TRENDS IN ARCHAEOLOGY IN JAPANAncientKAWAGUCHI Takehiko1
Fiscal 2014 study trends on ancient archaeology were overviewed under eight categories:
transportation, capital cities (tojo), sites related to local government ofﬁces, artifact andfeature theories, temples and rituals, settlement, and artifacts inscribed with writing.
For transportation, there was a publication aimed to the public on the history of postroads from their formation to their abolition [OMI Toshihide, Nihon no Kodai Doro;
Doro ha Shakai wo Do Kaetanoka (Japanese Ancient Roads: How They ChangedSociety) Kadokawa].
For capital city study, there was a thesis on Naniwanomiya/Naniwakyo which discussed
excavation results after the 1990s and their problems [SEKIYAMA Hiroshi, “Kinnenno Naniwanomiya/Naniwakyo no Hakkutsu Chosa to Kadai (Recent Excavations ofNaniwanomiya/Naniwakyo and Problems)” Jorisei/Kodai Toshi Kenkyu (Jori System/Ancient City Study) No. 30]. On Heijokyo, there was a study on an area called “SakyoNanben Tokushu Chiku” [INOUE Kazuto, “Heijokyo Sakyo Nanbe Tokushu Chiku
Sairon (Reevaluation of Sakyo Nanbe Special District at Heijokyo)” Jorisei/Kodai Toshi
Kenkyu (Jori System/Ancient City Study) No. 30]. For Asuka/Fujiwarakyo, there was athesis on a garden (enchi) of Asukakyo remains [HIGASHIKAGE Yu, “Nara-ken Asukamura Shiseki/Meisho Asukakyo-ato Enchi (Historical Site/Scene Asukakyo-ato Enchi in
Asuka Village, Nara Prefecture)” Cultura Antiqua Vol. 66 (1)].
For sites related to local government ofﬁces (kanga), excavation reports were publishedfor Kamikonushi/Mobara Kanga site and Mirokuji Kanga site. Also, Sangenya site inIsesaki City, Gunma Prefecture, Otakano Kanga site in Kotoura Town, Tohaku County,Tottori Prefecture, and Tachibana Kanga site in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture
were designated as national historic sites. EGUCHI Kei Koko Chosa Handobukku 11
Kodai Kanga (Archaeological Research Handbook 11; Ancient Kanga) was published. It
consists of research results of these government ofﬁce sites nationally.
On artifact study, there were theses on roof tiles for temples and government ofﬁces
which tried to interpret political backgrounds through examination of anteﬁx designs
and manufacturing techniques: (SAKAI Kiyoji “A Transition from Terayatu-Haiji
1 c/o History and Cultural Properties Section, Mito City Board of Education, 978–5 Kasaharacho, MitoCity, Ibaraki 310–0852, Japan(preceramic@gmail.com)

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to Suguro-Haiji: From the Simple Petal Round Eaves-End Roof-tiles to the Rod-like
Cotyledon Eaves End Roof-tiles” Komazawa Shigaku No. 82, and SHINBO Masahiro“An Aspect of a Control Systems in Mutsu Province in the Formation Phase of theCentralized Nation Seen in Excavated Tiles” Nihon Kokogaku No. 37).
For pottery study, there was a thesis that organized various problems of 7th century
pottery studies into three categories; typology, production and transportation (ATSUMI
Kengo “Togoku ni Okeru 7 Seiki no Doki kara Mittsu no Dansho (Three Fragmentsfrom 7th Century Pottery in Togoku)” Kodai 134). As for metal tool study, there wasa publication by TSUNO Jin, who tried to draw a picture of ancient military history
through organizing ancient weapons and equipment according to time and location,
reconstructing military lineages of each region, and revealing military policy of thegovernment in the background and relationship with other powers [TSUNO Jin Nihon
Kodai no Gunji Buso to Keifu (Army and Lineage in Ancient Japan) Yoshikawakobunkan].
On wooden tool study, there was a remarkable thesis by MOTOMURA Mitsuyasu
who studied ancient wooden clogs excavated from the Kinki region [MOTOMURA
Mitsuyasu “Aspects of Ancient Wooden Clogs in the Kinki Region” Cultura Antiqua 66(4)].
For study meetings on feature study, the Archaeological Association of Kilns held theth12 regular meeting, “Kawaragama no Kozo Kenkyu: Tohoku no Yoso (Structural Studyof Tile Kilns: Aspects of Tohoku),” [YOSHINO Takeshi “Hinodeyama Kamaatogun noToga Kobo (Ceramic and Tile Studios at Hinodeyama Kiln Sites),” YAMAKAWA Junichi“Yoheinuma Kamaato no Kawaragama Kozo (Structure of Tile Kiln at Yoheinuma KilnSite),” and others.]
For temple and ritual study, remains of building foundations that seem to belong tothe main hall were newly discovered at the historic Kozuke Kokubunji site, south ofanother building foundation that was previously thought to be the main hall. Archaeology
Quarterly No. 129 had a featured article on the latest results and problems of kokubunji(provincial temple) study [SUDA Tsutomu “Kokubunji Kenkyu no Seika to Kadai(Results and Problems of Kokubunji Study),” ARITOMI Yukiko “Konkomyo Shitenno
Gokokunotera to Hokkemetsuzainotera (Konkomyo Shitenno Gokokunotera Temple
and Hokkemetsuzainotera Temple),” and others]. As for temples around county seats(gunga), Shimoterao government ofﬁce site in Chigasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture wasnominated as a national historic site on March 10, 2015.
On ritual study, TAKASHIMA Hideyuki argued that spindle whorls (bosuisha) carved
with the year of manufacture were used as charms or for cults or rituals [TakashimaHideyuki “Kinenmei Kokusho Bosuisha no Kisoteki Kenkyu (Fundamental Study onSpindle Whorls Inscribed with the Year of Manufacture)” Nihon Kodai no Kokka/© Japanese Archaeological Association

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ARCHAEOLOGYTitle ●●●● IN JAPANOken/Shakai (Ancient Japanese Nation/Sovereignty/Society) Hanawashobo], and Cultura
Antiqua 66 (3) had a featured article on the transition of rituals from the Kofun period
to the Ritsuryo period (ONISHI Akira “The Changes of the Ancient Rituals in the Noto
Peninsula: Noto Province” and YAMAMASU Masayoshi/HAMA Ryuzo/IWAGAKI
Mikoto “Ritsuryo Rituals in the Aoya Plain: Inaba Province” and others).
For settlement, the only outstanding work was MIYASHITA Koyu’s “Musashi
Kokufu Kanren Iseki wo Chushin Toshita Kodai Shuraku no Kosei; Tateana Tatemono/Hottatebashira Tatemonoato no Bunpu kara (Structures of Ancient Settlement Mainly on
Musashi Kokufu Related Sites: Distribution of Pit Dwellings and Pillared Buildings)”
Hosei Kokogaku (Hosei Archaeology) No. 41, Hosei Archaeological Society.
For inscribed artifacts, there were studies on pottery with ink writing, carved spindle
whorls, wooden tablets, and tiles with writing. Especially outstanding was a thesis that
discussed spindle whorls with curved writings and pictures related to Buddhism. It
proposed that lotus cultivation was conducted in the ancient Musashi region and thatfabrics were produced from threads yielded from the lotus plant, and that this involveda group of people who migrated from the continental Asia. [MIYATAKI Koji “KodaiMusashi Chiiki ni Okeru Hasuito Orimono Seisan (Production of Lotus Thread inAncient Musashi Area)” Nihon Kodai no Kokka/Oken/Shakai (Ancient Japanese Nation/Sovereignty/Society) Hanawashobo].
An outstanding thesis on wooden tablets discussed wooden tablets excavated fromHitaotsu site in Otsu City, and proposed that people who migrated from the continent
were involved in preparation of administrative documents and management ofdistribution and trade using land and water transportation (OHASHI Nobuya “Outlineof the Acceptance of Textual Culture and Immigrants in Omi” Collaborative Research:
Comprehensive Research on the Formation Process of the Literate Culture in Ancient
East Asia National Museum of Japanese History).
On inscribed tiles, there was a thesis that discussed the year construction commenced
at Tagajo castle by analyzing tiles with writing that contained expenses for initialconstruction and records on grain transportation to Mutsu province reported by the GreatCouncil of the State (daijo-kan) to the emperor in 6th year of Yoro [YAMAJI Naomitsu“Mutsunokuni heno Unkoku to Tagajo no Soken (Grain Transportation to Mutsu
Province and Construction of Tagajo)” Nihon Kodai no Kokka/Oken/Shakai (AncientJapanese Nation/Sovereignty/Society) Hanawashobo].
For resource utilization, there was a big feature article in Archaeology Quarterly
No. 128 on use of ﬁshery resources [TANIGUCHI Sakae/YAMAZAKI Takeshi/
MARUYAMA Masashi “Rekisi Kokogaku ni Okeru Suisan Sigen no Kenkyu (Study onFishery Resources in Historical Archaeology),” KENMOCHI Teruhisa “Suisan Sigen noKakutoku to Seisan (Acquisition and Production of Fishery Resources),” and others].
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