting it together with the roadside station and archaeological site provides an even deeper historical experience.
Michi-no-Eki Tsukiyono Yaze Shinsui Park also offers locally grown agricultural products and processed foods. Fresh vegetables and fruits produced in Minakami are popular, as is Tsukiyono Natto, made with locally grown soybeans.
The park also features grassy areas, a waterside area where children can play in the water, and playground equipment, making it suitable not only for historical exploration but also for a family outing.
The name Tsukiyono is traditionally associated with a legend concerning the Heian-period poet Minamoto no Shitagō, who is said to have composed a poem after seeing the beautiful moon in this area. This elegant story adds another layer of cultural charm to the region.
The Yaze Ruins are far more than an archaeological excavation site. They are a valuable historic site where visitors can gain a sense of how a Jōmon settlement was organized.
The discovery of residential areas, graves, ritual spaces, and water facilities in close proximity is particularly significant, providing important clues for understanding the structure and beliefs of Jōmon society.
Amid the beautiful natural surroundings of Minakami, taking a moment to imagine the lives and spiritual practices of people who lived here approximately 3,000 years ago offers an experience that is difficult to find elsewhere.
With its combination of history, nature, and local culture, the Yaze Ruins are one of Minakami’s notable attractions and continue to offer visitors a fascinating glimpse into the distant past.