Visit Yoshinogari Historical Park

Experience Japan's Yayoi period at this amazing site

Senén Germade Oct 29, 2013 - 1 min read

<p>Beautiful raised-floor building in the South Village.</p>

<p>Minami-no-mura (South Village): This is the area where ordinary people called "geko" lived.</p>

<p>The South Village contains 27 reconstructed buildings, including pit dwellings and raised-floor buildings.</p>

<p>Entrance of a pit dwelling at Minami-no-mura</p>

<p>The inside of a typical pit dwelling at Minami-no-mura</p>

<p>Another pretty raised-floor building at Minami-no-mura.</p>

<p>As well as agricultural work, the extended family that lived in South Village wove hemp cloth and silk.</p>

<p>Kuratoichi: This area is believed to have been Yoshinogari's commercial center, featuring a large market and storehouses for trade goods.</p>

<p>Market Turret at Kuratoichi: This building is the administration office for the market.</p>

<p>Views from the Market Turret's top floor.</p>

<p>Storehouses for rice and weapons at Kuratoichi.</p>

<p>Entrance gate to Minami-naikaku (Southern Inner Enclosure): This is thought to have been where successive rulers of Yoshinogari resided.</p>

<p>The King's House at Minami-naikaku: In this enclosure 20 buildings, including 4 watchtowers, the king's house, a cooking house and the royal residences, have been reconstructed.</p>

<p>Ancestral spiritual pillar: It is assumed that the spirits of the ancestors who protect Kita-funkyubo (Northern Burial Mound) reside in this pillar.</p>

<p>Kita-funkyubo: This is thought to have been a special burial site where successive rulers of Yoshinogari were laid to rest.</p>

<p>Burial procedure recreation: This type of burial method using jars has been frequently discovered in northern Kyushu, especially in Saga and Fukuoka, and it is a particularly distinctive method.</p>

<p>Display of a genuine burial jar at Kita-funkyubo.</p>

<p>Burial jar rows for the burials of ordinary people in the Middle Yayoi period</p>

<p>Kita-naikaku (North Inner Enclosure): The most important and most sacred of places within the Yoshinogari settlement; nine structures have been recreated, including an enormous shrine.</p>

<p>Ceremonial Hall at Kita-naikaku: This is thought to have been the center for ceremonies and festivals.</p>

The Yayoi period is a very long period of history spanning approximately 700 years (400 BC - 300 AD). The Yoshinogari archeological site is a site of great academic value, as it contains the remains of ancient structures and artifacts from all stages of this long-spanning period of antiquity.

Based on the results of excavation surveys conducted thus far, they are carrying out reconstruction of structures from the latter half of the late Yayoi period, when the settlement had passed its prime. It only takes 10 minutes by train from Saga Station to Yoshinogari Koen Station. If you want to experience a bit of the history of ancient Japan, spend a few hours in this great historical park.