Okadaira Shell Mound

The Okadaira Shell Mound extends across 250 meters east to west and 150 meters north to south, containing eight shell accumulations on a 30-meter elevation plateau.

During the early Jomon period around 4000 BC, when sea levels measured five meters higher than present, coastal communities established this settlement in the Kanto region.

The excavated materials include Jomon pottery, clay figurines, stone tools, and bone fishhooks, revealing the technological capabilities of prehistoric Japanese coastal societies.

Visitors can reach the archaeological park and its reconstructed pit dwellings by taking a 25-minute walk from the Otani bus stop on the JR Bus line.

Local volunteers in the 1990s funded new excavations at the site, leading to its designation as a National Historic Site in 1998 and the creation of an archaeological park.

GPS coordinates: 36.01711,140.34794

Latest update: March 7, 2025 23:03