Ozakotsujibaru Site, Archaeological site in Hita, Japan.
The Ozakotsujibaru Site is an archaeological location on a plateau in the Hita Basin region of Oita Prefecture. The excavation area sits at roughly 120 meters elevation and reveals remains of post-hole buildings, burial mounds, and fortified residential compounds spanning multiple periods from the Paleolithic era through the medieval age.
Archaeological investigations starting in 1985 uncovered three residential compounds with surrounding moats dating to the late 3rd through early 4th century. These represent the earliest examples of their kind ever found in Japan.
The site contains multiple structural remains, including post-hole buildings and burial mounds from different periods spanning the Paleolithic to medieval eras.
The location can be reached at the address 2-6-1 Tajima in Hita City, Oita Prefecture, near the Oita Expressway. Visitors should prepare for an outdoor setting where ground conditions vary depending on weather.
Each of the three residential compounds is defined by characteristic square-shaped moats, with the largest measuring 47 meters per side. This arrangement with their multi-pillar structures reveals a carefully planned defensive system from the ancient period.
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