Overview: Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research, Fiscal Year 2022

Tsuji Hideto

Fiscal year 2022 was a year in which Japanese archaeology began new research activities, even as the COVID-19 pandemic had not yet been fully contained.
  The Japanese Archaeological Association was able to hold its General Meeting at Waseda University and its Autumn Meeting at Kyushu University in 2022, thanks to the efforts and cooperation of the respective executive committees. Both were held in a hybrid format, combining face- to-face and online meetings, and many research presentations and exchanges of opinions took place.
  This document is designed to present the research results of Japanese archaeology published in 2022, organized by period, region and field; to showcase current achievements in Japanese archaeology, and to share potential future research pathways.

1.    The Paleolithic Period

First half of the late Paleolithic period
  The ‘Archaeological Journal’1 featured an article on the first half of the late Paleolithic period titled "When did modern humans arrive in the Japanese archipelago?". Furthermore, a stone tool group from the early Late Paleolithic Age from the Kōsakayama Site2 in Nagano Prefecture attracted attention. The ‘Human Ecology of Paleolithic Society’ focused on a wide range of stone material use and estimates the beginning of the Late Paleolithic Age based on the wide range of obsidian acquisition routes. In addition, 14C dating of existing historical materials is also being attempted.

Second half of the late Paleolithic period
  Various research projects were carried out on this period. The age of the buried forest at the Tomizawa Site 3 in Sendai was measured and compared with other sites. Analysis of obsidian sources and stone tool manufacturing techniques were conducted on the stone tool groups excavated from the Shibukawa II Site4 and the Yūdachi Site5 in Nagano Prefecture. An attempt was made to understand the stone blade stone tools from a "functional-morphological" perspective, and their relationship to environmental changes was discussed in detail. The microblade tool group was examined, including its connection to Northeast Asia. Other publications include "The Pirika Site6, an Ice Age Stone Tool Workshop".

Paleolithic - Jomon Transitional Period
  "Prehistoric Archaeological Essays: Stone Tools and Prehistoric Culture" 7 was published. Topics discussed range from "Northern Microblade Tool Groups", "Honnoki-type Pointed Tool", and "Mikoshiba-type Stone Axe". Materials excavated from the second survey of Fukui Cave in Nagasaki Prefecture were reported. Kurishima Yoshiaki and Yoneda Minoru reported the results of dating carbonized material attached to pottery from the Incipient to Early Jomon Period excavated from Miyanomae Site 8 in Gifu Prefecture. The consistency with other materials will be examined in the future.

Palaeoenvironment, Stone Materials, and Interdisciplinary Research
  "History of Environmental Adaptation among Paleolithic Hunter-Gatherers" 9 was published. Along with examining the chronology and habitat transitions of the Late Paleolithic Period, attempts are being made to reconstruct the paleoenvironment through pollen analysis and other methods.
  An international symposium was held at Tohoku University where a global perspective was taken to hold discussions on the latest research results in genetics, archaeology, and paleoanthropology, as well as potential future research directions. In connection with the special exhibition at Iwajuku Museum, "The Research Achievements of Kato Minoru, Pioneer in Research on the Iwajuku Period in the Tōhoku Region"10 a symposium titled "Tōhoku Shale and he Northern Kantō Region" was held. In addition to evaluating the research achievements of Minoru Kato, the distribution and origin of Tōhoku Shale were examined in conjunction with an understanding of the stone tool groups in the Northern Kantō Region.
  The    Japanese     Society    of    Paleolithic Archaeology        held    a    symposium    titled "Environmental Changes and Human Activities in Southwest Japan at the End of the Pleistocene"11. A variety of topics were discussed, including the results of pollen analysis in the region, typo- chronology, analysis of stone tools, sea level change, and the impact of eruptions. In addition to the symposium, analysis of Gero stone in Gifu Prefecture and analysis of the obsidian source of the Shirataki-type microblade stone tools 12 in Honshū were also conducted, and stone acquisition and consumption strategies were also mentioned. In relation to analytical methods, it was pointed out that caution is required when analyzing heated stone tools, and methods for classifying obsidian from each source in the Wada-Takayama group 13were also discussed.

Human Migration
  International Symposium "Beringia: Human Diffusion from Eurasia to America" 14 centered on the ‘Out of Eurasia’ Project15. Human migrations from Eurasia to the Americas and other topics were discussed. Archaeology Quarterly published a special issue on "The Early History of Oceanic Expansion”. A special issue on "islands and hominin adaptation" in WORLD ARCHAEOLOGY examined the frequency and direction of migrations in the Tsushima Strait. A symposium on the influx of humans into the Japanese archipelago was held in Ina City, Nagano Prefecture, titled "Verification: The Road to Sapiens in the Japanese Archipelago”. Voyaging experiments, anthropological studies, and the character and positioning of stone tool assemblages from the earliest stages were discussed, including the Hokkaidō route, the Tsushima route, and the Okinawa route. Comparative research with aspects of Russia was also conducted. Based on the results of the re-excavation of the Kakuniyama site16 in Yamagata Prefecture, it was explained that a group of people with the ‘Yubetsu’ technique ‘Sakkotsu’ type 17 migrated southward from Hokkaidō to Honshū.

2.    The Jomon Period 

  Jomon research appears to be oriented toward learning about the results of various related sciences and pursuing study on the inner workings of Jomon culture.
  In Jomon research this year, the situation of environmental change and adaptation, and the transitional period to the Yayoi period were frequently discussed.

Environmental Adaptation
  In Environmental Change and Adaptation, “Adaptation to the Environment and Resource Use in the Jomon Period” 18 , multidisciplinary and multifaceted studies were conducted on the themes of “Environment and Resources”, “Archaeological Sites and Local Communities”, “Tool Production and Utilization Technology”, and “Groups and Society”. In “Jomon Kaishin [Jomon Holocene glacial retreat]: Sea and Land Changes and People's Adaptation” 19 , sea-level changes in the Kantō region were empirically reconstructed and the transformation of the Jomon lifestyle in adaptation to changes in the natural environment was discussed, pointing out that the situation in the Bōsō Peninsula during the first half of the Jomon sea-level change and the use of marine resources in the early Jomon period is somewhat different from conventional understanding. The paper examines the actual conditions of the Jomon sea-level rise and shell mound distribution based on shell middens in the Bōsō Peninsula. The paper also discussed the background of the rapid decline in shell mound formation in the Tokyo Bay area from the late Jomon based on changes in sea level and tidal flat stability during the latter half of the Jomon period, and the possibility that the change in habitation in the late middle Jomon period in the inland Chūbu region was oriented toward broad environmental change and access to water.
  Several books have been published on the transition to the Yayoi period. “The Late Jomon Period in Western Japan: Pottery Pattern Areas and Sites”20 discusses the conditions of the Late Jomon period in western Japan. It examines the transition from the Jomon to the Yayoi period through a variety of means such as utilizing a macro-scale earthenware chronology, the formation and development of the incised band pottery, and the state of the Yayoi period. In “Northeast Asia during the Period of Acceptance of Rice Cultivation from the Viewpoint of Pottery Production Techniques”21 examined the beginning of the Bronze Age in the southern Korean Peninsula, the change from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age in the Liaodong Peninsula, and the beginning of the Yayoi Period in Kyūshū, and the establishment of agricultural society through analysis of pottery making techniques, forms and vessel types. In “Issues on the Beginning of Grain Cultivation in Eastern Japan”22, the origins and subsequent trends of agriculture in eastern Japan were discussed. In addition, a special feature titled “The End of the Jomon Period” was published in Archaeology Quarterly, summarizing the current state of research on the transition from the Jomon to the Yayoi period.
  In addition to the above-mentioned environmental change and adaptation and the transition to the Yayoi period, “A Study of Human Remains from Iyai I: Society and Funerary System of the Early Jomon” 23 synthesized both anthropological and archaeological findings.

Scientific Analysis
  In absolute dating, oxygen isotope ratio dendrochronology was used to determine the age of Late Jomon Period wooden pillars, and it was proposed that the Late Jomon period can be narrowed down to approximately 700 years in length, with a lower limit around 470 BC. Consistency with the beginning of the Yayoi Period will be discussed in the future. The origins of artifacts is also being investigated.
  17 pieces of pottery excavated from the Dōjitte site24 in Tsunanmachi, Niigata Prefecture, were analyzed using petrographic techniques, and while in many cases a strong local provenance was inferred, in some cases the provenance was inferred to be in a remote area. In addition, Jomon pottery excavated from Tsugaru Dam sites was analyzed using newly developed chemical composition analysis utilizing volcanic glass. In the Ishikari Lowlands of Hokkaidō, petrographic analysis of gravestones indicated that there are differences in the selection and arrangement of stone materials in different basins of the lowland, and the significance of these differences is being pursued.
  In addition, studies of the remains of plant and animal impressions have been conducted in various areas, and legume plants are discussed, and their issues are also examined.

Artifacts
  A memorial volume in honor of Imafuku Rikei25, “Archaeology of Objects, Structures, and Society” 26 was published, with a relatively large number of discussions related to the Mid-Middle Jomon Period.
  The study of large four-handled deep bowls27 distributed in the central highlands to the southwestern Kantō region in the latter half of the Shinmei style28 in the mid to late Middle Period pointed out that there are two types: one is highly uniform and widely distributed, and the other is strongly regional and locally distributed. Among the Shinmei style pottery from the western part of the Tōkai region, the formation of a group of Rittai- Sōshoku style 29 pottery and the evolution of its lineage were discussed, and the act of intentionally incorporating foreign pottery information into local pottery information was pointed out. In the Late- Late Period, the study of spouted vessels stands out.
  The morphology and decoration of a similar group of pottery excavated at the Kainohana shell midden site30 in Chiba Prefecture was examined, and it was pointed out that while imitating Tōhoku spouted pottery, the design was modified in a Kantō style, indicating a broad inter-type negotiation in the eastern part of the country. Similarly, a piece of spouted earthenware from the mid to early Late Kantō region was examined, and the relationship between Kantō and Tōhoku was examined. The transition and genealogy of the northern half of the Kyūshū region is also discussed.
  In addition to the discussion of the genealogy and distribution of pottery, there are also studies that take a slightly different direction.
  The changes in the amount of Jomon pottery excavated from the Kitashirakawa Jomon site31 in Kyōto Prefecture are examined, and an attempt has been made to reconstruct the demographics of the period based on the amount of pottery excavated. “Low-skilled earthenware” of the middle Jomon period was also examined, and it was argued that these were made by children imitating the adult potters around them or in the process of learning pottery making. There were also a number of discussions on clay figurines.
  Focusing on changes in spatial expression, the changes from early to middle earthenware figurines were discussed, and the nature of clay figurine modeling was discussed.
  Refutations from specialized fields were also presented in response to new theories recently proposed concerning clay figurines.
  With regard to clay artifacts, the development of human expression in earthenware, clay artifacts, and clay figurines was discussed, focusing on the omission, destruction, and resurrection of body parts, and the social background was also considered.
  Several articles on stone tools and stone artifacts were published. Stone jewelry excavated from the Kurawa site32 on Hachijō-jima Island was examined, and it was pointed out that it is linked to the transition of stone jewelry in the late Early Jomon to early Middle Jomon periods in the Japanese archipelago. The method of obtaining obsidian was discussed based on the distribution of obsidian in the Gunma area during the Early to Middle Jomon Period. Stone tools related to the Suzu-Oke    technique 33    excavated    from    the Shimoyoshida site 34 , Fukuoka Prefecture, were reviewed, and the aspects of their influx were analyzed. The chronology of Late Jomon stone poles mainly from the Ishikari Lowlands of Hokkaidō was presented and their background was discussed. Large stone poles excavated from the Middle to Late Jomon period sites were also examined, and the phenomenon of “intensification” of the use of large stone poles was observed in the Angyō35 3b and 3c style periods.

Settlements
  The influence of the southern Kantō and Kōshin regions on the rise and fall of the Tōchi [overturned] deep bowls36 excavated from the floor of dwellings in Fukushima Prefecture was discussed. The diffusion and reception of information on the ‘outdoor pottery burial’37 sites in the Fukushima Prefecture area from the Late Middle to the Early Late Period were discussed. The timing of the construction of dugout-pillar buildings found in the mid-Holocene settlements was examined. It was pointed out that the dugout- pillar buildings that appeared around the Goryōgaidai style period 38 would soon come to an end and be replaced by ring settlements of the Aramichi 39and Tōnai 40 style periods, suggesting a shift from a matrilineal to patrilineal society. An examination of the repeated construction of dwelling sites in the western Kantō and Kōshin regions from the late Jomon Period to the early Late Jomon Period indicated the separation and fixation of residential and grave sites, the subdivision of the settlement structure, and the existence of long-term maintenance and management of space-use. The classification and compilation of stone-lined graves in the Gunma area was conducted, and the changes in the combination of earthen mound graves and stone-lined graves discussed the increasing complexity of post- and late-Jomon society.
  Research related to human skeletal remains recovered from tombs was published. A detailed examination of human skeletal remains excavated from Site B202 at Kusakari Shell Mound41, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, led to a reconstruction of the burial process and characteristics of multiple individual aggregation burials 42 . The burial position of the human skeletal remains (No.24), who was killed in a shark attack, from Tsukumo Shell Midden 43 in Okayama Prefecture, showed that the body was folded in two, which is relatively rare, and the existence of a spell to contain the spirits of the deceased was discussed. There are also diverse studies that differ from the above research topics.

Jomon Mythology
  The concept of ‘dichotomy’ was derived from an examination of pottery burial remains at the Andoji Temple site44 and Kaidōmae C site45 in Yamanashi Prefecture, and an attempt was made to decipher the “structure” of Jomon mythology by looking at the relationship between the two groups of artifacts.

Marine Expansion
  In the “Archaeology Quarterly” No. 161 (Yuzankaku), a special feature titled “The First History of Marine Expansion” 46 was published, which attempted to reconstruct the history of marine expansion in the Jomon period. The same issue of “Did the Jomon Cross the Sea? Exploring the Boundaries of Cultural Areas and Languages” 47 also on maritime expansion, examined the reality of transoceanic traffic and discussed the relationship between the two.

History of Scholarship
  The book, “Continued Basic Research on the History of Japanese Prehistoric Archaeology: The Studies of Yamanouchi Sugao and the People Around Him” 48 as well as “The Cave and the Archaeologist: Footprints and Results of Site Investigations”49 were published. In addition, the beginning of obsidian research and the Suwa archaeological site survey are mentioned.
  In relation to World Heritage, in “Jomon and World Heritage: Questioning the Universal Value of the Jomon Culture in Human History”50, the universal value of the “Jomon culture” in human history is questioned through the “Jomon sites in Hokkaidō and the northern Tōhoku region”.

3.    The Yayoi Period

  The main theme of this year's Yayoi period research is the identification of dates and their chronological status and significance, including the newly proposed date for the beginning of the Yayoi period.

Dating
  A new calibration curve for 14C dating, intcal20, has been published and used to develop chronologies. The results of 14C dating and verification of oxygen isotope dendrochronology were also presented. In addition, a special issue of Archaeology Quarterly titled “The End of the Jomon Period”51 was published, and a number of articles on this topic have been published this year.

Regional Studies
  Research on the state of Yayoi society is continuing in various regions. In northwestern Kyūshū, the start of local irrigated agriculture was considered to be in the 8th-9th century BC. Dating of latent indentation materials in Kagoshima Prefecture has been reported to be close to this date. A record of the symposium “The Reality of
Society in the Late Yayoi Period”52, found in the Journal of Ancient Studies53, discussed the status and direction of research focusing on residential remains in the southern Kinki region.
  In the Kantō region, a collection of papers under the title, “Yayoi Culture in the Southern Kantō Region” 54 was published, examining the agriculturalization of the southern Kantō region from a variety of perspectives, focusing on research related to the Nakazato site55 in Odawara City. A model for expanding arable land to cope with population pressure was presented and is considered one of the main points of discussion.
  In the Tōhoku region, the Japanese Archaeological Association held a session on “The Reception and Development of Yayoi Agricultural Culture in the Northeastern Archipelago”56, during which the state of rice cultivation in the northern Tōhoku region was discussed from various perspectives. The session also examined the composition of rice paddies and farming tools in the southern Tōhoku region. The publication of a book, “Issues in the Early Cultivation of Grains in Eastern Japan”57 discussed issues of society and livelihood based on 14C dating of pottery indentations and carbonized grains. A special issue titled “Tōhoku in the Late Yayoi Period” 58 was published in The Archaeological Journal59, which reviewed Tennōyama-style 60 pottery, its spread, genealogy, and Tennōyama-style society.

Settlements
  Prominent settlement sites were discussed in depth, and work on upland settlements were also taken up. In the area of settlement research, the 60th anniversary of the Ōnaka site61 was taken as an opportunity to review the housing and excavated artifacts. In addition, “The Forefront of Makimukugaku”62 was published to commemorate the establishment of the Sakurai City Research Center for Makimukugaku63. This large volume of over 700 pages, contained a variety of papers on Yayoi society in general, as well as on the Makimuku site 64 . At the Yoshinogari site 65 , the internal structure of the village was analyzed, and the influence of the continent was discussed. At the Karako-Kagi site66, a study was published on the estimation of the function of the moat encircling the site based on a re-examination of the moat encircling it.
  In terms of upland settlements, a special issue of the “Ancient Culture” 67 magazine, “Reconsidering Yayoi Period Upland Settlements (1 & 2)” 68 was published, in which upland settlements were reexamined from a current perspective, including views from GIS.
  There has also been progress in the study of artifacts in each theme.

Pottery Research
  The chronologies of earthenware research were introduced in various regions. In addition to the examination of the academic history of Sugu- style pottery69, a new chronology was proposed. Mikawa Archaeology 70 published a special issue on the Yayoi earthenware dating of the Mikawa area from a current perspective and published a model for the transmission of pottery types. Apart from chronologies, other studies on pottery include quantitative analysis of Yayoi pottery forms using three-dimensional data, and the genealogy and chronology of Konoha-style patterns71. Other areas of research being pursued include academic history, pottery genealogy, and exchange.

Stone Tool Research
  The Niigata Prefecture Archaeological Society's Fall Symposium, “The Yayoi Period in Niigata from the Perspective of Lithic and Iron Artifacts”72 was held to analyze the emergence of an agricultural society in the Niigata Prefecture area. Some individual studies have investigated the genealogy of angular stone axes, the distribution of stone knives, and the existence of village structures and production groups.

Bronze Goods
  The symposium “Reviewing Yayoi Period Society through Dōtaku (bronze bells)”73 was held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the Dōtaku mold at the Higashi-Nara site74, confirmed the progress of Dōtaku research and discussed the process of Dōtaku formation. The symposium also included examples of Dōtaku- shaped clay artifacts, and an attempt to reconstruct Dōtaku depicted on illustrated maps using CAD.

Iron Goods
  At a symposium in Niigata Prefecture (see above), iron artifacts were discussed along with stone tools, an analysis of grinding stones, the understanding of the influx of iron artifacts, and comparisons with adjacent sites were made. Archaeology Quarterly featured a special issue on “The Archaeology of Iron and Novel Research Trends” 75 which attempted to analyze the relationship between the organization of iron tools and the processing process, and the production and distribution of iron tools in northwestern Kyūshū.
  The Archaeological Journal 76 also published a special feature, “Yayoi Period Trade in the Sea of Japan seen through Iron” 77 . The relationship between wooden handles and iron products at the edge of blades, traces remaining on bone horn vessels, and analysis of grinding stones were examined for their dissemination and use. In “A Study of the Early Iron Age in East Asia”78, the development of blacksmithing techniques and iron production in northern Kyūshū was analyzed from an East Asian perspective. There is also a review of the oldest evidence of blacksmithing in the Kantō region. Other publications include “Ancient Swords and State Formation”79 and “Swords: Weapons and Ancient Society”80.

Wooden Artifacts
  “The Archaeology of Woodworking”81 was published, showcasing the transformation of woodworking techniques from the Jomon period to ancient times. In addition, “Timber Linking Yayoi Society” 82 , the acquisition of timber to the distribution of products was discussed, and an image of Yayoi society in the Kinki region was expanded on. The resource management of deciduous hardwoods was also discussed.

Beads
   In the study of beads, the state of long-term bead possession, production and distribution of bead objects, and their formalization was discussed. The distribution and production of beads in the Hokuriku and Tōhoku regions was also discussed.

Yayoi people as seen through Ancient Human Skeletal Remains
  “Research Report of the National Museum of Japanese History” 83 published the results of “Elucidating the History of the ‘Yaponesian’ People Using Archaeological Data”84. The process of formation of the Yayoi people was pursued based on archaeological data, dating, DNA analysis, and nitrogen isotope ratios. The diet of the Yayoi people was also studied based on dental disease, and research related to traits of the Yayoi people is also underway.

Epi-Jomon Period, Kaizuka Period
  The book “Resource Use in the Continental Jomon Culture”85 was published, and the society of the Continental Jomon culture was studied in terms of various factors such as the use of plant resources. The book also discusses the spread of the Continental Jomon culture to the northern part of Honshu and other regions. The distribution and evolution of shell accumulation sites in the supply areas were also discussed.

Yayoi Culture in East Asia
  The Society of Ancient Arms86 featured a special edition on foreign weapons and armors and examined the genealogy and acceptance of metal weapons. The process of influx and establishment of bronze artifacts from the Korean Peninsula was also discussed at the “Japan-Korea Joint Academic Symposium: Bronze Production Technology of the Korean Peninsula and Ancient Mirrors in East Asia II” 87 . At the 2022 Fukuoka conference of the Japanese Archaeological Association, a session on “Similarities and Differences in Culture and Society Across the Strait” 88 was organized to discuss Japan-Korea relations through the catalyst of the Yayoi period.

Diverse Research Developments
  Facial expressions and clay doll artifacts were compiled and reexamined, and the background of clay artifacts in the shape of weights 89 was pursued. In painting research, regional characteristics in pottery painting in the Kinki region were discussed based on motifs and drawing methods, and new examples from the San'in region were also introduced. In the study of mercury vermilion, “Yayoi People Fascinated with Vermilion: The Wakasugiyama Cinnabar Mining Site”90 was published. It was also discussed that offerings of stone pestles and mortars spread from various locations along the Japan Sea coast during the latter half of the Yayoi period. In the analysis of animal remains, the arrival of chickens and its background were introduced, and the relationship between domestication and infectious diseases was discussed based on perforations and arrangements of wild boar mandibles. “The Archaeology of Scales and Weights”91 discussed scales and weights from the Yayoi period to the Medieval Period. There is also a study that looks into the decimal system of the Yayoi period. Practices related to the recognition of the Yayoi calendar are being conducted. The Itaishi inkstone92, which is related to the use of writing, has been the focus of attention and controversy recently.
  In terms of research on the scholarship itself, the “Yayoi Culture Museum Research Report”93 has published a number of summaries of Yayoi culture research from the 1990s to the present from various points of view.

4.    The Kofun Period

Kingdoms
  Several works have been published on the establishment process of the Yamato kingdom, combined with its characteristics. “Himiko and the Yamato Kingship”94 and “The Formation Process of the Ancient State: Theory, Course, and Archaeology” 95 discussed the process of the establishment of kingship. In addition, “Regions of Ancient Japan”96 was published as a successor to “Ancient Japan” 97 , in which “Ancient Keyhole- Shaped Tumulus in Yamato and Kawauchi” and “The Northern Limit of Ancient Keyhole-Shaped Tumuli and the Tumuli of the ‘Emishi’” were published. The 10th-anniversary commemorative volume “The Frontiers of Makimukugaku”98 was published, in which the following topics were discussed: “What is a ‘Kofun’ - Structural and Regional Reexamination of its Origin”, “Round and Flat-Topped Tumuli in the Kinai Region during the Establishment of the Yamato Government”, “Is the Middle Kofun Period of the Eastern Kingdom a Nation Phase?”, “Kofun and Haniwa Rituals” among many other papers related to the Kofun period. In the symposium “Reexamination of the Genealogy of the Tombs of the Chiefs” 99 , the Society for Ancient Studies of Japan examined the genealogy of the tombs of chiefs from various perspectives, including “The Genealogy of the Tombs of the Chiefs in the Pre- and Middle Kofun Period from the Viewpoint of Burial Goods”.

Regional Studies
  “Exploring Tokyo's Kofun Tombs” 100 and “The Archaeology of Katsuragi: The Forefront of Prehistoric and Ancient Studies”101 were published. Both are ambitious works that carefully explore tombs of the region. A separate volume of Archaeology Quarterly featured kofun tumuli in the Yodo River basin. Included in the volume are the articles “Amamiyayama Kofun and Bentenyama Kofun Tumulus Group”, “The Left Bank of the Yodo River and its Keyhole-shaped Tumuli”, “The Age of Imashirozuka Tumulus”, and “The Kofun Period in the Yodo River Basin”. The “Yubunesaka No. 2 Tumulus Project 102 Results Report” materials were published, and the study related to the excavated artifacts was made public. In the reports, “Study of the Haizukayama Kofun Tumulus”103 and “Study of the Dainichizuka Kofun Tumulus in the City of Namegata, Ibaraki Prefecture: Report of the 2015 Excavation”104 were published. Also published was “Study of the Teranishi 1 Tumulus, Toyohashi City, Japan” which reported the results of rearrangement of excavated materials.
  The special exhibition “Kofun Culture of Izumo, Iwami, and Oki” was held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the opening of Yakumotatsu Fudoki-no-Oka Museum, and the catalog will include a discussion of the ‘Izumo theory’.

Tumuli & Burials
  Involving the standard of keyhole-shaped tumuli, “Distribution Structure of Design Techniques for Keyhole-Shaped Tumuli” and “The Tomb of the Monarch of Wakoku in the Saki Kofun Tumulus Group and Reproduction of Tumuli” were published. The inheritance and spread of tumuli design standards are discussed. In relation to tumuli-building stones, “Specific Aspects of Tumuli Stone Collection in Tsumiishizuka Kofun Tumulus in the Early Kofun Period” discussed the supply relationship of stone materials, with “Genealogy of Tumuli Stone Masonry in the Period of the Establishment of the Keyhole-Shaped Tumuli” discussed the genealogy of tumuli stone masonry.
  In relation to the landscape of tumuli, the Makimuku tumulus group was discussed (“Makimuku Tumulus Group and Surrounding Landscape”). The universal applicability of the discussion will be examined in the future. In terms of location and transportation routes, “The Mozu- Furuichi Kofun Tumulus Group from the Perspective of Ancient Transportation Routes” and “Location of Early Kofun Tumuli and Highland Settlements” were discussed.
  With regard to pit burials, “Funerary Order and Political Power in the Kofun Period” 105 showcased structural analysis of pit burial facilities, along with the extraction of commonalities and regional characteristics, and their meanings were discussed. Other topics include “Vertical stone chambers in the Kinai region from the viewpoint of stone materials: regional characteristics and changes in use of stone chamber materials”, “Burial facilities in the early Kofun period: a review of clay burial chambers”, and “Drainage holes in stone coffins” were published.
  On the other hand, with regard to horizontal tunnel burials, “Kofun Period Society as Seen from the Horizontal Tunnel Burials” was published in Archaeology Quarterly, and many points of discussion were presented. Other articles include “The Background of Status and Instrumental Succession in the Kofun Period as Seen from Horizontal Tunnel Burials”, “Distribution Patterns of Tsukuba Metamorphic Rocks in the Late Kofun Period”, and “Quantitative Analysis of Horizontal Stone Chambers Based on Three-Dimensional Measurements: Focusing on the Isezuka Tumulus in Gunma Prefecture” were published.
  Finally, with regard to tumuli groups, the theme “Kofun Period Tumuli in the Tōkai Region” was taken up at the Tōkai meeting of the Society for Archaeological Research, and the aspects of each region were discussed in detail. The lecture “Considering the Late Kofun Tumuli at the Foot of Mount Ashitaka” was given in connection with the special exhibition “Pioneers in Mount Ashitaka: The Largest Kofun Tumulus Group in the Tōkai Region and Regional Revival” held at the Numazu City Library.

Artifact Research
  In artifact research, the Haniwa Research Group106 held a symposium titled “Classification and Arrangement of Haniwa”107 and attempted to reorganize Haniwa. In addition, many articles were published in “Haniwa Research”108 on the theme of Haniwa production among others. In the “Journal of Haniwa Research” 109 , many articles were published on the theme of Haniwa production in the latter half of Kofun period. Some of these point out the existence of the buried person among the group of Haniwa.
  In the study of burial goods, the Chūgoku- Shikoku Association for the Study of Keyhole- Shaped Tumuli110 has continuously pursued middle Kofun period chronologies and has published a collection of related materials.
  In the study of bronze mirrors, “Kagami no Kofun Jidai (The Kofun Period of Mirrors)”111 was published, discussing the possession and use as burial goods of mirrors. In addition, the issue of long-term possession and transmission was addressed in “Mirror Transmission and Groups”. Other research projects include scientific analysis and the compilation of mirrors from university collections.
  In the field of sword research, “Swords: Weapons and Ancient Society” 112 was published, which provides a diachronic overview of sword culture and regional characteristics. “Ancient Swords and the Formation of the State”113, which adds decorated large swords from the late and terminal periods to the previous findings. The Tenri City Tourism Association’s 65th anniversary lecture “The Furu Site: Before and After the Mononobe Clan,” includes a discussion of swords. “Ancient Swords: The Origins of Japanese Swords” 114 was published, summarizing the transition from straight swords to curved swords. In the “Production and Distribution of Keitō no Tachi” section, a new edition plan was proposed according to the shape of the handle. A discussion on the large sword excavated from the Yubunsaka No. 2 burial mound was published in connection with the debriefing session.
  There were many discussions on burial goods consisting of weapons, armors, and horse tack. This discussion included the “Significance of
Kofun Tumuli with Multiple Iron Weapons and Horse Tack” and “Military and Diplomacy in the Kofun Period”, which discussed the large number of burials, their relation to military organization, and their practicality. In the Journal of Ancient Arms Research, “Weapons and Armor as Ritual Armor: The Development of Armor Ritual in the Ancient and Medieval Periods” and “What is Weapon Burial in the Kurozuka Tumulus: Aspects of Weapon Burials in the First Half of the Early Kofun Period” were published. In “Armor, Military Organization, and Warfare in the Kofun Period” the author argues that the name “Tankō”115 should be abolished, objecting to previous reconstructions.
  In the study of armor, the Archaeological Journal 116 published a special issue on “The Frontiers of Kofun Period Armor Research”. The following articles were published: “Toward Clarifying Armor Manufacturing and Production Organization in the Kofun Period”, “The Problem of the Concentration of Armor Excavated from Kofun Tombs: The Case of Iida Tumulus Group”, “The Current Status and Possibility of 3D Data Analysis in Armor Research”, “Korean Banded Armor” by Isahaya Naoto117, and “Current Status and Issues in Late Kofun Armor Research” by Yokosuka Tomomichi118.
  In the “Society of Ancient Arms” 119 the foreign elements of weapons were examined under the theme of “The Introduction of Imported Weapons and Armor in Ancient Times and Aspects of the Development of Production Technology”. The following articles were published: “People with Bronze Daggers: The Origin of Weapons in the Yayoi Culture”, “Aspects of Yayoi Society as Seen through Imported Weapons”, “Foreign and Japanese Armor of the Kofun Period”, “Expansion of the Production of Decorated Swords and Migrant Producers”, “Comparative Study of Weapons in Ancient Japan”, “Weapons and Armor Production Organization and Imported Technology and Culture from Literature: A Closer Look at the Family Registers”.
  In the field of horse tack research, several publications include “Chronology of Horse Tack and External Negotiations in the Middle Kofun Period”, “Study of Horse Tack Excavated in the Hokuriku Region (1): Focusing on Examples from Toyama and Ishikawa Prefectures”, and “Imported Decorated Horse Tack from the Late Kofun Period: Introduction of Gilt Bronze Fittings and Examination of Horse Tack from the Saitama Shōgunyama Tumulus”.
  The Archaeological Journal published a special issue on gilt bronze artifacts. It includes “The Rise and Fall of East Asian Dynasties and the Diffusion of Gilt-bronze Products”, “Metal Bow and Arrows of the Kofun Period”, “Aspects of the Reception of Precious Metal Accessories in the Kofun Period”, “The Craft Style of Banded Metal Fittings and Local Chiefs”, and “Decorated Horse Equipment from Daikaya [Gaya confederacy] Influenced by Silla”. Other topics include “Characteristics of Clustered Tumuli: Focusing on the Tsukawara Tumulus Group”, and “Changes in Earrings in the Late Kofun Period and the Late Terminal Period and Their Background: The Hakata Bay Coastal Area and the Central Kinki Region”.
  In the field of bead research, “The Road of Glass: Brilliance Linking Ancient Eurasia”120 was published. In the discussion, “Beads and Bead Production from the Furu Site”, “Long-Term Possession of Beads from the Yayoi and Kofun Periods”, and “A Study of Small Glass Beads Excavated from Kofun Tombs in Mibu Town, Tochigi Prefecture, based on the Quantities, Manufacturing Techniques, and Chemical Compositions” were among those published.
  In the field of stone artifacts and stone model, “Production and chronology of stone ritual bracelets” was published, which presents six levels of chronology. In addition, “Funerals and Rituals by Stone Models: The ‘Honest’ Kofun Group” was published.
  In the field of settlement and pottery theory, “Agriculture and Group Structure in the Yayoi and Kofun Periods” 121 was published. It discusses social structure from the viewpoint of water use and irrigation. The Kyūshū Association for the Study of Keyhole-Shaped Tumuli published “The Dynamics of Settlements and Kofun Period Tumuli III” which pursues in detail the dynamics of settlements in each region and examines their correspondence with Kofun period tumuli. Other topics include “Settlements and Regional Development around Middle Kofun Period Large- sized Keyhole-Shaped Tumuli” and “Kofun Period Settlements in the Main Basin of the Yodo River and the Northern Coast Area”.
  In the field of pottery research, the Journal of Kofun Period Pottery Research 122 includes a variety    of    discussions    on    the    chronology, distribution, and imported pottery. Other articles include “Interregional Interaction in the Kai Region in the Early Kofun Period: Based on the Classification of S-shaped Jars Excavated from Settlement Sites and Square Peripheral Tomb Tombs”, “Sue ware Excavated from the Furu Site”, and “Production and Clan Recognition in the Kofun Period: Focusing on Sue ware Production”. Stoves, cooking methods, etc. were also discussed.
  Iron production was the subject of a special issue of Archaeology Quarterly, “The Archaeology of Iron: Recent Trends in Research”. The special feature discussed iron import routes, distribution, genealogy, smithing remains, and various other issues. The other topic was “The Transformation of Blacksmithing Techniques at the Beginning of the Kofun Period and its Background”.
  In the field of wooden artifacts, “Use of Wood Based on Wood Artifacts Excavated from the Furu Site” and “Use of Bark and Production of Wood Vessels at the Furu Site” discussed the use of wood and bark.
  In the study of horse breeding, “Pastoral Landscape Archaeology: Early Kofun Period Horse Breeding and its Surroundings” 123 was published. Another is “Horse Use at the Furu Site from the Perspective of Horse Remains.
  As for salt production, “Salt production earthenware and salt use at the Furu site” and “The meaning of salt-making pottery excavated at the Shitomiya-kita site124” were published.
  In the field of human skeletal remains and kinship, “Kinship and local community in the Kofun period” in the second session of the Fukuoka meeting of the Japanese Archaeological Association is worthy of special mention. The topics discussed included “Prestige goods transfer and kinship in the Kofun period”, “Kinship and ancient state formation in the Kofun period”, “Kinship and rituals in the Kofun period”, and “Regional characteristics of human remains from the Kofun period”.
  Studies in other areas include “The Production and Development of Curved Blade Sickles in Ehime Prefecture”, “Production Tools of Red Vermillion Brought to the Tombs of the Yayoi and Kofun Periods”, “The compositional principles of A-type and B-type straight arc patterns in stone carvings”125, and “A study on the unit figures of the Kotaimon and Chokkomon 126 and their construction methods”. Furthermore, “The Archaeology of the Daijosai” 127 was published, which also discussed archaeological findings.

5.    Ancient Period

  The year 2022 marked the 70th anniversary of the special designation of Heijō Palace and the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, and a commemorative collection of essays was published. It also marked the 100th anniversary of the designation of Kokubunji Temple and other historical sites, and commemorative events and symposiums were held. Many essays were published in connection with these events.

Castle Towns
  The 70th anniversary of the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties 128 , “Advances in the Study of Cultural Properties V”129 was published. The papers in the collection cover a wide variety of themes related to cultural properties from the Paleolithic to the Modern Period, but the majority of the papers are related to the Asuka Fujiwara Palace and the Heijō Palace. The papers are from a variety of perspectives, and this collection of papers represents a significant achievement in the study of castle towns. The “Archaeological Journal” 130 published a special issue on “Current Research on Fujiwara-kyō and Heijō-kyō which included a discussion of the results of recent research. In addition, the relationship between Heijō-kyō and the Jōri system was discussed at the conference of the ‘Society for the Study of the Jōri System and Ancient Cities’ and in “The Study of the Jōri System and Ancient Cities”131. Other single publications include “The Ancient Palace Capital of Japan and the Chinese Capital City” 132 , “A Study of the Capital City Fujiwara-kyō”133, and “The Ancient Palace Capital and the Construction of Local Offices”134.

Provincial Government Offices
  “Searching for the Real Image of the Ancient National Government”135 was published in Archaeology Quarterly Supplement 37136 , which included many papers related to the history of literature and archaeology. The “Historic Site Izumo Provincial Government Site 11” 137 was published, reporting the results of the survey of the Izumo Provincial Government. In addition, the results of a study on the Dazaifu outer wall were also published. In eastern Japan, a meeting was held for the first time in three years to study the remains of ancient palisades and public offices, and a feature article was published on the restoration and maintenance of the south gate of the Tagajō Castle Ruins and other areas. In the paper, the actual age of the Tagajō II period, the similarities between the renovation of Tagajō and the Omi provincial government, etc. were discussed. Other papers include discussions and reports on cases from various regions.

Ancient Temples
  At the Kayanoki site138 in Kyōto Prefecture, a pagoda platform was found, which attracted attention because of its relation to the Tachibana clan. The Miyoshi City Board of Education in Hiroshima Prefecture has published a summary report of the eight investigations of the Teramachi Abandoned Temple, which includes a related paper. Some of the papers include a discussion of the continuity of the temple from the Kofun period, which    is         noteworthy.    A            discussion            of    the relationship with the Kofun period was also published. In the Kantō region, there were many published            studies    on        Kokubunji        temples, discussing civil engineering techniques, the period of construction, and the relationship between nunneries and monks' temples. Other topics discussed        included        the        date    of    Onjō-ji’s establishment, the layout plan of the Yamadadera temple complex, and the location of Takechi Daiji temple.        In            addition,         the            “Archaeology        of Katsuragi” 139 and “Essays on Ancient Sagami II” 140 contain discussions on ancient temples. “Narabi Kokubun Monks' Temples and Nunneries: Kazusa Kokubunji”141 was also published.

Ancient Mountain Castles
  “Kikuchijō Castle and Ancient Society”142 discussed the roads, villages, warehouses, and excavated Buddhist statues related to Kikuchijō Castle. Symposiums “Dazaifu Shiōin Temple: A Temple of the Idea of a Protectorate State Built in the ‘Western Capital’” and “The Ancient Mountain Castle, Kikuchijō Castle from the Perspective of Ancient Technology” were held and the results were published.
  With regards to settlements and residences of the Great Clans, The Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties published a report on the previous year's research meeting, “Structure and Transition of Ancient Settlements 2”. In addition, “Structure and Transition of Ancient Settlements 3” was held, and a collection of materials was published. At the meeting, the structure of ancient settlements, their changes, and their relationship with government offices were analyzed and discussed. A special feature on ancient sites was published in the ‘Rekishi Hyōron’ (Historical Journal) 143 , and there were also additional reports from archaeologists. The Archaeological Association of Yamanashi Prefecture organized a special feature, “Ancient Kai Province: Houses and Villages of the Ancient Kai Clan” in which ancient Kai was comprehensively examined, including its literary history. In addition, “The Archaeology of Ancient Kai Province” 144 was published. In addition, articles on settlements and powerful clans were published in each region.

Transportation, The Jōri System and Land Development
  The “Historical Archaeology of Ancient Landscape Reconstruction” 145 was published, presenting the results of landscape reconstruction of the Nara Basin, including landforms, and official roads. In the Ikaruga region, the layout of palaces and residences based on roads was also examined. The Izumo Journal of Ancient History146 published a special feature titled “New Developments in Ancient Transportation around the San'in Region”. A report on the survey of ancient roads in the Aoya Plain of Tottori Prefecture and its eastern hills revealed various characteristics of ancient roads. The “Journal of the Yamanashi Prefecture Archaeological Association” featured a special issue on the remains of a Jōri area in Kai Province.

Written Records
  The book “Ink-inscribed Pottery and Writing Tiles: A Study of Excavated Writing Materials” 147 was published, which included a discussion of ink-inscription and line-engraving materials. In addition, “A Collection of Excavated Textual Materials Related to Ancient Tajima Province”148 was published, and the character of ancient Tajima Province was discussed. In addition, the contents of wooden and ink-inscribed pottery were discussed.

Religion and Rituals
  A symposium was held to commemorate the Hamada Seiryō Prize lecture 149 by Hori Daisuke 150 of Bukkyo University, and a symposium titled “Considering the Convergence of Shintoism and Buddhism: Its Origins and Spread”. The process of Buddhist integration and Shinto/Buddhist syncretism was also discussed in the area surrounding Ise Jingū Shrine. In ‘Matsuri’ research, “Ancient Matsuri [festivals] and the Gods”151 was published and the transition of rituals was discussed. Various other issues were also discussed, including rituals of armor, the transformation of Okinoshima from ancient rituals to the medieval period, and Ritsuryō rituals.

International Exchange
  “The History of Interaction in the Ancient Japan Sea Rim Region” 152 was published, and aspects of the ancient period were discussed. In “A Study of the Unified Silla Pottery Style” 153 , the distribution trends and changes of Silla pottery excavated from the archipelago based on the Silla pottery chronology was clarified. In addition, the background of the Shiretoko excavated Jingo- Kaibō coins from the late Okhotsk Culture154 was presented. There was also a discussion of the ditch- holed moated pillar buildings, and the arrival of people as indicated by ink-inscribed pottery.

Artifact Research
  In the study of earthenware groups, earthenware styles of the late antique period at the Tagajo site155 and non-wheel-thrown earthenware of the Heian period were discussed. In the study of Sue ware, the interaction between makers, regional chronology, presentation of new materials, and analysis of engravings were discussed. The trends of Sue ware from the Kosai kiln were also discussed based on the results of scientific analysis. Other results include the identification of provenance utilizing X-ray fluorescence analysis. In the field of ceramics, there was a discussion on the formation process of Nara Sansai (Nara tricolored ware).
  In roof tile research, the Society for Ancient Roof Tile Research held a symposium on “Roof Tiles from the Late Nara to Early Heian Periods”156, with presentations on roof tile groups from major temples. Other topics included an analysis of the kilns that supplied tiles to the Fujiwara Palace and the nature of these kilns. The tile production techniques of the kiln supplying roof tiles to the Kōriyama II Site’s 157 government office, and a comparison with other kilns in the Tōhoku region were also discussed. Other topics included reports on the discovery of new roof tiles from the Fujiwara and Heijō-kyō capitals, research on the same type of roof tile, weight calculations, and production systems, reports on new tile kilns, and discussions of roof tiles from various regions.
  In metal artifact research, a discussion based on novel analytical results was published on bronze artifacts: “A Study on the Provenance and Mining of Ancient Bronze Raw Materials Using High-Precision Isotope Ratio Analysis”158. Other publications include a discussion on Suo coins and a paper on molds.
  In the field of iron manufacturing, “A Restorative Study of Ancient Iron Manufacturing Techniques” 159 was published, in which the differences in production and labor between box- type and vertical ironmaking furnaces through iron manufacturing experiments, as well as the changes in ironmaking furnaces in the southern Tōhoku region were investigated.
  In the study of wooden artifacts, “The Archaeology of Woodworking”160 (Yuzankaku) was published, focusing on the development of techniques and the movements of craftsmen, with an emphasis on unprocessed products. In addition, “The Beginning of Wooden Artifacts: A Collection of Excavated Wooden Artifacts (Kyōto City Edition)” and “Archeology of Geta [traditional Japanese sandals]” 161 were also published. A discussion of textile tools excavated from the Fujiwara palace and capital was also published.
  In the study of salt production, “Human History and Salt Production in the Japanese Archipelago” was published in a volume of Archaeology Quarterly, which included a discussion of ancient salt production in various regions. The salt manufacturing system in Wakasa Bay was also discussed.
  “The Archaeology of Scales and Weights”162 discussed scales and weights from the Yayoi period to the Medieval Period. In addition, an attempt was made to reconstruct ancient scales. Engraved grinding wheels and engraved paper scales were also discussed.
  In addition, there is a growing interest in ancient foods, and several discussions were presented. In addition, there were also several works on the protection and utilization of cultural properties, with the inclusion of viewpoints of archaeological tourism.

6.    Medieval Period 

Castle Buildings
  A  symposium,  “Excavated  Western
Sengoku Period Mountain Castles” was held online at the Okayama meeting of the Archaeological Institute of Japan 163 . Reports were made on mountain castles, and various discussions were held. In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the designation of the “Ōtomo Clan Site”164 as a National Historic Site in Oita City, a symposium titled “Linking with History, Linking with the Future: Reviving the Ōtomo Residence” was held. In Tochigi City, the Nishikata Castle Ruins Symposium “What We Know So Far About the Nishikata Castle Ruins” was held to summarize the results of the research to date, and a summary report is scheduled for publication in preparation for the site being designation as a historic site. In Shizuoka City, a symposium titled “A Close Look at Imagawa-date” was held. There were presentations on the life of the vassals, town buildings, the mansion, and excavated artifacts. Many castle and mansion sites, including national historic sites, have been excavated and investigated with the aim of improving them as historic sites, and many results have been accumulated. A number of books were published, including “Sengoku no Shiro to Ishigaki (Castles and Stone Walls in the Warring States Period)” 165 and “Sugiyama Shiro Mondai to Sengoku Shi Higashikuni Shirokaku” (Sugiyama Castle Issue and Eastern Japan Castle in the Warring States Period)166. The Sugiyama Castle issue is related to the users of castles, and, by extension, the methodology used to determine the chronology of castles, with future developments to be closely watched.

Urbanization / Urban Theory
  The Society for the Study of Medieval Archaeology in Eastern Japan published “Castle Towns in Eastern Japan during the Warring States Period: The Appearance of the City and Its People,” which addressed various issues related to the city, including the existence of urban planning, town space, the hierarchical structure of castle towns, territory marking, and the role of temple complexes, based on the results of research.

Tombs & Burials
  An international symposium was held based on the results of the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) “Reexamination of the Process of Formation of Japanese Technology and Culture in the Middle Ages in the Study of Stone Structures: From the Perspective of the History of East Asian Interaction”. In addition to stone materials and their provenance, historical development, and case studies, there was participation from China and Korea in the form of substitute readings, and comparisons with Korea and China were also discussed. A symposium connected to the exhibition, “Ishinomaki in the Middle Ages as Told by Monuments: 30 Years after the ‘History of Ishinomaki’” was held at the Ishinomaki City Museum. The symposium was based on the results of the reorganization of the city's inscribed stone monuments, including those that were lost in the 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami. A debriefing session for the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) “Basic Research on the Centripetal Characteristics of Medieval Temples from the Viewpoint of Stone Structures and Their Ability to Transmit Information” was held, with reports on various issues related to the Kōyasan chōishi-michi pilgrimage route. On the same day, the Kasama History Forum “Stone Pagodas Tell the Story of the Middle Ages: An Approach from Shishidoso-Iwama Kamigo” was also held. In addition, a wooden pagoda with gold leaf from an older period has been discovered in Niigata Prefecture, and its relationship to the stone pagoda is attracting attention.
  In addition, a new technique called “Hikari Takuhon”167 and 3D data are beginning to be used in the study of stone pagodas. It is expected to become popular in the future.

Artifact Research
  In the field of artifact research, the medieval roof tile “Eifukuji-style roof tile” has attracted attention and was featured in a special exhibition at the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of History, and a medieval roof tile study group was held on the theme of “Establishment and Development of Eifukuji-style Roof Tiles”. The distribution of Eifukuji-style roof tiles and roof tile groups of the same period were also discussed at the meeting.
  In the study of earthenware and ceramics research, the Japan Society for the Study of Oriental Trade Ceramics held a meeting titled “Re- Sharing and Development of ‘That Site’”. Perspectives, methods, and issues in the analysis of trade ceramics and porcelain, as well as the results of important sites, were reconfirmed and verified. In addition, a new edition of “Outline of Medieval Pottery and Ceramics” 168 was published. It describes the pottery characteristics, earthenware, and ceramics of various regions.
  In the area of production and distribution, the ‘Archaeological Journal’ published a special feature titled “Distribution of ceramics in Medieval Japan”. Distribution between the Seto Inland Sea and the Kinai region, domestic pottery from the Tōhoku region, the distribution of ceramics along the Sea of Japan coast, and Bocho-type earthenware were discussed. In addition, a study group on medieval earthenware was held on the theme of distribution under the title “The Inland Sea and the Open Sea in Late Medieval Japan”. Osaka Bay, Hyogo-no-Tsu, eastern Shikoku, the Kii Peninsula on the southern coast, and the eastern coast of Kyūshū were discussed. The Sakai City Museum held a special exhibition, “People and Goods Come and Go in Medieval Sakai: Archaeology of Distribution,” and a related symposium, “Distribution and Sakai in the Middle Ages,” was held. The symposium included lectures on maritime transport, the early medieval period and Ryukyu trade.

Miscellaneous
  “Kanayamashū and Mining Technology in the Medieval Period”169 was published. The book is a collection of writings on mining by the late Hagihara Mitsuo 170 . The Archaeology Quarterly Journal published a special feature, “Landscape and Archaeology of Eating and Drinking,” which included essays on eating and drinking from ancient to modern times. Other topics discussed include underground mines and lacquerware from the Warring States period.

7.    Early Modern Period 

Castles and Castle Towns
  “Structure   and   Development   of
Oda/Toyotomi Castle Towns (2)” was published. The changes from the Toyotomi period to early modern castles were described in a comprehensive manner, and research results were presented on various issues such as production relations, stonewalls, and roof tile production.
  The “Special Feature: Excavated Daimyo Residence”        171    was            published            in        the ‘Archaeological Journal’ 172 . Under the title of “General Introduction: New Trends in the Study of Daimyo    Residences”,        the    study    of        daimyo residences,    gardens,    warehouses,        etc.    was examined, and the results of individual research projects were reported by the affiliated researchers.
  Special research included “The Situation and Remains of Building Foundations after the Yasuhime Court Period” and “Changes in the Boundaries of the Hongo Residence (Shimoyashiki) of the Kaga Domain”.
Villages and Lodgings
  With regards to villages, “Yamabukicho Site IV” 173 examined the management of arable land and farming methods in a farming village near Edo (present-day Tokyo). In the site report “The Watanuki Harakita Site, Watanuki Hara Site, Watanuki Hara-mae Site, Watanuki Sandanwari Site, and Watanuki Kisorimachi Site” 174 , the landscape of Watanuki Village in the early modern period was restored by combining survey results, maps, and interviews.
  With regards to lodgings, in the site report “Kurihashi-juku West Main Camp I” 175 the “Fukushima Shimo-cho/Yashishita Site” 176 , the “Shimonida-kaido Hime-kaido” Fukushimajuku, a back road of Nakasendo, and the “Shinmachi Tozaki Site 2”177, the Shinmachi Inn of Nakasendo were investigated and their results are reported.

Doboku Gijutsu (Civil Engineering)
  A special feature article, “Civil Engineering Archaeology in the Early Modern Period”178 was published in the “Archaeological Journal”. Under the title of “General Discussion: Perspectives on Civil Engineering Technology in the Early Modern Period” the article discussed the construction of castles in the early modern period, the reclamation of lowlands related to the construction of Edo Castle, and the construction of levees with wooden gutters. In addition, “Historic Site Natural Monument Yashima IV”179 (Takamatsu City Board of Education) summarized the results of a survey of Yashima, the stone-producing area for the stone walls of the historic site Takamatsu Castle.

Horticulture
  The Edo Ruins Research Group took up the theme “Horticulture in Edo” at its conference, and archaeological case studies were reported along with research presentations on documentary history and pictorial materials. At Koishikawa Botanical Garden180, a survey of the garden was conducted, and archaeological remains were detected.
Excavated Artifacts
  Ceramic research continued to be active in FY2022. At the 32nd meeting of the Kansai Society for Early Modern Archaeology 181 , “Ceramic Production and Consumption in the 19th Century” was discussed, and an overview of excavated ceramics in the Kansai consumption areas was presented, revealing aspects of small regional kilns in western Japan. At the Tokyo meeting of the Society of Archaeological Studies, the aspects of the consumption areas were comprehensively discussed under the theme of “Possibilities for the Study of Early Modern Ceramics at Sites of Consumption Areas”182. The study meeting of the Japan Society for the Study of Trade Ceramics
  In “Re-Sharing and Development of ‘That Site’: 40 Years of the Japan Society for the Study of Oriental Trade Ceramics” 183 there were presentations on “Trade Ceramics Excavated from Sakai Moat City Site (2): Focusing on the ‘Nanban Trade’ Period,” and “Research on Trade Ceramics Excavated from Edo Sites.
  Other presentations on ceramics from various regions included “An Archaeological Study of Early Modern Satsuma Ware”, “A Restorative Study of the Kiln Space in the Early Modern Period: A Report on the Excavation of the Goto Ware Happongi Kiln Site184 in 2022”, “The Origin of Karatsu Ware: Exploring the Possibility of its Foundation in Tensho 20”, “Early Modern Porcelain and Textiles: With Special Reference to Fuyo-te and Shozui,” and “A Study of the Formation Process of Compra Bottles A Study on the Formation Process of Compra Bottles: A Comparative Study of Flask-shaped Wine Bottles and Compra Bottles185” and various other articles have been published.
  In the area of iron production, there is “Modern Industrialization and Iron at the End of the Edo Period as Seen from Ruins: Japanese Traditional Technology and Western Modern Technology”. In addition, “Report on the Survey to Confirm the Scope and Contents of the Hashino Blast Furnace Site” 186 was published for the Hashino Blast Furnace Site No. 2 Blast Furnace Area” was published, which is a National Historic Site.
  In addition, there is a collection of stone artifacts excavated in Yamanashi Prefecture, including a large number of unexcavated examples of inkstone and inkstone products related to production activities. There is also a discussion of clay figurines.

Food and Drink
  Archaeology Quarterly 187 featured “Food, Drink, Landscape, and Archaeology” 188 . Among this, “Sake Vessels of the Edo Period”, “Wooden Tableware of Edo”, “Kunimoto's Fish Eating in the Edo Residence: The Uniqueness of Fish-Eating Culture in the Site of Edo Daimyo Residence and Its Background” and “Carnivory and Medicine Eating in the Edo Site” were among the themes discussed. Other articles include “Analysis of the Maeda Residence Visit Records During the Genna & Kan'ei Eras” and “A Study of Teapots from the Late Edo Period Based on Excavated Materials: A Case Study of the Former Site of the Owari Domain's Edo Estate”. In addition, “Salt and Food Culture in Edo from an Archaeological Perspective” was published in Archaeology Quarterly, which discusses salt production.

Tombs & Burials
  “Funerary System and Society of Early Modern Daimyo”189 was published. In addition to a discussion of the tombs of feudal lords, the book includes a number of articles on the tomb systems of the Ryūkyū and Korean royal families and anthropological analysis. In “Stone Cultural Properties”190 , there were “Early Modern Grave Studies and Contemporary Society”, “Recent Studies on Early Modern Grave Markers”, and “Ancestral Rituals of the Daimyo: Rituals of the Ii, Okubo, and Yamaguchi Clans”. Other articles include “Establishment of Behavioral Patterns of Samurai in the Edo Period as Seen in the Chronological Transition of MSMs”, “Cremation in Early Modern Edo based on Cremated Human Remains” among others. Several excavations of cemetery sites were carried out. A representative example is “Shunchōji Temple Site Excavation Report”191, a report on the Shunchōji Temple area in Tokyo. In addition, a survey of “Ancient Tombs of Kikai Island”192 in Okinawa is being conducted by the National Research Institute of Science and Technology.

Religion
  “Christian Relics at the Ruins of Hiroshima Castle and Castle Town”193, “Plaquettes, Medals, and Medallions as Instruments of Piety: Designation and Internationality of Christian Relics”194 and “Two White Porcelain Statues of the Kannon in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture”195 were all announced. In Kantō, a survey of mounds that appear to be related to roads was conducted. Buildings that appear to be related to Shugendō lodgings196 have also been discovered.

Conclusions
  This document has summarized the trends in archaeological research in FY2022 by each archaeological period. Unfortunately, the author was unable to ascertain research trends in contemporary archaeology in 2022, so this section was omitted, the author apologizes for this. However, the Japanese Archaeological Association has called for the full preservation of the Takanawa embankment197, and has made its opinions public, and the Buried Cultural Properties Protection Committee has played a central role in working toward its preservation. However, historic site designation was limited to a partial relocation only. This is truly regrettable, and we would like to make efforts toward the preservation of the 5th and 6th districts in the future.

Translation Acknowledgement:
This document was translated from the original Japanese text, 『2022 年度の日本考古学会(日本考古学研究の動向)』by: Dr. James Frances Loftus
(Associate Professor, Institute of Science Tokyo)

1 考古学ジャーナル誌上
2 香坂山遺跡
3 富沢遺跡
4 渋川Ⅱ遺跡
5 夕立遺跡
6 ピリカ遺跡
7『先史考古学論考─石器と先史文化─』
8 宮ノ前遺跡
9 『旧石器狩猟採集民の環境適応史』
10 「東北地方岩宿時代研究のパイオニア 加藤稔の研究業績」
11 「更新世末の西南日本における環境変動と人類活動」
12 白滝型細石刃石器
13 和田鷹山群内
14 「ベーリンジア：ユーラシアからアメリカへの人類の拡散」
15    出ユーラシアプロジェクト
16 角二山遺跡
17 湧別技法札滑型
18 『縄文時代の環境への適応と資源利用』
19 『縄文海進─海と陸の変遷と人々の適応─』
20 『西日本縄文時代晩期の土器型式圏と遺跡群』
21 『土器製作技術からみた稲作受容期の東北アジア』
22 『東日本穀物栽培開始期の諸問題』
23 『居家以人骨の研究Ⅰ─早期縄文人の社会と葬制─』
24 道尻手遺跡
25 今福利恵 
26 『モノ・構造・社会の考古学』
27 大型４単位把手付深鉢
28 神明式
29 立体装飾系土器
30 貝の花遺跡
31 北白川縄文遺跡群
32 倉輪遺跡
33 鈴桶刃器技法
34 下吉田遺跡
35 安行式
36 倒置深鉢
37 屋外土器
38 五領ヶ台式期
39 新道式期
40 藤内式期
41 草刈貝塚
42 死体聚合墓
43 雲貝塚
44 安道寺遺跡
45 同県海道前Ｃ遺跡
46 「海洋進出の初源史」
47 『縄文人は海を越えたか？「文化圏と言葉」の境界を探訪する』
48 『続 日本先史考古学史の基礎研究─山内清男
の学問とその周辺の人々─』
49 『洞窟と考古学者 遺跡調査の足跡と成果』
50 『縄文と世界遺産─人類史における普遍的価値を問う』
51 『縄文時代の終焉』
52 「弥生後期社会の実情」
53 古代学研究
54 『南関東の弥生文化』
55 中里遺跡
56 「列島東北部における弥生農耕文化の受容と展開」
57 『東日本穀物栽培開始期の諸問題』
58 「弥生後期の東北」
59 考古学ジャーナル
60 天王山式
61 大中遺跡
62 『纏向学の最前線』
63 桜井市纒向学研究センター
64 纏向遺跡
65 吉野ヶ里遺跡
66 唐古鍵遺跡
67 古代文化
68 「弥生系高地性集落の再考論（上・下）」
69 須玖式土器
70 三河考古
71 木葉文
72 「石器・鉄器からみた新潟の弥生時代」
73 『銅鐸から弥生時代社会を見直す』
74 東奈良遺跡
75 「鉄の考古学・最新研究の動向」
76  月刊考古学ジャーナル
77 「鉄からみた弥生時代の日本海交易」
78 『東アジア初期鉄器時代の研究』
79 『古代刀剣と国家形成』
80 『刀剣─武器から読み解く古代社会─』
81 『木工の考古学』
82 『木材がつなぐ弥生社会』
83 『国立歴史民俗博物館研究報告』
84 「考古学データによるヤポネシア人の歴史の解明」
85 『続縄文文化の資源利用』
86 古代武器研究会
87 「韓日共同学術シンポジウム 韓半島の青銅器製作技術と東アジアの古鏡Ⅱ」
88 「海峡を挟んだ文化・社会の相似と相違」
89 分銅形土製品
90 若杉山辰砂採掘遺跡
91 『秤と錘の考古学』
92 板石硯
93 『弥生文化博物館研究報告』
94 『卑弥呼とヤマト王権』
95 『古代国家形成過程論 理論・針路・考古学』
96 『シリーズ 地域の古代日本』
97 『古代の日本』
98 『纏向学の最前線』
99 『首長墓系譜の再検討』
100 『東京の古墳を探る』
101 『葛城の考古学─先史・古代研究の最前線─』
102 湯舟坂２号墳プロジェクト
103 『灰塚山古墳の研究』
104 『茨城県行方市大日塚古墳の研究 2015 年発掘調査報告書』
105 『古墳時代の葬制秩序と政治権力』
106 埴輪検討会
107 「埴輪の分類と編年」
108 『埴輪研究』
109 埴輪研究会誌 
110 中国四国前方後円墳研究会
111 『鏡の古墳時代』
112 『刀剣 武器から読み解く古代社会』
113 『古代刀剣と国家形成』
114 『古代の刀剣─日本刀の流儀』
115 短甲
116 考古学ジャーナル誌上
117 諫早直人
118 横須賀倫達 
119 古代武器研究会
120 『ガラスの来た道 古代ユーラシアをつなぐ輝き』
121 『弥生・古墳時代の農耕と集団構造』
122 古墳出現期土器研究誌上
123 『牧の景観考古学 古墳時代初期馬匹生産とその周辺』
124 蔀屋北遺跡
125 「彫ってわかった石彫Ａ型・Ｂ型直弧文の構図原理」
126 孤帯文・直孤紋
127 『大嘗祭の考古学』
128 奈良文化財研究所 70 周年記念論集
129 『文化財論叢Ⅴ』
130 考古学ジャーナル
131 『条里制・古代都市研究』
132 『日本古代宮都と中国都城』
133 『都城藤原京の研究』
134 『古代宮都と地方官衙の造営』
135 『古代国府の実像を探る』
136 季刊考古学別冊 37
137 『史跡出雲国府跡 11』
138 栢ノ木遺跡
139 『葛城の考古学』
140 『論集古代相模Ⅱ』
141 『ならび建つ国分僧寺・尼寺 上総国分寺』
142 『鞠智城と古代社会』
143 『歴史評論』
144 『古代甲斐国の考古学』
145 『歴史考古学による古代景観の復元』
146 『出雲古代史研究』
147 『墨書土器と文字瓦─出土文字史料の研究─』
148 『古代但馬国関係出土文字資料集成』
149 濱田青陵賞受賞記念講演会とシンポジウム
150 堀大介氏
151 『まつりと神々の古代』
152 『古代環日本海地域の交流史』
153 『統一新羅土器様式の研究』
154 オホーツク文化
155 多賀城跡
156 「奈良時代末期〜平安時代初期の軒瓦」
157 郡山遺跡第Ⅱ官衙
158 『高精度同位体比分析法を用いた古代青銅原料の産地と採鉱に関する研究』
159 『古代製鉄技術の復元的研究』
160 『木工の考古学』
161 『下駄の考古学』
162 『秤と錘の考古学』
163 考古学研究会岡山例会でシンポジウム
164 大友氏遺跡
165 『戦国の城と石垣』
166 『杉山城問題と戦国期東国城郭』
167 「ひかり拓本」
168 『新版 概説中世の土器・陶磁器』
169 『金山衆と中世の鉱山技術』
170 萩原三雄
171 「特集 発掘された大名屋敷」
172 月刊考古学ジャーナル
173 『山吹町遺跡Ⅳ』
174 『綿貫原北遺跡・綿貫原遺跡・綿貫原前遺跡・綿貫三反割遺跡・綿貫反町遺跡』
175 『栗橋宿西本陣跡Ⅰ』
176 『福島下町・屋敷下遺跡』
177 『新町戸崎遺跡２』
178 「近世の土木考古学」
179 『史跡天然記念物屋島Ⅳ』
180 小石川御薬園
181 関西近世考古学研究会第 32 回大会
182 『消費地遺跡における近世陶磁器研究の可能性』
183 『あの遺跡、再びの共有と展開─日本貿易陶磁研究会 40年─』
184 八本木窯跡
185 コンプラ瓶
186 『橋野高炉跡範囲内容確認調査報告書』
187 季刊考古学
188 「飲食の風景と考古学」
189 『近世大名の葬制と社会』
190 『石造文化財』
191 『俊朝寺寺域遺跡発掘調査報告書』
192 『喜界島の古墓』
193 「広島城跡及び城下町跡におけるキリシタン関連遺跡について」
194 「信心具としてのプラケット・メダルそしてメダレット・メダリオンキリシタン遺物の呼称と国際性」
195 「山形県鶴岡市の白磁観音像２体」
196 修験道宿坊
197 高輪築堤

Overview: Japanese Archaeological Research Trends 20211
Tsuji Hideto2

The 2021 fiscal year3 became the year that Japanese archaeology, which had been forced to a standstill by the coronavirus pandemic, began to move towards the revitalization of research activities. Even under the difficult circumstances of a novel coronavirus infection that has yet to subside, there were many research meetings and academic conferences held remotely, new research presentations made and discussions conducted, and progress seen in research.
  The Japanese Archaeological Association as well was able to hold its 2021 General Meeting at Senshu University, and its 2021 Autumn Meeting at Kanazawa University, through the efforts and cooperation of the respective executive committee for each event. There were many research presentations for each occasion, with exchanges of opinion conducted online.
  The aim of this volume is to record in detail the trends in research for the 2021 fiscal year in each field of research and in each region,4 to confirm the current achievements of Japanese archaeology, and to share research issues for the future. What follows will introduce the situation of research for each period in turn.

1.    Paleolithic period
Two symposia related to the start of the Upper Paleolithic period were held. One was a program of lectures titled “How was modern human culture in Asia formed?,”5 which summarized results from the long-term project, “Cultural history of PaleoAsia.” In the lectures, models related to technological changes in the transitional period and the territorial expansion of modern humans in Asia and so forth were presented. The other was the Iwajuku Forum 2021,6 which took as its theme the appearance of blade tool assemblages in the Japanese archipelago. Comparisons of blade tool assemblages within the archipelago and internationally, the necessity of assessing the positions of assemblages, changes in their makeup, and so forth were discussed.
  In addition, research was published that pursued human behavior through experimental methods. The possibility of the existence of the Early Paleolithic was also discussed.
  Debate was exchanged on the period of transition from the end of the Upper Paleolithic to the Jōmon period.
  At the symposium, titled “Nature and dynamics of the Upper Paleolithic hunter- gatherers in Hokkaido,”7 held at the annual meeting of the Japanese Palaeolithic Research Association, examinations were made of the emergence of microliths and of trends in microlithic technology and social groups in Hokkaido, and the possibility of a parallel existence with the Incipient phase of the Jōmon period was also discussed.
  In addition, there was a reexamination of the bifacially worked stone tools recovered from the Mikoshiba8 site, and considerations of the composite tools from the Kosegasawa Cave9 site from the perspectives of function and the strategic utilization of stone material, and of assemblages of microlithic cores and so forth were made. Also, a monograph was published that comprehensively discusses the transition from the Paleolithic to the Jōmon periods.
  In use-wear research, the results of research on the use-wear of microlithic assemblages has been systematically presented. Additionally, examinations of the technology of flaking microliths are being advanced. Further, concrete attempts at reconstructing the methods of making stone blades are being made.
  In research on hunting gear, relationships between the cross-sectional morphology and functions of stone tools are being pursued, including through experimental research. As a new trend, future developments of this approach are receiving attention.
  Research utilizing scientific analysis is being advanced.
  As the source locations of stone tool materials are identified, based on those results there are discussions being held about intergroup exchanges and the social systems of hunter-gatherer groups, etc. At the same time, there are also opinions about the accuracy and reliability of source locality identifications, which will draw further consideration in the future.
  In chronological dating, a new calibration curve has been published, and examinations are underway of its reliability and of the differences compared with prior versions. The compatibility with respect to archaeological findings is also being debated.
  In regional research, a special collection titled “The development of Paleolithic research involving the Yakuraisanroku site group” was put together in the journal Miyagi kōkogaku,10 and stone tool chronology, the utilization of stone material, use- wear analysis, behavioral analysis, and so forth, were carried out. Also, there were examinations of the microlithic assemblages and spearhead-shaped projectile points of the Sagamino plateau11 and environs, of Kō-type knife assemblages of eastern Japan, of the earliest partially polished stone axes of the Tōkai region, and so forth. For archaeological features, pit-traps of the first half of the Paleolithic period, and stone heaps of the latter half of the period on the Musashino plateau,12 were taken up.
  Research methodology was also discussed. Whereas the creation of objective type classes and the application of numerical criteria for Pleistocene stone tool assemblages were advocated on the one hand, drawing upon European research results, doubts were also put forth. Finally, I would like to add that there was also discussion on how to identify the value of Paleolithic research as a viable academic system in the modern context.

2.    Jōmon period
In Jōmon research, a trend toward elucidating Jōmon society from research on artifacts including Jōmon pottery is visible.
  The journal Kikan kōkogaku compiled a special collection of articles titled “The new Jomon society opened up by pottery research,”13 and in the midst of approaches to the makers of pottery and their social structure endeavored from typological research and manufacturing technology, there was debate on the dependence on marine resources.
  There was an abundance of research published on aspects of every phase of the period.
  Regarding the time of emergence of pottery, radiocarbon dating of material adhering to linear relief pottery and stable isotope analysis have been carried out. For the Incipient phase, along with the relationship between dowel-impressed and mumon 14 pottery, the relationships and trends of co-occurrence of pottery of different lines of derivation were discussed. For the Early phase, the origin of lacquer painting was examined from an analysis of its technology, and the importance was asserted of conducting scientific analysis in conjunction with typological examinations. Also, there was an examination made of a wide-area chronology for the latter half of the Early Jōmon period of Kyushu. Regarding the Middle phase, a research meeting on Sori-style pottery was held by the Yamanashi Prefecture Archaeological Association,15 and the diversity of Sori-style pottery and the social phenomena in the background were discussed. Also, studies were seen that took as their subject matter the co-occurrence of designs of different lines of derivation, and the interregional relations among pottery. For the Late phase, the Society of Archaeological Studies held its Tokyo Regional Meeting on the theme of “Interregional relations and society of the latter half of the Jōmon period Late phase seen from pottery,”16 in which examinations were made of changes in pottery assemblages of the Kantō and Tōhoku regions, and of trends in interrgional relations and increasing social complexity. In addition, there was research on changes in aspects of pottery, analysis of lines of derivation for individual vessels, the mechanism and formation of wide-area spheres of pottery distributions, and so forth. Also, stable isotope analysis of Late phase pottery adhesions was conducted nationwide. Regarding the Final phase, the social background of the wide-area distribution was debated for Kamegaoka-style17 pottery, which has a high degree of uniformity. There was also discussion about the route by which the Kamegaoka- style pottery recovered from the Itoku18 site in Shikoku was brought from the outside. Additionally, examinations were made of the developmental process of designs of Angyō-style19 pottery, and of transitions of types of Late phase deep bowls of southern Shikoku.
  For the utilization of pottery, research was published pointing out the differential use of deep bowls based on an analysis of isotopes of carbon and nitrogen from material adhering to the pottery, and accordingly asserting that the appearance of new vessel types suggests the diversification of the diet and of the manner of distributing food. At the same time, there were doubts indicated about the uncritical acceptance of the results of scientific analyses such as those involving carbon/ nitrogen isotopes and residual lipids.
  Regarding the making of salt using earthenware, the salt making for each period along the coast of Matsushima Bay20 was examined, and it was pointed out that salt making was conducted over a long period using techniques dating back to the Jōmon period.
  As baked clay objects, dogū 21 (clay figurines) were mainly taken up. Along with the significance of dogū being questioned, there were advancements made in compilations and examinations of sites yielding multiple examples, etc. There were also endeavors at analysis with the silicone replica method and computerized tomography.
  In stone tool research, an estimation of the relationships of exchange from a comparative examination of stone tool assemblages, suppositions about the composite utilization of plant materials from the morphological classification and usage marks of flaked stone axes, and of saddle querns and handstones, etc., and an inference about the system of distribution of commodities from actual examples of storage of polished stone axes, and so forth, were published. In addition, there were discussions on the classification of hand axes and the characteristics of chopping tools. Also, many articles on Gero stone22 were published in an issue of the journal Tōkai sekki kenkyū compiled in memory of Saito Motonari.23
  For stone-made objects, a consideration was made of slit-disc earrings, and the possibility of these items being handed down was pointed out. A nationwide examination was made of production sites for jade objects, and their regionality was indicated. Apart from this, a regional compilation and analysis of large jade beads was made. Also, the significance of the oinezumi type of stamp-shaped stone objects24 was considered.
  For objects made of bone, antler, teeth, tusks, and shell, a nationwide compilation was made of perforated shell bracelets made of limpet shells,25 and the possibility that they were brought from the Izu Islands26 was pointed out. There were also articles related to a deer antler carving in the shape of a frog, and to revolving detachable harpoon heads.
  A symposium on the theme of “Construction of a theory of Jōmon society based on osteoarchaeology” was held by the Anthropological Society of Nippon.27 Comprehensive examinations were carried out based on the results of analyses of chronology, vegetation, osteological traits, pathology, genome parsing, strontium isotopes, and so forth. Additionally, it was pointed out that the contributions of cultivation to the dietary habits in the latter part of the Final phase were limited, on the basis of radiocarbon dating and carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis. Also, a reexamination was conducted based on the results of various types of analysis with regard to a Late phase secondary burial of the type known as shūsekibo.28 Further, a special collection titled “Paleopathology and archaeology” was compiled in the journal Kōkogaku jānaru.29
  In zooarchaeology, an anthology was published of works by Akira Matsui, who was the leading force in research in this field.30 From an analysis of faunal remains unearthed from the Sannō-Gakoi31 site in Miyagi prefecture, which is located inland, deer and wild boar were the main targets for hunting, and the possibility that they were also taken as materials for bone and horn tools was indicated. It is presumed that some system of management existed regarding wild boars for the Noguni32 shell mound in Okinawa, and also that they were bred in captivity for a certain period of time at the Mukaidai33 shell mound in Chiba prefecture. In addition, a systematic monograph on Jōmon people and dogs was published.
  With regard to floral resources, a special collection was compiled in the journal Shokuseishi kenkyū on the theme of “Paleoenvironmental research regarding low wetland sites of the Kantō Plain.”34 The management of forest resources, the beginning of plant cultivation, the formation of artificial ecosystems, and the composition of forests in the Jōmon period were examined. In addition, papers that examined changes in the use of plants in the Jōmon period, the management of floral resources, and related archaeological features were published. In the analysis of impressions of plant remains in pottery, examples of intentionally embedding soybeans were pointed out, and from an investigation of latent impressions in pottery from the end of the Final phase at the Etsuji35 site, there is a report confirming the existence of foxtail millet, rice, and plants of the Lamiaceae (mint) family.
  In site research, criticisms were raised with regard to opinions expressed in the report for the Akyū36 site in Nagano prefecture. Also, a reexamination and clarification of the settlement transition was conducted for a group of features at the Hōshōjiri37 site in Fukuoka prefecture, and a reconstruction was endeavored of the process of formation of the Hōryō38 site in Akita prefecture.
  In debate over features, an examination was made of indoor standing stones from the Chūbu highlands to the western Kantō region, and the process of emergence of circular stone features was pursued. Apart from this, a consideration was made of the composition of the group of features of the Ōyu39 stone circles of Akita prefecture.
  In research on Jōmon society, the social meaning and functions of rituals were discussed. In addition, the social organization of the Jōmon period, social changes from the Middle to the Late phases, and the status of influential people in Jōmon and Epi-Jōmon society were also examined.

3.    Yayoi period
In chronology, radiocarbon dating values were reassessed following the release of the new calibration curve. In addition, as new measurements were published, the accuracy of the dated cases was also questioned.
  Based on the current situation in which a certain direction has been obtained for the chronological framework of Yayoi period research, trends in Yayoi society were discussed. In particular, in tandem with the progress of paleoenvironmental research using oxygen isotope dendrochronology, the impact of environmental change on society was discussed in detail. Clarification of the relationship between the environment and society is an issue that applies to every period, and will likely become one that needs pursuing in conjunction with even more diverse factors in the future.
  Regarding the spread of Yayoi culture, while the establishment of Ongagawa- style40 earthenware and settlements in western Japan were discussed, in the Kanto region, changes in the environment, the acceptance of wet-rice agriculture,conditions of iron implements, and so forth were discussed. With regard to exchange, interactions between regions were considered based on lines of derivation of sarcophagi, and as it was pointed out on the one hand that the raw material for stone tools recovered from the Shimohieda41 site in Fukuoka prefecture was from Korea, while there was also an opinion that influence from the ancient Chinese state of Yan is visible in the practice of reutilizing pottery for spindle wheels, the field of view for relations of exchange broadened beyond the archipelago. For fishing gear, there were discussions that included relations between the areas of utilization of boats and the changes and regionality of clay and stone net weights, fishing hooks, and so forth.
  In relation to the actual state of conflict and combat that arose within Yayoi society, there was an article that detected in changes of flaked stone arrowheads a momentous turning point toward the turmoil of the Late period, and another pointing out that an arrowhead recovered from an injured human skeleton had originated from a different settlement. A similar situation was shown for Epi-Jōmon culture as well. It was also pointed out that scars of injuries extend to women and children, and future investigations into the actualities of conflict are expected.
  Highland settlements have been discussed as sites related to conflict in Yayoi society, but there has been a reexamination from new perspectives of their characteristics. Many points of view have been added, such as functions related to acquiring raw materials for the production of wooden implements, the possession of unique copper products, landscapes and viewsheds, and relationships with trends in regional society, and new images of highland settlements are in the process of being drawn.
  In research on bronze implements, examinations were advanced of chronology and regional characteristics based on the discovery of clay tools for casting. In addition, there were discussions of the transformation of rituals involving bronze implements, and of the process of formation of Kinai bronze bells (dōtaku 42).
  Regarding the raw materials for bronze implements, investigations and analyses have been made of lead isotope ratios. Among these, concrete understanding has been demonstrated regarding the results that show commonalities with items recovered from the Lelang Commandery.43 There are other debates involving lead isotope ratios, and the consistency of understandings is still problematic. Comprehensive consideration will likely be required, including the issue of analytic accuracy.
  For economic production, the specialization of craftsmen and the systems of production were discussed with respect to wooden and iron products. The movement of production workers was also under examination.
  In pottery research, while detailed chronological studies were advanced regionally, there were also many papers published discussing exchanges and relations of influence based on commonalities between regions in the Late period.
  New research methods are being tried in pottery research, such as using three- dimensional measurements and comparing them with scale drawings that are comprised of two-dimensional data. The effectiveness will surely be examined in the future.
In research on stone tools, the production technology for single-edged stone axes, changes in the lines of derivation of stone axes used for felling trees for lumber, and differences in the production sites and circulation of stone harvesting knives were discussed.
  In research on beads, the systems of acquisition and circulation of jade, jasper, and green tuff were debated. In addition, the clay paste, the composition and circulation of the products, and so forth were examined for the glass magatama molds excavated from the Uedashi Kita II44 site in Shizuoka prefecture. A diachronic study of jade and jasper was also published.
  The ritual of offering smashed pottery in relation to the burial system was examined. In addition, compilations were made of basic materials related to the burial system in various regions.

4.    Kofun period
In debate over the Kofun period as a whole, a view was published taking the span from the Late Yayoi into the Early Kofun period as an era of transition. From a broader perspective, there was also discussion dealing with the inner portion of the monarchy as well as influential regional groups and chieftains in the fifth and sixth centuries. Regarding periodization, actual conditions in the period referred to as the “Earliest Kofun” and so forth were discussed, along with its significance. In debates over state formation, the construction of monuments, prestige goods, and monetary economy, etc., were taken up, and comparisons made in terms of both global theories and diachronic perspectives on the form of the state. In addition, the characteristics of the Kofun period culture of Wakoku were discussed in terms of iron production and so forth.
  Regarding warfare, the conditions and characteristics of war in the Japanese archipelago were debated, and concrete aspects of warfare and its relation with rituals discussed at a symposium held by the National Museum of Japanese History.45
  In research on tombs, the current status and issues regarding imperial tombs, including those designated as World Heritage, were reviewed, and the need was pointed out for public dissemination of information relevant to the problem. A new perspective was suggested regarding the significance of the base of keyhole-shaped mounds, and discussion was presented finding significance in the shape of the mounds and particularly the relation of the level portion on the top of the mound with the three-dimensional form. Analyses were also made of construction methods of the mound. There was a treatise on mound orientation from the perspective of landscape history.
  Regarding stone chambers, there was a study pointing out the existence of a confederacy of powerful clans as background to the adoption of horizontal stone chambers, and the proposal of an “Iki Island-style horizontal stone chamber” based on an examination of the Iki Tomb Group,46 a nationally designated Historic Site. In addition, there were points made about the practices of crews of craftsmen who built stone chambers, and a study was published analyzing various lines of derivation of horizontal stone chambers.
  In 2021, a variety of research was conducted on artifacts.
  Concerning mirrors, a new interpretation was presented on mirrors excavated from the Shikinzan47 tomb, and the background to the formation of the triangular- rimmed mirror was discussed. Concerning Early period domestic (imitation) mirrors, there was an investigation of Japanese-made mirrors made through an analysis of the originals that were imitated.
  For stone-made objects, a perspective was presented taking the regional expansion of the circulation of material goods and the formation of common economic spheres as background factors to their distribution. There was also a deepening of research on individual items among soft stone imitative articles. For wooden products, the relationship between earthworking tools and the targets for development was discussed. With regard to tools for production, changes in the decorations and blades of point planes were sorted out, and for fishing gear, the regional characteristics of fish hooks and harpoons made of bone and antler were discussed.
  As for bodily ornaments, the history of Japanese–Korean exchange, and modes for workshops and products, etc., were depicted as seen through the variety of personal accessories. Also, the image of the occupant of the Eta Funayama48 tomb was discussed from a comparison of the gilt-bronze crown excavated from the mound with items of Baekje manufacture. The realities of multi-faceted interactions with Silla were also discussed based on the recoveries of Silla-style gold earrings with pendants. In addition, studies were published that examined the processing and technique of decorating gilt-bronze fish-shaped waist ornaments, and the appearance and lines of derivation of horizontal combs.
  A comprehensive anthology on horses and ancient society was published, in which materials related to the initial phase of equestrian culture were compiled and examined. In addition, the current state of research on the distribution and supply of equestrian gear was summarized. In weapons research there were many studies taking up decorated swords. These include topics such as the inscription on an iron sword of the characters 中平,49 and the reconstruction of a bulbous-pommeled sword from the Miyajidake tomb.50 Also, there was a new proposal for the production system of swords with slanting pommels called keitō.51 In addition, there were studies published on swords decorated with miwadama,52 on craftsmen of Japanese-made ring-pommeled swords, the use of iron arrowheads, and the cuirass excavated from the Inadō53 No. 15 tomb. For armor, discussions were held on trends in immigrant craftsman groups based on the production system of quivers, and on the manner of wearing helmets and changes in their form. In addition, the view was expressed that the meaning of placing armor in burials was politically symbolic.
  In research on Haji54 ware, in addition to the items named for their resemblance to a “handwarmer”55 being taken up, the actualities of interregional exchange were clarified. The relationship of earthenware and rice cooking methods was discussed. In addition, in a research meeting of the Chūgoku Shikoku Keyhole Tomb Research Society there was much discussion about Haji and Sue ware in the Middle Kofun period.56 The sequences and transitions for double-rimmed jars were also discussed. For Sueki, the production of Sueki using the rindai 57 technique and its application to haniwa 58 production were discussed. In addition, the establishment and development of the Higashiyama59 kiln and its relationship with the Suemura60 kiln were examined. From the study of steaming vessels (koshiki 61), the process of
the establishment of Sueki production in the Japanese archipelago was described.
  In haniwa research, the division of labor among lineages in the Kinai region was described, and there was also a discussion of the clans involved in production. For human figurines, the nature of scenes in which someone is kneeling was discussed.
A reexamination was also conducted of rows of cylindrical haniwa as a means for blocking the view. In addition, an attempt was made to interpret various relationships between chiefs as background for the coexistence of haniwa from different lineages at the same burial mound. Regarding production and supply, differences in supply trends depending on the lineage of haniwa kilns were pointed out. A study was also published interpreting the prevalence of haniwa depicting military figures and government officials in the eastern provinces as attempts to boast the local leaders’ achievements in external activities. In addition, commentaries and general treatises related to haniwa were also published.
  In settlement research, the Society for the Ancient Studies of Japan published an anthology that considers social changes based on trends for settlement sites from the Kofun to Asuka periods.62 Among individual studies, there was an article linking buildings with verandas on all four sides to chiefly authority, and another looking at the nature of shed-roofed structures as related to rituals and mourning. The transition from the Kofun to the Ancient periods in terms of the measuring scale related to architectural features was examined. A reexamination of the concept of the patriarchal household as collective unit was presented.
  With regard to funerary rites, mourning huts (mogariya 63) within the settlement were explored, and changes in mortuary ceremonies for each period were also thoroughly discussed. Concerning tombs, it was pointed out that secondary burial conditions, in which skeletons interred in horizontal stone chambers were not in their original positions, are notable for eastern Japan.
  Regarding production, a record of the Society of Archaeological Studies Tōkai Regional Meeting was published, with the results of work sorting out the development of various handicrafts, centering on blacksmithing and the technology of kiln operations. In addition, articles were published that examined various handicrafts related to horses, salt, pottery, and so forth. The relationship between the spread of the breeding and use of horses with related aspects of transportation was examined.
  In research on regional society, an attempt was made to reconstruct regional society based on the newest information stemming from the results of field surveys of tombs. There was also an attempt to explore the background to the adoption of keyhole-shaped mounds. An effort to examine the extension of regional control on the part of the Wa monarchy from the perspective of developing water resources was also published. Many books depicting regional images of the Kofun period were published as well. There was also an attempt to interpret burial mounds using a model from Britain. In addition, there was discussion on the relationship between tombs and transportation routes, including debate on the relationship of transportation routes with the earliest horizontal stone stone chambers, and with political ties.
  For immigrants and immigrant culture, research was published that examined horses and related materials, and found differences in their aspects in each region. In addition, a view was expressed about the presence of immigrants who came via the Kinki region. There was also a study of steaming vessels derived from the Korean Peninsula that were excavated in the Kantō region.
  Regarding international exchange, an encyclopedia summarizing the results of research to date has been published. An article was published asserting that the rulers of various parts of the archipelago conducted diplomacy independently with the Asian continent apart from the state-level diplomacy of Wa. In addition, the view was expressed that in the fifth century diplomacy with Silla, the eastern portion of Izumo would have been the point of contact on the Sea of Japan for negotiations. At the same time, there was an analysis that the nature of negotiations with the peninsula changed before and after the Iwai Rebellion.64
  The journal Kōkogaku jānaru compiled a collection on “Gender and archeology”65 with the aim of writing ancient history from a new perspective. It included discussion of the leadership role of female chieftains. Also, the nature of the kinship group at the Isoma Rock Shelter Site66 is discussed based on identifications of gender and consanguineal relations through DNA analysis.
  Three-dimensional measurement has spread rapidly in recent years, along with an increase in related research results. The effecacy of three-dimensional measurement was discussed based on practical examples of advances in research on armor, horizontal stone chambers, and defects in molds for producing identical types of mirrors.
  In human skeletal research, strontium isotope ratio analysis has been used to discuss the personal histories of individuals closely related to horse breeding groups. In addition, the results of DNA analysis, carbon and nitrogen isotope ratio studies, C14 dating, and so forth have accumulated.

5.    Ancient period
In research on Ancient capitals, studies were advanced on the palace and capital city of each period. A meeting of the Society for Research on the Capital City System67 saw reexaminations of the structure and process of construction of the Fujiwara Palace Imperial Audience Hall, and of the structure and transitions of the Asuka Capital Site Garden Pond.68 For the Nara palace,69 there was discussion on the remains of kitchen-related features in the East Palace70 sector, on the transition and significance of the Daijōkyū,71 and the actual condition and significance of the Outer Capital.72 At the Naniwa73 palace, a study of the construction process of the Former Naniwa palace was made on the basis of a comparison with the Asuka palace. The character of Front Hall of the Dairi74 at the Naniwa palace in the reign of Emperor Shōmu75 was discussed. The Jōri Field System/Ancient Urban Research Society76 examined the urban structure of the Heian77 capital in the early Heian period, and the results were summarized in its journal.78 In addition, a special collection titled “The archaeological excavation of Japanese ancient capital, Heian- kyo” was compiled in the journal Kōkogaku jānaru.79 Among the contents, the structure of the Heian capital, the city wall, the remains of mansions, and so forth were examined.
  Although the annual research meeting of the Ancient Fortified Government Office Sites Study Group was canceled, the materials for the meeting on the theme of glazed stoneware recovered from fortified governement office sites were published.80 In addition to a general treatment of the topic, the contents included examinations of the Tagajō81 and Isawa82 Castle sites, and of the southern portions of the Ancient provinces of Michinoku83 and Dewa.84 In relation to the Tagajō Castle site, there were studies of the Tagajō Stele85 and an analysis of links between the founding of Tagajō and Dazaifu.86 Apart from this, there were reports of newly identified fortified government office sites. Also, a comprehensive anthology on fortified government office sites was published.
  Regarding hill forts of the Ancient period, the Kumamoto Prefectural Board of Education published a portion of the results of a special research project on the site of Kikuchi87 Castle, including research on the relationship between regional society and horse breeding, and a comparison of the water procurement facilities with ancient hill forts of the Korean Peninsula.
  The journal Kikan kōkogaku compiled a special collection on the theme of rock- carved Buddhas and stone pagodas surviving at Ancient period mountain temples. 88 The variety of cliff-face carved stone Buddhas and stone monuments in every region was discussed from the perspective of elements that make up temples. In research on sacred mountain sites, presentations were made and a symposium held by the Kyushu Sacred Mountain Site Study Group. The results can be seen in a publication of the materials.89
  For transportation, the actual condition and functions of the Shimotsumichi,90 a main road of the Nara basin, were examined. Also, the nature of the Taburegokoro no mizo,91 a canal of the period of Empress Saimei,92 was approached through a reconstruction of its scale and route. In addition, the significance of ancient roads was discussed comprehensively in conjunction with other facilities of the Ancient state.
  In research on temples, a comprehensive treatment on ancient nunneries (Grant- in-Aid for Scientific Research report) was published,93 and as a portion of the results of that research, a study was produced of the roof tiles excavated from Chūgūji94 temple. There were also multiple publications of research comprehensively discussing the development of Buddhist temples.
  In roof tile research, a symposium on the theme of ornamental ridge-end tiles (shibi 95 and onigawara 96) and was held by the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties Ancient Tile Research Group, and detailed reports were made on the situation at various places.97 Also, a record of the previous symposium was published.98 Apart from this, the production of roof tiles around the Ōmi Ōtsu99 palace, flat eaves tiles with a modified palmette scroll pattern, roof tiles excavated from the southern portion of Shiga prefecture, tiles of Heijō palace derivation that were excavated from the Tsubakiichi100 abandoned temple site, round eaves tiles with an early simple-lotus petal design excavated from Dazaifu, tile production technology at the Michinoku provincial headquarters, and so forth were discussed. Additionally, a compilation of Ancient period tiles from the province of Harima101 was published.
  In site investigations, confirmation of the site of the pagoda at the Idedera102 site was reported. Also, at the Sugahara103 site in Nara Prefecture, a circular building surrounded by a cloister and possibly a roofed earthen wall was discovered. It is said to have been set up in the middle portion of the eighth century, and to have survived until the beginning of the ninth. Its character is currently being debated. In addition, there were reconsiderations of temple layouts, including the pagoda remains at the Takei abandoned temple,104 and the main hall of Shitennōji105 temple at Akita castle.
  For published works, an anthology dealing with Prince Shōtoku106 and Shitennōji temple (in Osaka) was published, containing articles from many fields including archeology, history, art, and architecture. In addition, the annual report Tofurō published a special collection marking the 100 years since the designation as a Historic Site of the Chikuzen provincial monastery and tile kiln.107 Also, monographs were published with the Nara period temples of Daianji,108 Hōryūji,109 and Tōdaiji110 as theme.
  Regarding research on burial mounds, the procurement of shells in relation to the interment of cinerary urns following cremation was examined. In addition, concerning burials of cremated remains, an analysis of conditions within a particular site, and a compilation of materials within a region, were carried out.
  In settlement research, there was a publication from the Ancient Government Offices/Settlements Research Society on the structure and transitions of Ancient period settlements,111 which included analyses of the types of settlements, changes in settlement structure within regions, and changes in settlement structure at archaeological sites.
  In relation to the production of metal objects, the seventh and eighth century coin minting agencies were examined. Also, there were discussions of archaeological features related to metal casting, iron working, and so forth.
  For studies of ceramics, the production and distribution of Sue ware, and of glazed stoneware of the Ancient provinces of Owari112 and Mino113 were examined. There was also a study of the significance of a Tang sancai glazed ceramic pillow recovered from the Dewa provincial headquarters. In addition, articles were published on the mode of production of green glazed ceramics and the form of operation of Ancient Sue ware manufacture.
  Against the background of recent disasters and the spread of the coronavirus infection, disasters and epidemics of the Ancient period were taken up. A study was published homing in on the actualities of the Jōgan114 tsunami through detailed examination of the deposited strata. In addition, concrete images were shown of social unrest stemming from epidemics, including smallpox at the Nara capital.
  In addition to the above research, a special collection on wooden tablets was compiled in Kōkogaku jānaru.115 Also, an anthology titled Horses and Ancient society 116 was compiled, in which articles from various perspectives were published. Other topics taken up include the ancient diet, analysis of charred food remains, and food spoilage due to flies.

6.    Medieval period
Many excavations were conducted relating to urban and settlement research. These include investigations of Heian–Kamakura period timber-framed wells built in hexagonal pits, settlements composed of embedded-pillar buildings, and settlements inferred to have been where influential people lived. There were also many other sites for which the nature was inferred from the recovered artifacts, such as the Tarumi Hyūga117 site presumed to be related to a Tōdaiji manor from the excavation of large-scale embedded-pillar buildings and a large-scale well, and a large amount of small biscuit ware dishes. In addition, there were examples as well of investigations at production-related sites for which it was pointed out that Muromachi to Edo period rice paddy remains and fifteenth–sixteenth century blacksmithing-related features matched with historical records. In publications, there was a monograph examining the medieval city of Nara, and an article presenting regionally based research on banquets.
  For mansions and castles, many sites were investigated such as the nationally designated Historic Sites of Jōjujidate Castle118 and Hiyama Castle.119 In addition, at the Former Matsunami Castle Garden,120 a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty, and at the National Historic Site Makabe Castle,121 and elsewhere, many garden features were investigated. As publications, the realm of Shimotsuke province in the Sengoku and initial Early Modern periods,122 and religious beliefs in relation to fortified residences of the Medieval eastern provinces123 were taken up in monographs. In addition, an anthology titled Castle Research and Archeology was compiled, and a variety of research results were presented.124 Also, a symposium focused on the Asakura clan hillfort,125 and a symposium commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Ne Castle's designation as a Historical Site126 were held.
  There were many excavations carried out related to the burial system and religion. Attracting attention among these were the Tsumagitaira site,127 which is presumed to be a ritual space of the Kamakura period, the Tsujimachi site, 128 where many medieval graves were discovered, and a natural cave site in Okinawa which yielded human skeletal remains with noteworthy characteristics from the Gusuku period.
  Regarding production and distribution, a large-scale stone piling from the eleventh to twelfth centuries was discovered at the Hakata129 site group, together with imported ceramics. Also, nine new level-ground kilns were discovered at the Mantomi Tōdaiji130 tile kiln site, a nationally designated Historic Site. Among publications, there was an introduction to the Medieval temple site Shurasan,131 and an anthology concerning the Okudaidō.132 A meeting of the Ancient Transport Research Society was held, and various issues related to traffic and circulation were presented.133
  Trade ceramics were taken up as one of the pillars of research on earthenware and high-fired ceramics, and the trade ceramics of each period were examined in the journal Bōeki tōji kenkyū.134 In addition, a special feature was organized on pottery with pillar-shaped pedestals in the journal Chūkinsei doki no kiso kenkyū,135 with regional situations examined nationwide, and a comprehensive examination made including the issue of the source of this vessel.
  As for research meetings, regular meetings were held by the Japan Society for the Study of Oriental Trade Ceramics136 and the Society for Medieval Ware Research,137 and an international symposium was held by the Iwate University Center for Hiraizumi Studies,138 with lively discussions unfolding on the theme of the international circulation of ceramics.

7.    Early Modern period
Many excavations at castles were carried out. Because these are large-scale sites, surveys may be limited to only a part, but they can obtain important knowledge providing clues for considering the overall shape of the site. In an excavation at Iwakitaira139 Castle in Fukushima Prefecture, an inner moat was discovered at a location corresponding to a historic pictorial map. An excavation of the main tower’s foundation was conducted at Kōriyama140 Castle in Nara prefecture, yielding significant results, while at the same time a comprehensive survey of the castle clarified changes in the process of construction for each castle facility, etc., and the results have been published. Diverse artifacts and features were unearthed at the Nakagusuku Udun141 palace in Okinawa prefecture, and the true form of Nakagusuku Udun is being clarified.
  Apart from castles, the recovery from the ditch of a city rampart in Kyoto of a stamp used to authenticate a minted silver coin, Keichō chōgin,142 and the results of the investigation of a grave presumed to be that of Miguel Chijiwa, a member of the Tenshō143 embassy to Europe, drew attention. In an investigation at Funai144 Castle in Oita Prefecture, a reconstruction of the residential lot allocation and the identification of the residents is underway.
  In investigations of post stations and highways, the excavation of the Kurihashijuku145 site in Saitama prefecture has been drawing attention. Among the remains of structures standing in a row, districts have been discerned for a variety of facilities such as inns and blacksmith shops, and the image of a post station on the Nikkō Kaidō146 is coming to light. At the Maehara147 site in Nagasaki prefecture, a main road called the Hirado Ōkan148 and a post town lining that road were investigated, and the actual conditions of a post town spanning the Early Modern to Modern periods is being clarified. In addition, Early Modern and Modern remains of the Hokurikudō149 have been found in Toyama prefecture.
  Investigations clarified many aspects of samurai residences, as many discoveries were made including (in Tokyo prefecture) the estate conferred from the mid Edo period upon the hatamoto Shimada150 family, residences for corps of low-ranking samurai serving as flag bearers, the mansion of the Honda family who served as governors of Bungo,151 the site of the daimyo residence of the Matsudaira family of the Saijō domain of Iyo province152; (in Kanagawa prefecture) the residence of the chief retainer in the third enclosure of Odawara Castle153; and (in Osaka prefecture) the warehouse site of the Kurume154 domain.
  Surveys of production sites were also carried out. At the Arioka155 Castle site in Hyōgo Prefecture, features of the Early Modern and Modern periods related to sake brewing and pressing were discovered. Also, at the Sainohara tatara 156 (bloomery) site in Tottori prefecture, a transition from an old to a new bloomery and the underground structure were clarified. In addition, a stepped multi-chambered climbing kiln was investigated at the Furukameya shimokama157 kiln site in Saga prefecture. At the Iwami Ginzan158 Silver Mine, a World Heritage site, an academic excavation was conducted and a large-scale building standing on foundation stones was discovered, suggesting it was possiby a refinery of the latter half of the Edo period.
  Large-scale cemetaries were investigated. The graveyard at the former site of the Rinzai sect temple Ryūkōji159 was excavated in Tokyo, and many stone chamber burials and jar coffin burials were found. The large-scale cemetery called Umedahaka160 was confirmed in Osaka prefecture, and a large number of graves comprised of direct inhumations were investigated. In Okinawa prefecture, tunnel- style tombs, and mausolea shaped to resemble a tortoise shell161 or having a gabled roof,162 were investigated in the Shichabaru kobo163 (old tomb) group.
  In research on artifacts, ceramics, coins, and so forth were taken up. For ceramics, Volumes 14–15 of Chūkinsei tōjiki no kōkogaku 164 were published, discussing various issues such as distribution, production, and manufacturing technology. In addition, a special collection on characters written on Early Modern ceramics was compiled in Kōkogaku jānaru.165 As for coins, an examination was made of items excavated from Early Modern cemeteries.
  As research on burial mounds, graveyards of daimyo were taken up, and the size and structure of the stone chambers, and the actual conditions of burial, were discussed.
  In addition, the Edo Archaeological Site Research Society held a meeting with the unique theme of “The mouths of Edo period people,”166 presenting research on oral hygiene, medical care, etc. At research meetings, the Kansai Early Modern Archeology Research Society focused on productive activities such as the production and processing of metals, and sake brewing,167 and the Early Modern Ceramics Research Society concentrated on Nabeshima ware.168

8.    Modern period
In recent years, many investigations and research are seen for the Modern period as well.
  In excavations, there were surveys conducted of the remains of a building from the end of the nineteenth century standing atop a mizuka,169 of the site of a former army hospital, of features at an army facility destroyed in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and so forth. Publications included research on fire-resistant bricks, ceramics, and eaves tiles.
  What attracted the most attention in 2021 was the discovery and investigation of the Takanawa Chikutei170 (embankment). The embankment, which was discovered in extremely good condition lying beneath the JR Yamanote line, is a precious archaeological feature telling the story of railway construction as part of Japan's national policy during the Meiji period. Despite a Heritage Alert being issued from ICOMOS, the major portion of the surveyed area was destroyed, with only a small part surviving as a component of a nationally designated Historic Site. The subsequent treatment of the uninvestigated area will likely have a great impact on issues of preservation for Modern era sites in the future.

Conclusion
Unlike the previous year, which was marked by restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, archaeological research in fiscal 2021 was generally active, and many ambitious works were published.
  Research is not limited to archaeological materials, but based on advances in scientific analysis, and it can be said that the field of view has expanded as a whole with the addition of a variety of information on the natural environment, climate change, dating methods, isotope analysis, and so forth. However, it is necessary to evaluate in calm fashion the accuracy of natural scientific analysis, and the range and the limits of the significance shown by its data, and use those data in conjunction with the results of archaeological research. With that in mind, we look forward to further achievements in the future.

1 [Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research, 2021, is a partial translation of “Nihon kōkogaku kenkyū no dōkō” 日本考古学研究の動向, in Nihon kōkogaku nenpō 74 (2021 nendoban) 日本考古学年報 74（2021 年度版) (Archaeologia Japonica 74 [2021 Fiscal Year Issue]) (Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai, 2022),pp. 1–40. This essay appears on pp. 1–6, under the Japanese title “Sōsetsu” 総説. It was translated by Walter Edwards, and published by the Japanese Archaeological Association (Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai日本考古学協会) online in 2023. To streamline the text, characters for Japanese names and terms, and bibliographic information have been placed in footnotes. When an English translation of the name of an organization or publication (or symposium, etc.) is supplied by the party responsible, this is used with minimum changes in capitalization etc. to conform to the style followed by Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research. Romanized names of individuals are given with the surname followed by the personal name.]
2 辻 秀人
3 The fiscal year begins on April 1 of each calendar year.
4 [Translator’s note: The reference to “this volume” denotes the yearbook, Nihon kōkogaku nenpō 74, of which the current item is the introduction, followed by sections summarizing research trends by archaeological period, and then by prefecture.]
5 “Ajia no shinjin bunka wa dono yō ni keisei sareta ka?” アジアの新人文化はどのように形成されたか? (How was modern human culture in Asia formed?), lecture meeting sponsored by “Pareo Ajia bunka shigaku” パレオアジア文化史学 (Cultural history of PaleoAsia), a project funded under the Ministry of Education Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (held as a Zoom Webinar, 4 December 2021).6 “Nihon rettō ni okeru sekijin sekkigun no shutsugen” 日本列島における石刃石器群の出現 (The appearance of blade tool assemblages in the Japanese Archipelago), Iwajuku Fōramu 2021 岩宿フォーラム 2021 (Iwajuku Forum 2021) (Iwajuku Museum, Midori, Gunma, 7 November 2021).
7 “Hokkaidō no kyūsekki jidai to shūdan” 北海道の旧石器時代と集団 (Nature and dynamics of the Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherers in Hokkaido), symposium held at the Nihon Kyūsekki Gakkai Dai 19-kai Taikai 日本旧石器学会第 19 回大会 (19th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Palaeolithic Research Association) (held online by Zoom, 19–20 June 2021).
8 神子柴 (Nagano prefecture)
9 小瀬が沢洞窟 (Niigata prefecture)
10 “Yakuraisanroku isekigun o meguru kyūsekki kenkyū no tenkai” 薬莱山麓遺跡群をめぐる旧石器研究の展開 (The development of Paleolithic research involving the Yakuraisanroku site group), a collection of eight articles in Miyagi kōkogaku 宮城考古学 (The Miyagi Archaeology), no. 23 (2021): 7–134.
11 相模野台地 (Kanagawa prefecture)
12 武蔵野台地 (Tokyo and Saitama prefectures)
13 Abe Yoshirō 阿部芳郎, ed., “Doki kenkyū ga hiraku aratana Jōmon shakai” 土器研究が拓く新たな縄文社会 (The new Jomon society opened up by pottery research), a collection of 13 articles in Kikan kōkogaku 季刊考古学 (Archaeology Quarterly), no. 155 (2021): 5–92.
14 [Translator’s note: 無文土器, mumon doki (literally, undecorated or “plain” pottery). There is grow- ing recognition among Japanese archaeologists of the possibility that undecorated pottery found at the Ōdai Yamamoto I ( 大平山元Ⅰ, Aomori prefecture) site and elsewhere is the oldest ceramic stage in Japan. Despite being represented by the same Chinese characters when written in Japanese, this must be distinguished from the Mumun pottery of the Korean peninsula, chronologically much newer and associated with the spread of intensive agriculture.]
15 “Sorishiki doki to sono shūhen” 曽利式土器とその周辺 (Sori-style pottery and its environs), Yamanashi-ken Kōkogaku Kyōkai 2021 Nendo Kenkyū Shūkai 山梨県考古学協会２０２１年度研究集会 (2021 Research Meeting, Yamanashi Prefecture Archaeological Association) (held online, 20–21 November 2021).
16 “Doki kara mita Jōmon jidai kōki kōhan no chiikikan kankei to shakai” 土器からみた縄文時代後期後半の地域間関係と社会 (Interregional relations and society of the latter half of the Jōmon period Late phase seen from pottery), Dai 54-kai Kōkogaku Kenkyūkai Tōkyō Reikai 第 54 回考古学研究会東京例会 (Society of Archaeological Studies 54th Tokyo Regional Meeting) (held online, 7 July 2021).
17 亀ヶ岡式
18 居徳 (Kōchi prefecture)
19 安行式
20 松島湾 (Miyagi prefecture)
21 土偶
22 下呂石
23 齋藤基生; the articles appeared in issue no. 11 (2021) of Tōkai sekki kenkyū 東海石器研 (Tōkai Stone Tool Research)
24 おいねずみ型石冠, also written 老いねずみ形石冠 [Translator’s note: The term sekkan 石冠 (literally, “stone crown”) is applied to a group of enigmatic stone-made items that are chronologically limited largely to the Late and Final phases of the Jōmon period, and described in English as “stamp-shaped stone objects,” often with a knob-like handle and a flat or concave bottom. One variant, the object of the current discussion, presents as a humped shape that is humorously likened, as the name implies, to an “old rat.”]
25 Specifically, bracelets made from a type of limpet called ōtsutanoha オオツタノハ (Patella optima).
26 伊豆諸島 (Tokyo prefecture)
27 “Kotsu kōkogaku ni yoru Jōmon shakairon no kōchiku” 骨考古学による縄文社会論の構築 (Construc- tion of a theory of Jōmon society based on osteoarchaeology), symposium held in conjunction with the Dai 75-kai Nihon Jinrui Gakkai Taikai 第 75 回日本人類学会大会 (75th Meeting of the Anthropological Society of Nippon) (University of Tokyo, 10 October 2021).
28 集積墓 (also called shūkotsubo 集骨墓)
29 “Kobyōrigaku kenkyū to kōkogaku” 古病理学研究と考古学 (Paleopathology and archaeology), a collection of five articles in Kōkogaku jānaru 考古学ジャーナル (The Archaeological Journal), no. 757 (2021): 3–23.
30 Matsui Akira 松井章, Dōbutsu kōkogakuron 動物考古学論 (Zooarchaeology in Japan) (Shinsensha, 2021).
31 山王囲
32 野国
33 向台
34 “Kantō heiya no teishitchi iseki ni okeru kokankyō kenkyū” 関東平野の低湿地遺跡における古環境研究 (Paleoenvironmental research regarding low wetland sites of the Kantō Plain), a special collection of two articles in Shokuseishi kenkyū 植生史研究 (Japanese Journal of Historical Botany), 30 (2022): 5– 34.
35 江辻 (Fukuoka prefecture)
36 阿久
37 法正尻
38 堀量
39 大湯
40 遠賀川式
41 下稗田
42 銅鐸
43 楽浪郡 (on the Korean Peninsula)
44 植出北Ⅱ
45 “Sensō no randosukēpu to senshi shakai” 戦争のランドスケープと先史社会 (Landscape of warfare in prehistoric society), international symposium held by Kokuritsu Rekishi Minzoku Hakubutsukan 国立歴史民俗博物館 (National Museum of Japanese History) (National Museum of Japanese History and online by Zoom, 20 November 2021).
46 壱岐古墳群 (Nagasaki prefecture)
47 紫金山 (Osaka prefecture)
48 江田船山 (Kagoshima prefecture)
49 [Translator’s note: The reference is to a sword excavated from a fourth-century keyhole tomb, Tōdaijiyama 東大寺山, in Nara prefecture, bearing a 24-charcter inscription that includes the sequence中平. This has been interpreted, though not without controversy, as indicating the Chinese era name Zhongping (184–189).]
50 宮地嶽 (Fukuoka prefecture)
51 圭頭
52 三輪玉 (a gem shaped as three bulges in a row)
53 稲童 (Fukuoka prefecture)
54 土師
55 teaburigata doki 手焙り形土器
56 “Chūki kofun kenkyū no genjō to kadai 5: Kofun jidai chūki no Hajiki/Sueki o megutte” 中期古墳研究の現状と課題 5: 古墳時代中期の土師器・須恵器をめぐって (Current state and issues in Middle Kofun research 5: Concerning Haji and Sue ware of the Middle Kofun period), Dai 24-kai Chūgoku Shikoku Zenpōkōenfun Kenkyūkai Kenkyū Shūkai 第 24 回中国四国前方後円墳研究会研究集会 (24th Research Meeting, Chūgoku Shikoku Keyhole Tomb Research Society) (held online, 27–28 November 2021).
57 輪台 [Translator’s note: This is another term for the Tannowa technique, described in a previous translation of Trends in Archaeological Research (“Kofun Period: Research Trends 2007,” note 100). The purpose of building the vessel up from a ring (of vines, etc.) placed on the wheel or stand was ostensibly to help prevent deformation when moving it to a separate location for drying.]
58 埴輪
59 東山 (Aichi prefecture)
60 陶邑 (Osaka prefecture)
61 甑
62 Kodaigaku kenkyūkai 古代学研究会 (Society for the Ancient Studies of Japan), ed., Kofun jidai kara Asuka jidai e: Shūraku iseki no bunseki kara mita shakai henka 古墳時代から飛鳥時代へ: 集落遺跡の分析からみた社会変化 (From the Kofun to Asuka periods: Social change seen from the analysis of settlement sites), (Rokuichi Shobō, 2021).
63 殯屋
64 磐井の乱 (quelled in 528)
65 “Jendā to kōkogaku” ジェンダーと考古学 (Gender and archaeology), a collection of five articles in Kōkogaku jānaru, no. 762 (2021): 3–22.
66 Isoma iwakage iseki 磯間岩陰遺跡 (Wakayama prefecture; a nationally designated Historic Site)
67 Tojōsei Kenkyūkai 都城制研究会
68 Asukakyōato Enchi 飛鳥京跡苑池 (nationally designated as both a Historic Site and a Place of Scenic Beauty)
69 平城宮 (Nara prefecture)
70 Tōin 東院
71 大嘗宮 (a temporary sanctuary hall built on the palace grounds where the emperor conducts the first ceremony after enthronement to offer newly harvested rice and give thanks to the imperial ancestors and the deities)
72 Gaikyō 外京 (the eastern extension of the Nara capital)
73 難波 (Osaka prefecture)
74 Dairi zenden 内裏前殿
75 聖武 (r. 724–749)
76 Jōrisei/Kodai Toshi Kenkyūkai 条里制・古代都市研究会
77 平安 (Kyoto prefecture)
78 Jōrisei/Kodai Toshi Kenkyū 条里制・古代都市研究 (Annals of the Association for Ancient Rural and Urban Studies), no. 37 (2021).
79 “Heiankyōato chōsa no seika” 平安京跡調査の成果 (The archaeological excavation of Japanese ancient capital, Heian-kyo), a collection of five articles in Kōkogaku jānaru, no. 761 (2021): 3–21.
80 Kodai Jōsaku Kanga Iseki Kentōkai 古代城柵官衙遺跡検討会 (Ancient Fortified Government Office Sites Study Group), Kodai Jōsaku Kanga Iseki Kentōkai: Shiryōshū Dai 48-kai 古代城柵官衙遺跡検討会:資料集 第 48 回 (Materials of the 48th Meeting, Ancient Fortified Government Office Sites Study Group) (Executive Committee for the 48th Meeting, 2022).
81 多賀城 (Miyagi prefecture)
82 胆沢 (Iwate prefecture)
83 陸奥 (modern Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate, Aomori prefectures, and a portion of Akita prefecture)
84 出羽 (modern Yamagata and Akita prefectures)
85 多賀城碑 Tagajō Stele
86 太宰府 (Fukuoka prefecture)
87 鞠智
88 Sagawa Shin’ichi 狭川真一, ed., “Yamadera to sekizōbutsu kara mita kodai” 山寺と石造物からみた古代 (The Ancient period seen from mountain temples and stone monuments), a collection of 22 articles in Kikan kōkogaku, no. 156 (2021): 14–93.
89 Hōmanzan no kodai sangaku shinkō 宝満山の古代山岳信仰 (The Ancient mountain worship of Mount Hōman), materials from the Dai 11-kai Kyūshū Sangaku Reijō Iseki Kenkyūkai 第 11 回九州山岳霊場遺跡研究会 (11th Meeting, Kyushu Sacred Mountain Site Study Group) (held at Dazaifu Tenmangū Shrine, Fukuoka, 31 October 2021).
90 下ツ道
91 狂心渠
92 斉明 (r. 655-661)
93 Shimizu Akihiro 清水昭博, Nihon kodai amadera no kōkogakuteki kenkyū 日本古代尼寺の考古学的研究 (Archaeological investigations of Buddhist nunneries in Early Japan), MEXT Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research report (project number 17K03221) (Tezukayama University, 2022).
94 中宮寺 (Nara prefecture)
95 鴟尾
96 鬼瓦
97 “Shibi/onigawara no tenkai 2: Onigawara” 鴟尾・鬼瓦の展開 II: 鬼瓦 (The development of shibi and onigawara 2: Onigawara), Nara Bunkazai Kenkyūjo Kodaigawara Kenkyūkai Dai 21-kai Shinpojiumu 奈良文化財研究所古代瓦研究会第 21 回シンポジウム (Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Proper- ties Ancient Roof Tiles Research Group 21st Symposium) (held online, 5 February 2022).
98 Shibi/onigawara no tenkai 1: Shibi 鴟尾・鬼瓦の展開 I: 鴟尾 (The development of shibi and onigawara 1: Shibi), a record of the Nara Bunkazai Kenkyūjo Kodaigawara Kenkyūkai Dai 20-kai Shinpojiumu 奈良文化財研究所古代瓦研究会第 20 回シンポジウム (Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Proper- ties Ancient Roof Tiles Research Group 20th Symposium) (held at Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, 1–2 February 2020).
99 近江大津 (Shiga prefecture)
100 椿市 (Fukuoka prefecture)
101 播磨 (Hyōgo prefecture)
102 井手寺 (Kyoto prefecture)
103 菅原 (Nara prefecture)
104 武井廃寺 (Gunma prefecture)
105 四天王寺 (Akita prefecture)
106 聖徳
107 “Chikuzen kokubunji ato/kokubun gayō ato: Shiseki shitei 100 nen” 筑前国分寺跡・国分瓦窯跡: 史跡指定 100 年 (Chikuzen Kokubunji Site/Kokubu Tile Kiln Site: 100 years as a nationally designated His - toric Site), a special collection in Tofurō 都府楼 (Tofurō), no. 53 (2022).
108 大安寺 (Nara prefecture)
109 法隆寺 (Nara prefecture)
110 東大寺 (Nara prefecture)
111 Nara Bunkazai Kenkyūjo 奈良文化財研究所 (Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Proper- ties) ed., Kodai shūraku no kōzō to hensen 1 古代集落の構造と変遷 1 (Structure and transitions of Ancient settlements), report from the Dai 24-kai Kodai Kanga/Shūraku Kenkyūkai 第 24 回古代官衙·集落研究集会 (24th Research Meeting of the Ancient Government Offices/Settlements Research Society) (Nara Bunkazai Kenkyūjo, 12 December 2020).
112 尾張 (Aichi prefecture)
113 美濃 (Gifu prefecture)
114 貞観 [Translator’s note: The tsunami was caused by an earthquake occurring in the fifth month of the year Jōgan 11 (869), with the epicenter inferred to have been off the Pacific coast of the Tōhoku region, and the magnitude estimated as at least M8.4.]
115 “Nana seiki mokkan” 7 世紀木簡 (The 7th century wooden tablets), a collection of five articles in Kōkogaku jānaru, no. 759 (2021): 3–21.
116 Sasaki Ken’ichi 佐々木虔一, Kawajiri Akio 川尻秋生, Kurozumi Kazuhiko 黒済和彦, eds., Uma to kodai shakai 馬と古代社会 (Horses and Ancient society) (Yagi Shoten, 2021).
117 垂水日向 (Hyōgo prefecture)
118 聖寿寺館 (Aomori prefecture)
119 檜山城 (Akita prefecture)
120 旧松波城庭園 (Ishikawa prefecture)
121 真壁城 (Ibaraki prefecture)
122 Arakawa Yoshio 荒川善夫, Sengoku kinsei shoki no Shimotsuke sekai 戦国・近世初期の下野世界 (The Sengoku/initial Early Modern realm of Shimotsuke) (Tōkyōdō Shuppan, 2021).
123 Saitō Shin’ichi 齋藤慎一, Chūsei Tōgoku no shinkō to jōkan 中世東国の信仰と城館 (Religious beliefs and fortified residences of the Medieval eastern provinces) (Koshi Shoin, 2021).
124 Nakai Hitoshi Sensei Taishoku Kinen Ronshū Kankōkai 中井均先生退職記念論集刊行会 (Committee for  Pulication  of  a  Commemorative  Anthology  for  Prof.  Nakai  Hitoshi’s  Retirement),  ed.,  Jōkaku kenkyū to kōkogaku: Nakai Hitoshi sensei taishoku kinen ronshū  城郭研究と考古学: 中井均先生退職記念論集 (Castle research and archaeology: An anthology commemorating Professor Nakai Hitoshi’s retire - ment) (Hikone, Shiga prefecture: Sanraizu Shuppan, 2021).
125 “Shin shiten Asakurashi no yamashiro” 新視点 朝倉氏の山城 (New perspective on the Asakura clan hillfort), symposium held by the Fukui Kenritsu Ichijōdani Asakurashi Iseki Shiryōkan 福井県立 一乗谷朝倉氏遺跡資料館 (Fukui Prefectural Ichijodani Asakura Family Site Museum) (Fukui, 8 January 2022).
126 “Nejō saikō 2: Sengoku daimyō to kunishū no shiro” 根城・再考Ⅱ: 戦国大名と国衆の城 (Reconsider- ing Ne Castle 2: A castle of Sengoku daimyo and local lords), symposium commemorating the 80th anniversity of designation as a Historic Site (Hachinohe, Aomori prefecture, 28 November 2021).
127 妻木平 (Gifu prefecture)
128 辻町 (Ehime prefecture)
129 博多 (Fukuoka prefecture)
130 万富東大寺 (Okayama prefecture)
131 Egami Tomoe 江上智恵, Hakata shūen no chūsei sanrin jiin: Shurasan iseki 博多周縁の中世山林寺院:首羅山遺跡 (A Medieval mountain temple in the Hakata environs: The Shurasan site) (Shinsensha, 2021).
132 Eda Ikuo 江田郁夫 and Yanagihara Toshiaki 柳原敏昭, Okudaidō: Chūsei no Kantō to Mutsu o musunda michi 奥大道: 中世の関東と陸奥を結んだ道 (Okudaidō: The Medieval road linking Kantō and Mutsu) (Koshi Shoin, 2021).
133 “Kodai/Chūsei ikōki no kōtsū to saishi” 古代・中世移行期の交通と祭祀 (Transport and ritual of the Ancient/Medieval transition period), Kodai Kōtsū Kenkyūkai Dai 21-kai Taikai 古代交通研究会大会第 21 回大会 (Ancient Transport Research Society 21st Meeting) (held online, 26–27 June 2021).
134 貿易陶磁研究 (Trade Ceramics Studies)
135 “Chūjō kōdai doki o kangaeru” 柱状高台土器を考える (Considering pottery with pillar-shaped pedestals), special feature in Chūkinsei doki no kiso kenkyū 中近世土器の基礎研究 (Basic Research on Medieval and Early Modern Ceramics), no. 38 (2021).
136 “Saikin no wadai no iseki/chūmoku sareru kenkyū kara” 最近の話題の遺跡・注目される研究から (Sites of recent interest: From noteworthy research), Dai 41-kai Nihon Bōeki Tōji Onrain Kenkyūkai 第 41 回日本貿易陶磁オンライン研究集会 (41st [Online] Meeting, Japan Society for the Study of Oriental Trade Ceramics) (held online 19 September 2021).
137 “Yunyū tōjiki to kokusan doki/tōjiki: Ruiji to mohō” 輸入陶磁器と国産土器・陶磁器: 類似と模倣 (Imported ceramics and domestically produced wares: Similarities and imitations), Dai 39-kai Chūsei Doki Kenkyūkai 第 39 回中世土器研究会 (39th Meeting of the Society for Medieval Ware Research) (Shiga Kenritsu Daigaku, 4 December 2021).
138 “11–14 seiki ni okeru Chūgoku tōji no seisan to ryūtsū: Nihon/Chūgoku no jirei o chūshin to shite” 11～14 世紀における中国陶磁の生産と流通: 日本・中国の事例を中心として (Production and distribution of Chinese ceramics in the eleventh–fourteenth centuries: Focusing on Japanese and Chinese examples), international symposium held by the Iwate Daigaku Hiraizumi Bunka Kenkyū Sentā 岩手大学平泉文化研究センター (The Iwate University Center for Hiraizumi Studies) (Iwate Daigaku and online, 20 February 2022).
139 磐城平
140 郡山
141 中城御殿
142 慶長丁銀 (minted from 1601)
143 天正 [Translator’s note: The Tenshō embassy comprised four Japanese Christians who left Nagasaki in 1582, the 10th year of the Tenshō era, and traveled to Europe, returning in 1590. Miguel Chijiwa subsequently died in Nagasaki, where the site presumed as his grave is located.]
144 府内
145 栗橋宿
146 日光街道
147 前原
148 平戸往還
149 北陸道
150 嶋田
151 本多豊後守
152 伊予西条藩松平家
153 小田原城三の丸
154 久留米
155 有岡
156 才ノ原たたら
157 古瓶屋下窯
158 石見銀山
159 龍興寺
160 梅田墓
161 kaaminakuubaka 亀甲墓
162 hafuubaka 破風墓
163 下原古墓
164 Sasaki Tatsuo 佐々木達夫, ed., Chūkinsei tōjiki no kōkogaku 中近世陶磁器の考古学 (The archaeology of Medieval and Early Modern ceramics), Vols. 14–15, (Yuzankaku, 2021).
165 “Kinsei tōjiki doki ni kakareta moji” 近世陶磁器土器に書かれた文字 (Characters on Early Modern ceramics and earthenware, and those manufacturers), a collection of five articles in Kōkogaku jānaru, no. 754 (2021): 3–21.
166 “Edojidaijin no kuchi” 江戸時代人の口 (The mouths of Edo period people), Dai 34-kai Edo Iseki Kenkyūkai Taikai 第 34 回江戸遺跡研究会大会 (34th Meeting of the Edo Archaeological Site Research Society) (held online, 29–30 January 2022).
167 “Kinsei toshi no hatten to sangyō” 近世都市の発展と産業 (Development and industry of Early Modern cities), Dai 31-kai Kansai Kinsei Kōkogaku Kenkyūkai Taikai 第 31 回関西近世考古学研究会大会 (31st Meeting of the Kansai Early Modern Archaeology Research Society) (Ōtemae Daigaku and online, 4–5 December 2021).
168 “Edo jidai ni Sagahan ga tokubetsu atsurae shita Nabeshimayaki no tokushitsu” 江戸時代に佐賀藩が特別誂えした鍋島焼の特質 (Unique characteristics of Nabeshima ware specially ordered by the Saga domain in the Edo period), Dai 10-kai Kinsei Tōji Kenkyūkai 第 10 回近世陶磁研究会 (10th Meeting of the Early Modern Ceramics Research Society) (Imari, Saga prefecture, 12–13 February 2022).
169 水塚 [Translator’s note: Also read mizutsuka and mitsuka, this was an elevated building foundation constructed in regions prone to frequent flooding from nearby rivers, atop of which a storehouse was built to serve as a place of refuge when flood waters inundated the area. Typically a two-story structure, the storehouse would have an upper floor for temporary living, with storage space for rice and other valuable commodities below.]
170 高輪築堤 [Translator’s note: A portion of the embankment was added in 2021 to the nationally designated Historic Site of the Former Shimbashi Station, which was then re-designated as the Former Shimbashi Station Site and Takanawa Chikutei Site.]

Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research, 2021
© 2023 The Japanese Archaeological Association published 
online: April 2023 

Overview: Japanese Archaeological Research Trends 20201
Tsuji Hideto2

Fiscal3 2020 was the year when the novel coronavirus infection spread in earnest, with all of Japanese society frightened at its horror, and how to protect society became the greatest issue. A national state of emergency was twice declared, and many social activities were forced to cease or be postponed.
  Japanese archaeological research also confronted this crisis situation. The Japanese Archaeological Association was forced to adopt irregular measures such as conducting a vote by mail for the agenda of its 86th General Meeting, which had been scheduled for June, and it could not hold the research presentations. Further, the Association’s 2020 Autumn Meeting scheduled for Kanazwa was postponed. Many other academic associations and research societies were similarly forced to cease or postpone their activities.
  Meanwhile, archaeological research on the part of individuals, research groups, and research institutes has been steadily progressing, and producing results. There were also many publications of research monographs delving into those results.
What follows will outline the results of research published in the 2020 fiscal year for each period in turn.

1.    Paleolithic period
The existence of a Lower and Middle Paleolithic in the Japanese archipelago was debated. The direct subjects of discussion are materials that were recovered from the Iriguchi4 site in Nagasaki prefecture and a stone tool collected from the Hatchōdaira5 site in Shizuoka prefecture, with the contents of debate involving the their chronological assessments, technological basis, determinations of authenticity, and so forth. Discussions have proceeded with caution, due to critical reflection following the Paleolithic Hoax that occurred in 2000. The direction of debate remains undetermined at present, and future developments will be carefully watched. It is hoped that a comprehensive understanding may be built up that will encompass other materials discussed thus far, such as those recovered from the Sunabara6 site in Tottori and the Kanadori7 site in Iwate prefectures.
  There is deepening debate over the chronological position of stone tool assemblages assessed as dating from the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic. The main issues are conditions at the start of the Upper Paleolithic, the relations and timing of any derivation from Central Asia, the relationship with the spread of Homo sapiens, and so forth. There are also articles that discuss the possibility of the existence of stone tools belonging to the Middle Paleolithic.
  For the period of transition from the Paleolithic to the Jōmon, there was debate on the relationship between the climatic change that has been clarified in recent years and the appearance of earthenware, the form of residence, changes in the form of stone tools, etc. There is also research advancing discussion of exchanges between social groups from the perspective of ceramic petrology and stone tool manufacturing technology, and future developments are anticipated.
  The results of long-continuing research on use-wear analysis have also been published. The framework of the research conducted thus far was systematically presented, and the foundations of research put in order. New understandings created from the results of use-wear research are hopefully forthcoming.

2.    Jōmon period
For the Jōmon period, a variety of research unfolded on artifacts, and in studies related to settlements and to the Jōmon people.
  In ceramics research, the search for the oldest stage of pottery, and interregional relations based on constructions of wide-area chronologies were discussed.
  Regarding the oldest Jōmon pottery, questions were raised about mumon 8 or plain pottery, which has been assessed as the oldest stage. Also, the age of the appearance of pottery for East Asia as whole was examined, providing a new basis for discussion of the date of the emergence of Jōmon pottery.
  There were a number of attempts at creating wide-area chronologies. One of these was constructed for the central portion of Honshu, from the Tōhoku to the Kinki regions, using as its axis the Moroiso9 style of assemblages from the latter portion of the Early Jōmon phase. Also, a wide-area chronology was provided for the middle portion of the Late phase, in which differences between the eastern and western portions of the archipelago and their backgrounds were discussed, based on compositions of assemblages, settlement structure, shapes of dwellings and so forth. Further, for the northern Tōhoku region a presentation was made of the transition from the Ōbora A' style to the Nimaibashi style of the Yayoi period, along with an examination of dwellings and the system of trade, and multi-layered social and cultural changes in the period of transition from the Jōmon to the Yayoi were discussed.
  These are likely to be important studies that will put the results of chronological research to use in clarifying the actual conditions of Jōmon society.
  In discussions regarding pottery utilization, which had been an issue since the Hidabito debate,10 there is the approach of lipid residue analysis of the contents of pottery. On the one hand, indices for marine fauna were detected in the contents of Umataka11 style pottery from Niigata prefecture, while indices characteristic of millet were found for Final phase Jōmon pottery on the other, pointing to the cultivation of cereals for this period.
  These results show that lipid analysis is effective for considering the dietary habits of Jōmon people. It is possible that even greater results can be obtained through comparative examinations with stable isotope analysis, which has become widespread in recent years.
  In research on clay figurines, special journal features and collections were published, and the distributions and other attributes of these materials were discussed.
  For stone tools, systematic and comprehensive summaries were made of research. Stone tool-making techniques were also discussed.
  Regarding stone tool use, ground stone tools and stone plates were examined with use-wear trace analysis, and an inference was made of the mode of utilization of deer antler axes from comparison with folk examples.
  Systematic classification was conducted for wooden tools and implements, and examination made of their various uses.
  In research on recovered skeletal materials, DNA analysis has become widely used. Also, there is research approaching burial systems through the analysis of skeletal remains.
  There were also many examinations made of the relationships between Jōmon people and the natural realm.
  The actual conditions of use of the sika (Japanese) deer were discussed, and the relations with cultivation and methods of use were examined based on the identification of excavated legume seeds.
  There were many reports of results based on the method of silicone replica studies of impressions in pottery, which has rapidly become widespread in recent years. Using the replica method, from the size of seeds of shiso (genus Perilla), the existence of examples showing characteristics intermediate between pristine shiso and egoma (Perilla frutescens) has been pointed out, and the temporally and regionally biased distributions of pottery with large amounts of these seeds admixed was discussed. Also, it was clarified that many examples of a previously unidentified bulb resemble the Japanese jacinth (Barnardia japonica). Analyses utilizing X-rays are also being advanced.

3.    Yayoi period
As the understanding that the beginning of the Yayoi period goes back becomes widespread, research is underway to reconsider what is the Yayoi period and Yayoi culture. In addition, with the adoption of oxygen isotope dendrochronology and spread of the use of AMS radiocarbon dating, it has become possible to know detailed chronologies. As a result, investigations are being made of climate change, settlement dynamics, and so forth based on a fine chronological axis.
  In addition, with the increase in data, research is being published that examines trends in specific regions from multiple perspectives such as pottery, stone tools, wooden implements, and settlement dynamics, receiving high praise.
  The silicone replica method is being utilized, and concrete conditions of livelihood and agriculture in Yayoi society are being elucidated. The true state of paddy farming in the northern part of the Tōhoku region, and the livelihood of the Middle Yayoi period and so forth are being pursued bit by bit. In addition, a realistic picture of Yayoi agriculture is under examination with the methodology of experimental archaeology. The detailed shape of Yayoi livelihood is gradually coming to light, and further results are anticipated.
  In settlement debate, reexamination was made of highland settlements from an analysis of stone tool assemblages. In addition, relationships with the Korean peninsula were pointed out based on the analysis of archaeological features such as the structure of earthen stoves in northern Kyushu. All of these issues will be further examined in the future.
  For burials, there was discussion of burial norms, and consequently of relations between and within social groups that maintain cemeteries.
  Ritual practices such as the smashing of votive pottery in connection with mortuary rites were taken up, and interregional exchanges were examined. For coffins, a comprehensive typological classification was made for wooden and composite stone coffins, with regional differences etc. discussed. A symposium on the theme of east–west wide-area exchange was jointly held by research groups from eastern and western Japan, and the resulting papers were published.12 This is drawing attention as an endeavor indicating future research approaches. Also, international relations were discussed based on pottery of Chinese derivation, and further developments are anticipated.
  Regarding recovered artifacts, there are examinations being made about the existence of balance beam weights. Also, a search is being carried out for inkstones. Either of these pose significant issues about the nature of Yayoi society, and their confirmation and verification are required.
  In ceramics research the period of transition from the Jōmon to Yayoi was taken up, with chronological studies continuing to be conducted.
  For research on stone tools, the clarification of relations among items made from the same stone material, relations of the compositions of stone tool assemblages with forest resources and settlements, harvesting tools made of stone, stone axes with projecting spurs, and so forth were discussed. Also, the issue of conversion to iron tools as seen through an analysis of whetstones is being debated, and is drawing attention.
  In research on iron objects, the technology of iron tool production in eastern Japan is being pursued. Also, in recent investigations features of iron forging have been ascertained, and along with the concrete conditions of iron tool manufacture being clarified, the work of detecting iron production features in older site reports is being carried out.
  In bronze implement research, work was advanced on the analysis of bronze whorl ornaments, on comparative examinations with the Korean peninsula and China, on conditions of bronze implement production, and so forth.
  There were also plentiful results of research related to beads. Examinations are being made of the state of bead production and circulation in the Hokuriku region, of the circulation of cylindrical beads of crystalline quartz used as grave goods, of the circulation of cylindrical beads in the Tōhoku region, and of jasper cylindrical beads in northern Tōhoku. There is also research aimed at reading social trends from changes in the circulation of beads between the Yayoi and Kofun periods in western Japan.

4.    Kofun period
In debate over the monarchy, which aims at the social structure of the Kofun period, there are treatises seeking out the nature of the monarchy through comprehensive analyses of bronze mirrors or the structure of mounded tombs. The debate should be deepened, including through comparative examination of the grounds for argument of existing theories of the monarchy. Also, through reconstructions of images of various regions, their separate conditions and the diversity of their relations with the monarchy are being discussed. This direction should probably be advanced in the future.
  In research on tombs, highly precise reports were published, providing a wealth of information. Among these, a comprehensive report on mounded tombs and subterranean horizontal tombs of southern Kyushu, the southernmost extent of Kofun culture, drew attention.
  Opinions were exchanged at a symposium on the Higashinomiya tomb in Aichi prefecture,13 and an exhibition was held on the occasion of the completion of conservation and preservation work on the Watanuki Kannon’yama tomb in Gunma prefecture, with the results compiled in the catalog.14
  In the Hitachi region, research on regional tombs continues to be advanced, and the results are being summarized.
  In the Tōhoku region, preliminary results of investigating the Haizukayama15 tomb were reported,16 and opinions were exchanged. The Haizukayama tomb has become basic material for research on the Middle Kofun period as the first example for which the entire scope of the tomb has come to light in the Tōhoku region.
  In addition to the above, a variety of studies were carried out in every region, including research on the morphology and planning of mounds, the regional development of tombs, their special characteristics and their grave goods, the process of transition to the ritsuryō era, tombs in the form of piled stone mounds, and immigrants.
  In work on horizontal (tunnel) tombs, there was research from the new perspective of approaching the political structure from tunnel tombs. Also, along with discussion of the derivation of house-shaped tunnel tombs, their characteristics were pursued for each region. Papers were also published on practices of reburial, on intergroup relations, and on relations with local topography and geology.
  For burial facilities, horizontal stone chambers were mainly taken up, and their regional characteristics, use of space, and the derivation of specialized forms were discussed.
With regard to mortuary practices, multiple burials within a single sarcophagus,acts of burial, and the mortuary process and so forth were discussed.
  Many studies of artifacts were also published.
  For mirrors, comparative examinations were made of the lead isotope ratios for same-mold triangular rimmed mirrors, and for mirrors that were buried simultaneously in Early Kofun period tombs. In addition, examinations were made of the technology of production and of repair.
  In research on weapons and armor, there were discussions such as reexaminations of the derivation of decorative swords, of the problem of bent iron implements,17 and of leather-sewn triangular iron plate cuirasses.
  For personal ornaments, the handing down of comma-shaped beads, and the pattern of decoration of the crown recovered from the Sanmaizuka18 tomb in Ibaraki prefecture were discussed. For stone objects (of jasper, steatite), there was research on separate types of item, and regional developments were discussed.
  In haniwa research, in addition to examinations of individual groups of haniwa, enclosure-shaped haniwa, and the expressions on the faces of human-shaped haniwa were the subjects of research. Also, the production system of haniwa and the meaning of haniwa placements were pursued.
  In research on Haji19 ware, investigations into ceramic conditions at the start of the Kofun period were continued, with debate on the relations in parallel between regions. There were also many studies exploring the utilization of pottery from use- wear traces and vessel capacity, and so forth.
  In Sue20 ware research, the conditions of regional pottery productive systems, relations between the chiefdom system and the social division of labor, interregional comparative research, the conditions at the time of appearance of Sue ware per region, the initial stage of Sue ware, and so forth were discussed. Also, the dates of Sue ware, and rituals of offering were examined.
  In debate regarding settlements, from the perspective of the supply of iron materials and iron implements at the Hakata site group of northern Kyushu, a systematic understanding, and the relationship with the process of formation of the Yamato monarchy, were discussed. There were also examinations of the development of settlements in each region. The concrete conditions of littoral settlements, which have gathered attention in recent years, and of settlements damaged by the eruption of Mt. Fuji, were also discussed.
  Regarding the products of immigrant culture, steaming pots with multiple holes, beads, Korean-style earthenware and so forth were taken up, and their significance considered. In exchange with the Korean peninsula, the parallel relations between northern  Kyushu  and  the  Yeongnam  region,  mounded  tombs  of  Japanese derivation, interregional exchange, and so forth, were discussed by Japanese and Korean researchers.

5.    Ancient period
In ancient capitals research, a comprehensive collection of papers centered on the Naniwa palace was published.21 Although it is not possible to elaborate on the details, the date of construction of the Former Naniwa palace, relationships with Chinese capitals and with foreign diplomacy, ritual space, the structure of the Latter Naniwa palace, problems regarding the Heijō (Nara) capital and palace, the use of residential land in the capital, the relation between capital construction and mounded tombs, problems involving the Nagaoka capital, and so forth—various issues from the construction of the Naniwa palace to the Heian period are discussed by front-line researchers in archaeology and ancient history. It has become an indispensable collection of papers for research on ancient capitals. In addition, other comprehensive articles have been published, marking one of the high points of achievement in ancient capital research.
  Multiple problems regarding the Nagaoka capital were debated in a research meeting held online, due to the coronavirus pandemic, by the Jōri Field System/Ancient Urban Research Society.22 Also included were reports on the Miyataki23 site, Saikū Historic Site,24 Shigaraki Palace25 site, Dazaifu26 site, and so forth.
  For government office sites, features of the Dazifu site, and the characteristics of ninth century fortresses of the Tōhoku region were discussed.
  In research on provincial headquarters, research results were summarized by regions (seven circuits),27 clarifying the levels of attainment for various provinces.
  In research on district headquarters, aspects of ancient seats of local government and regional society were summarized. The relationship between the establishment of district headquarters and immigrants, reconstructions of large-scale buildings, approaches from documentary materials, and trends in regional society in the Asuka period were discussed. In addition, various issues related to ancient Tago28 district were debated at a symposium concerning the Three Stelae of Kōzuke.29
  For transportation there was discussion from the standpoint of documentary history on urban street grids and the jōri field system, the system of post stations and planned roads, water transport and the distributive economy.30 It is necessary to examine the consistency of these observations with the results of archaeology. In addition, discoveries based on excavation of ancient roads were reported. Also, based on high-precision topographical observations the existence of ancient road cuts was pointed out. This is a method that is worth consideration in the future.
  In research on temples, based on nationwide examinations of ancient temples, the nature of regional temples as clan temples was debated anew. This theme will probably see further discussion in the future. Also, research results related to Tōdaiji31 were systematically summarized, and provided as a basis for subsequent research.32
  Regarding handicraft production, the topics of regional development and Sue ware, and charcoal and salt production were discussed. The perspectives of salt production and distribution and the resettlement of Emishi were also presented. The results of many years of research related to the Kosai33 kiln group have been summarized and discussed with regard to the social division of labor.
  There was wide-ranging research on artifacts. In ceramics studies, there was a special collection on the dishes used for votive lamps, with examples from various locations examined.34 Also, there was a report on glazed pottery from the Taga fort site.35 In tile research, manufacturing technology was pursued, and based on the results, the activities and lines of derivation of the artisans were discussed. In addition, there were discussions of ceramic inkstones, recoveries of wooden tablets, and tiles inscribed with personal names.
   In research on migrants, there was comprehensive discussion from the perspectives of both documentary history and archaeology on the establishment of immigrant districts, Kudara-gun36 in the west and Koma-gun37 in the east, the date of establishment of Kudaradera38 temple, developments of the Baekje royal clan, the forced displacement of settled immigrants to the eastern provinces, the establishment of Koma-gun and the development of handicraft production, immigrant settlements, and so forth.39

6.    Medieval period
For the Medieval period, many archaeological excavations were conducted.
  At the Tokusada A/B40 site in Fukushima prefecture, the entire image of the settlement from the Heian into the Kamakura periods has been clarified in terms of embedded-pillar buildings and pit-shaped features, etc., and other settlement- related sites are also being investigated.
  For the Muromachi period, diverse artifacts were recovered from the Nagasaki 41 site in Fukui prefecture, and it is regarded as the residential grounds of a powerful figure. Other long-term settlements spanning the Late Heian to the Muromachi periods have been ascertained.
  Trade ceramics were recovered from the Shirayama42 site in Hiraizumi,43 and features were found that consist of large-scale embedded-pillar buildings, wells, and fences, thought to be the residence of a powerful person. At the Hakata 44 site group, an extremely large piled stone feature yielding great amounts of trade ceramics was detected, and is thought to be a feature related to the harbor. Other features related to cities and settlements have been discovered as well.
  There were also many investigations of mansions and castles. Starting with National Historic Sites such as the Shōjujidate Castle,45 Kunohe Castle,46 and Nanao Castle47 sites, investigations at many mansion and castle sites yielded results. Also, in addition to land surveying results, airborne laser (lidar) scanning is being utilized, and new results have been obtained. In addition, the remains of garden ponds have been found at Odawara Castle48 and other places.
  Articles were published summarizing the status and results of research on castles and fortified mansions. Castles related to the Nanbu clan were examined and summarized from both documentary history and archaeology.49 In Mino50 and Owari,51 changes in the spatial structure of cities during the Sengoku period were indicated,52 arousing debate. In Kyushu, a compilation was made on the castles of each region with an eye towards conditions of the local environment and the samurai.53
  Regarding the burial system and religion, research on stone monuments has been accumulating.
  For stone monuments from the late Medieval into the Early Modern period, the stone materials and differences in morphology and so forth from Kyushu to the Tōhoku region were debated. Also, the perspective was offered that influences to stone monuments emerged among exchanges with the East Asian realm. Research is being advanced in each region, and from the analysis of stone stupas distributed from the Tōhoku to the Chūbu regions the diffusion and regional aspects are being debated according to the type of item. In Kyushu, in addition to stone stupas, the conditions of religious belief and temples, and of temple bells and so forth were comprehensively examined, and the special characteristics of Kyushu and its regionality were discussed.
  Regarding production and distribution, various issues concerning ceramics were discussed. Multiple routes for the circulation of trade ceramics were posited, and the possibility was touched upon of smuggling with regards to celadons and white porcelain. There was also discussion on the production and circulation in the Hokuriku and Tōhoku regions of ceramics derived from Tokoname54 ware.

7.    Early Modern period
In settlement research, in conjunction with the construction of the Yanba55 Dam, a village that was buried by the Tenmei Mudflow56 was excavated, yielding abundant artifacts and features, and providing precious materials for the reconstruction of an Early Modern village.57
  For burials, the history of research on Early Modern grave markers was summarized, along with their transitions based on a classification according to form.58 Also, there was an examination of barrel-style coffins, and their relations with urban characteristics was discussed.
  Regarding production, there were examinations made of Imari59 ware, Karatsu60 ware, Kyō61 ware, Hizen62 porcelain, and Ōborisōma63 ware, and the circulation and influence of Chinese porcelain and so forth were also discussed.
  For coins, issues concerning the Kan’ei Tsūhō64 were examined. In addition, the utilization of metal, production technology, and so forth, for the Early Modern city of Edo were discussed.

8.    Modern period
In an investigation within an area planned by the East Japan Railway Company for redevelopment in conjunction with renovations to the Yamanote rail line, the Takanawa Chikutei65 site, where part of Japan’s first railway was laid, was discovered. The site contains an embankment (chikutei) discovered directly beneath the tracks used for the Yamanote line until immediately before the investigation, which was in an extremely good state of preservation. The embankment was built atop a stretch of shallow water, and being extremely important as a symbol of modern Japan from which the technology of the modern period can be clearly read, it has been judged of exceedingly high historical value. The Japanese Archaeological Association is in the midst of ongoing efforts, such as through issuing official proclamations, for its wholesale preservation, in order that its historical value is not degraded.

Conclusion
Archaeological research in the 2020 fiscal year, based on an abundance of accumulated results of individual studies, is being systematized and summarized, and appears to be headed in the direction of making interregional comparative examinations. Also, with the introduction of the replica method, and the evolution of chronological measurement and various other types of analysis, it has become possible to obtain a wealth of information, which combined with archaeological research results is gradually enabling social reconstructions. It is hoped that this will further develop research through sufficient criticism of studies in other fields including documentary history.
  Despite the trying conditions of the coronavirus pandemic, which unfortunately render direct exchanges of opinion difficult, I would like to commend the tremendous results that have been produced.
  In the future, it is hoped that with increased utilization of newly acquired tools for communication, there will be lively exchanges of opinion, and new images of history will be created.

1 [Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research, 2020, is a partial translation of “Nihon kōkogaku kenkyū no dōkō” 日本考古学研究の動向, in Nihon kōkogaku nenpō 73 (2020 nendoban) 日本考古学年報 73（2020 年度版) (Archaeologia Japonica 73 [2020 Fiscal Year Issue]) (Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai, 2021), pp. 1–37. This essay appears on pp. 1–4, under the Japanese title “Sōsetsu” 総説. It was translated by Walter Edwards, and published by the Japanese Archaeological Association (Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai日本考古学協会) online in 2023. To streamline the text, characters for Japanese names and terms, and bibliographic information have been placed in footnotes. When an English translation of the name of an organization or publication (or symposium, etc.) is supplied by the party responsible, this is used with minimum changes in capitalization etc. to conform to the style followed by Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research. Romanized names of individuals are given with the surname followed by the personal name.]
2 辻 秀人
3 The fiscal year begins on April 1 of each calendar year.
4 入口
5 八丁平
6 砂原
7 金取
8 [Translator’s note: 無文土器, mumon doki (literally, undecorated or “plain” pottery). There is growing recognition among Japanese archaeologists of the possibility that undecorated pottery found at the Ōdai Yamamoto I ( 大平山元Ⅰ, Aomori prefecture) site and elsewhere is the oldest ceramic stage in Japan. Despite being represented by the same Chinese characters when written in Japanese, this must be distinguished from the Mumun pottery of the Korean peninsula, chronologically much newer and associated with the spread of intensive agriculture.]
9 諸磯
10 ひだびと論争 (Hidabito ronsō) [Translator’s note: The Hidabito debate was an exchange, regarding the study of artifacts, which unfolded over the pages of the regional studies journal Hidabito (literally, “Hida [飛騨, the region that is modern Gifu prefecture] folk”) in 1937–38 between archaeologists Kōno Isamu 甲野勇 and Yawata Ichirō 八幡一郎, who prioritized chronological studies of artifacts as the basis for further research, and the proletarian novelist Ema Shū 江馬修, who asserted rather the value of artifacts lay in what they could reveal about economic and social relations through studies of their utilization.]
11 馬高
12 Nishi Sagami Kōkogaku Kenkyūkai 西相模考古学研究会 (Nishi-Sagami Archaeology Research Society) and Hyōgo Kōkogaku Danwakai 兵庫考古学談話会 (Hyōgo Archaeological Discussion Group), eds., Yayoi jidai no tōzai kōryū: Kōikiteki na rendōsei o kangaeru 弥生時代の東西交流: 広域的な連動性を考える (Yayoi period east–west exchange: Considering wide-area interconnections) (Rokuichi Shobō, 2020).
13 “Higashinomiya kofun no kenkyū wa doko made susunda no ka” 東之宮古墳の研究はどこまで進んだのか (How far has research on the Higashinomiya tomb progressed?), Tōkai Kofun Jidai Kenkyūkai Dai 4- kai Kenkyūkai 東海古墳時代研究会 第 4 回研究会 (4th Research Meeting, Tōkai Kofun Period Study Group) (Inuyama, Aichi, 7 March 2021).
14 Gunma Kenritsu Rekishi Hakubutsukan 群馬県立歴史博物館 (Gunma Prefectural Museum of History), ed., Watanuki Kannon’yama kofun no subete: Kokuhō kettei kinen Dai 101-kai kikakuten  綿貫観音山古墳のすべて: 国宝決定記念第 101 回企画展 (All about the Kannon’yama tomb: Planned exhibit no. 101 commemorating designation as National Treasure) (catalog of exhibit held 18 July–6 August 2020).
15 灰塚山 (Fukushima prefecture)
16 [Translator’ note: Six articles dealing with aspects of the Haizukayama tomb appeared in a special feature on Middle Kofun period tombs of the southern Tōhoku region, carried in the journal Miyagi kōkogaku 宮城考古学 (The Miyagi Archaeology), no. 22, 2020.]
17 [Translator’s note: The reference is to discoveries from graves of the Late Yayoi through the Early Kofun period of weapons (swords) and tools (knives, spear-planes) that appear to have been intentionally bent in either the blade or tang portions. Similar finds are known from the Korean peninsula and China.]
18    三昧塚
19    土師
20    須恵
21 Nakao Yoshiharu 中尾芳治 ed., Naniwa no miya to kodai tojō 難波宮と古代都城 (Naniwa palace and ancient capitals) (Doseisha, 2020).
22 “Nagaokakyō chōsa kenkyū no saizensen” 長岡京調査研究の最前線 (The front line of Nagaoka capital research), Dai 37-kai Jōrisei/Kodai Toshi Kenkyūkai Taikai 条里制・古代都市研究会第 37 回研究大会 (34th Research Meeting of the Jōri Field System/Ancient Urban Research Society) (held online by Zoom, 6–7 March 2021).
23 宮滝 (Nara prefecture)
24 史跡斎宮跡 (Mie prefecture)
25 紫香楽宮 (Shiga prefecture)
26 大宰府 (Fukuoka prefecture)
27 [Translator’s note: The reference is to a collection of articles featured in Issue No. 152 of Kikan
Kōkogaku (Archaeology Quarterly), July 2020, titled “Kodai kokufu: Saishin kenkyū no dōkō” 古代国府・ 最新研究の動向 (Ancient provincial headquarters: Trends of recent research). A total of 24 contributions are grouped along the lines of the ancient system of goki shichidō 五畿七道 (the five home provinces of Kinai plus the seven “circuits,” i.e., Tōkaidō, Tōsandō, Hokurikudō, San’indō, San’yōdō, Nankaidō, Saikaidō) by which the ancient provinces were organized.]
28 多胡 (Gunma prefecture)
29 “Kodai Tagogun no jitsuzō: Tago gunke to Kōzuke sanpi” 古代多胡郡の実像: 多胡郡家と上野三碑 (True image of Ancient Tago district: Tago district headquarters and the Three Stelae of Kōzuke), lectures and panel discussion recorded 31 October 2020, and broadcast via the Internet by the city of Takazaki高崎, Gunma.
30 Nakamura Taichi 中村太一, Nihon kodai no tojō to kōtsū 日本古代の都城と交通 (Ancient Japanese capitals and transport) (Yagi Shoten, 2020).
31 東大寺 (Nara prefecture)
32 Tsurumi Yasutoshi 鶴見泰寿, Tōdaiji no kōkogaku: Yomigaeru Tenpyō no daigaran 東大寺の考古学: よみがえる天平の大伽藍 (The archaeology of Tōdaiji: The great temple of the Tenpyō era is resurrected) (Yoshikawa Kōbunkan, 2021).
33 湖西 (Shizuoka prefecture)
34 Nara Bunkazai Kenkyūjo 奈良文化財研究所 (Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties) ed., Tōmyōzara to kanga/shūraku/jiin 灯明 皿と 官衙 ・ 集 落・ 寺院 (Lamp dishes and government offices/settlements/temples), report from the Dai 23-kai Kodai Kanga/Shūraku Kenkyūkai 第 23 回古代官衙· 集落研究集会 (23rd Research Meeting of the Ancient Government Offices/Settlements Researh Society) (Nara Bunkazai Kenkyūjo, 13–14 December 2019).
35 Takahashi Eiichi 高橋栄一 et al., “Tagajō shutsudo seyū tōjiki no kenkyū” 多賀城出土施釉陶磁器の研究 (Research on glazed high-fired ceramics recovered from the Taga fort), Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai Dai 86-kai sōkai kenkyū happyō yōshi (Abstracts, JAA 86th General Meeting, 2020).
36 百済郡 (in modern Osaka prefecture)
37 高麗郡 (in modern Saitama prefecture)
38 百済寺 (Nara prefecture)
39 Suda Tsutomu 須田勉 and Arai Hideki 荒井秀規, eds., Kodai Nihon to toraikei imin: Kudara-gun to Koma-gun no seiritsu 古代日本と渡来系移民: 百済郡と高麗郡の成立 (Ancient Japan and foreign immigrants: The establishment of Kudara and Koma districts) (Koshi Shoin, 2021).
40 徳定Ａ・Ｂ
41 長崎
42 志羅山
43 平泉 (Iwate prefecture)
44 博多 (Fukuoka prefecture)
45 聖寿寺館 (Aomori prefecture)
46 九戸城 (Iwate prefecture)
47 七尾城 (Ishikawa prefecture)
48 小田原城 (Kanagawa prefecture)
49 Saitō Toshio 斉藤利男, ed., Sengoku daimyō Nanbushi no ichizoku to jōkan 戦国大名南部氏の一族と城館 (The family and fortresses of the Sengoku daimyo Nanbu clan) (Ebisukosyo, 2021).
50 美濃 (southern Gifu prefecture)
51 尾張 (western Aichi prefecture)
52 Suzuki Masataka 鈴木正貴 and Niki Hiroshi 仁木宏, eds., Tenkabito Nobunaga no kiso kōzō 天下人信長の基礎構造 (The basic structure under Nobunaga, ruler of the realm) (Koshi Shoin, 2021).
53 Ōba Kōji 大庭康時, Saeki Kōji 佐伯弘次, and Tsubone Shin’ya 坪根伸也, eds., Sengoku no shiro to yakata 戦国の城と館 (Sengoku castles and mansions), vol. 3 of Kyūshū no chūsei 九州の中世 (Medieval Kyushu) (Koshi Shoin, 202
54 常滑
55 八ツ場 (Gunma prefecture)
56 Tenmei deiryū 天明泥流
57 [Translator’s note: The Tenmei Mudflow resulted from the volcanic eruption in 1783 (Tenmei 3) of Mt. Asama 浅間山, causing widespread destruction and contributing to a major famine in that year. A brief English summary of the excavation is available (/remains/higashimiya) as one of the “Noteworthy Archaeological Sites” featured on the website of the Japanese Archaeological Association.]
58 Miyoshi Yoshizo 三好義三, Kinsei bohyō 近世墓標 (Early Modern grave markers) (Nyū Saiensusha, 2021).
59 伊万里
60    唐津
61    京
62 肥前
63 大堀相馬
64 寛永通宝
65 高輪築堤 (Tokyo prefecture)

Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research, 2020
© 2023 The Japanese Archaeological Association published 
online: April 2023

Overview: Japanese Archaeological Research Trends 20191
Tsuji Hideto2

The 2019 fiscal year3is worthy of commemoration for the change to the new era name, Reiwa,4 as of May 1.
  With regards to cultural properties, the “Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group: Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan” was inscribed on the list of World Heritage Sites, causing a big sensation. As is well known, the Mozu5 and Furuichi6 tomb groups are in a densely populated region of Osaka prefecture, and their preservation has a history of contention. While designation as a World Heritage Site is a joyous development on the one hand, as indicated in the statement jointly issued with 13 other academic societies titled “Opinion Concerning the Selection of the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group for Registration as World Cultural Heritage,” it is desirable that a comprehensive plan be executed for the preservation and utilization of the tomb group including the surrounding areas.
  Meanwhile, memory is still fresh of the destruction by fire of Shuri Castle7 in Okinawa in the early morning hours of October 31. It was a bitter loss not only for the citizens of Okinawa prefecture, but for the Japanese nation as a whole. Examples of damage and loss of cultural properties to natural disasters are numerous. As was learned from the damage by fire to the murals at the Main Hall of Hōryūji,8 we must confirm again the need for study and efforts toward the preservation of cultural properties.
  In the final portion of the 2019 fiscal year, the novel coronavirus infection spread, and society as a whole was driven into a reduction or cessation of activity. Many research and academic societies unfortunately halted or postponed their activities. Under the COVID-19 crisis, we could say we have been dealt a great challenge as to how we might carry out our research efforts.
  Herein I would like to look back on the research trends in Japanese archaeology for the 2019 fiscal year.

1.    Paleolithic period
The 2019 fiscal year is a critical juncture as the 20th year since the exposure of the Early/Middle Paleolithic Hoax. Regarding this unprecedented incident, for which the Association organized a special committee to deal with clarification of the problem, a special collection was compiled in Kōkogaku jānaru (The Archaeological Journal).9 As a result of inspecting the issue, new research results, methodologies, and perspectives were discussed based on critical reflection.
  Following the exposure of the hoax, there has been debate over the timing of the appearance of humankind in the Japanese archipelago. While it is generally believed that humans arrived from the Korean Peninsula via a land bridge during the Last Glacial Period, the possibility of an earlier date is being discussed. The debate will likely deepen in connection with the theory of an early dispersal of modern humans. Thorough discussion including the age and typology of the oldest stone tools is desired. Also, an experimental voyage was conducted over the Okinawa route, a possible migration pathway. It is hoped that comprehensive research will be furthered combining an evaluation of that success with other factors.
  Technical studies of stone tool assemblages were also conducted regarding blade technology, and analyses incorporating 3D measurement data appeared as well. In addition, attempts at elucidating trace marks left on stone tools are being carried out through experimental archaeological methods. The approach of comprehensively examining trace marks on stone tools by recognizing that they accumulated over the lifespans of these objects will likely expand the possibilities of future research.
  Comparative studies have been conducted over a wide area including East Asia regarding the transition from the Paleolithic to the Jōmon periods, that is, the time of the emergence of pottery, and the factual relations are becoming clear. At the same time, there is debate back and forth as to whether the appearance of pottery per se can be considered as the beginning of the Jōmon period.   In addition, the regional nature of the transition to Jōmon culture is being researched, and clarification of the specific character of the period is also an issue for future study. In addition, at the Kitamachi10 site in Yamagata prefecture, an Incipient settlement and wetland area have been investigated and a variety of artifacts and food remains were recovered, providing valuable data for considering the daily life and environment of the time, the actual conditions of the Incipient phase of the Jōmon period.
  In the new area of academic research on the Yaponesian genome, the origin and developmental process of humans of the Japanese archipelago are being pursued by sequencing and comparatively analyzing the genome from the Paleolithic period on. Comparative examinations with archaeological results are greatly anticipated.

2.    Jōmon period
In Jōmon research, work is being done in the clarification of Jōmon society through studies of graves, settlements, and artifacts, and in chronological research.
  In settlement research, changes in settlement from the Middle into the Late phases were frequently taken up, with circular settlements, changes in settlement locations, regional trends, and so forth being discussed
  Regarding mortuary customs and burial systems, a research meeting was held by the Jōmon Period Culture Research Society to sort out issues confronting attempts to elucidate the shape of society based on the conditions of mortuary practice. 11 In addition, there were many treatises discussing the relationship between burial systems, grave goods, and rituals, and many articles pursuing relations between settlements and graves, and the results of these efforts are anticipated. In recent years there have been discoveries of human bone from rock shelter sites, and work is being carried out on information that can be read from such buried skeletal materials.
  Chronological research is active for each phase of the period, and along with examinations along the temporal axis the spatial distributions are being thoroughly discussed, and as a result it is anticipated that trends in Jōmon society will be clarified. For stone tools, research is being pursued into the manufacturing technology and into their functions. Regarding the latter, relations between function and the plant diet, and the clarification based on experiment of the method of fixing tools to handles and so forth are drawing attention. In research on clay figurines, there is debate on their functions along with their distribution and transitions, and compilations are being advanced.
  Regarding the relationship with the natural environment, the impression replica technique12 has been widely adopted and is achieving new results. In addition,research results are accumulating related to the flora and fauna.
  The results of scientific analysis have been widely incorporated into Jōmon research, and achievements are being published in the dating of human bone, in stable isotope analysis, and in DNA analysis. There is a high possibility that new images of the Jōmon period will emerge through synthesis with research results from archaeology.

3.    Yayoi period
In the midst of debate over its absolute chronology, the view that the Yayoi period should be divided into neolithic and early metal age eras has been advanced. That the concept of the Yayoi period encompasses a major division seen in world history is a serious problem, and will likely lead in the end to questions of the basis on which the Yayoi period is divided from others. We should keep an eye on what direction research takes on this issue in the future.
  In addition, there were treatises examining the substance of the Yayoi period from the perspective of eastern Japan, while Yayoi society of the Kinki region as a whole was being concretely discussed. What the diversity of Yayoi society across the Japanese archipelago means will likely be a significant issue in the future.
  Exchanges with the Korean Peninsula were actively discussed at symposiums and other venues, yielding important results. In research on agriculture, the replica method has become widespread, and the actual conditions of grain cultivation in Yayoi society, including the transition period from the Jōmon, are gradually being clarified, and a compilation systematically summarizing these results has been published. Additionally, nuclear genome analysis has been conducted with recovered skeletal materials, and it has become clear that two genetic lines of Jōmon and immigrant derivation existed in northwestern Kyushu in Yayoi times. This will likely be important information for considerations of Yayoi society. It will be necessary to assess comprehensively whether this is consistent with the results of archaeological examinations.

4.    Kofun period
One theme in Kofun period research transcending that age is what was the Yamato monarchy, what manner of function did it bear? Also, indispensable to considerations of this theme is the question of what were the keyhole-shaped mounded tombs?
  A variety of issues are debated regarding this broad theme, such as communities of shared interests among the chiefly class, the organization of the military, the rituals of the tombs, and so forth. Differences in the points of view among debaters yield vastly different images drawn of the monarchy. Further developments are anticipated. Also, the colossal size of Middle period tombs was debated at the Japanese Archaeological Association’s 2019 Autumn Meeting13 and elsewhere. In opposition to the prevailing view explaining the growth to colossal size in terms of the increased power of the monarchy, new perspectives asserting of the instability of the monarchy or the distribution of wealth and so forth have been indicated.
  For burial facilities, the results of comprehensive research on horizontal stone chambers were published. Also, for the relationship between changes in burial facilities and the compositions of social groups, the transitions and uniformity of horizontal stone chambers was debated for each region; further, regarding the stone materials making up the chambers the use of 3D measurement has been introduced, and regional aspects of the relationships between stone processing technology and masonry groups are being examined.
  In haniwa research, new understandings of the placements of groups of representational haniwa are being explored, and for cylindrical haniwa, relations between haniwa production and regional development, and how haniwa may have served as emblems of political authority were discussed. For representational haniwa the human figures are being reevaluated, and topics such as how to distinguish single-edged from double-edged swords in haniwa representations, and the relationship between haniwa and wooden funerary items, are being debated.
  In research on weapons and armor, the production system for swords was examined, and a need pointed out to reexamine its understanding as a unified system of production and distribution. Also, a detailed examination was made of decorative swords, and the political implications of their distribution were discussed. In connection with equestrian gear Uma no kōkogaku (Archaeology of Horses) was published, in which a variety of perspectives including the system of production and the significance of horses and horse gear were discussed.14 In settlement research, at symposiums held by the Society of Archaeological Studies Kansai Regional Meeting15 and the Tōhoku/Kantō Keyhole Tomb Research Society,16 relationships between trends in settlements and in tomb construction were discussed. In ceramics debate, parallel relations were sorted out among a wide variety of Haji17 ware assemblages that developed at the time of the appearance of kofun in various regions. In addition, attempts to read social conditions from the nature of pottery assemblages were also carried out. For Sue18 ware, there were also attempts to decipher regional society from the perspective of ceramics. The topics of changes in vessel types, and the delineation of individual characteristics for production kilns were pursued. In research on wooden implements, there is a trend for discussing the technology of wet-rice cultivation based on the functions of wooden tools. In addition, the development of decorative wooden pedestalled dishes was examined, and the possibility suggested of considering their relationship with the Hokuriku region. Future developments are hoped for in these areas.
  Regarding relationships with the Korean peninsula, a comprehensive anthology was compiled by the National Museum of Japanese History and Folklore.19 Also, in relations with the peninsula as seen in weapons, artifacts of Japanese derivation found on the peninsula and so forth were discussed. There will likely be debate henceforth as to whether the relations seen between the two were based on kingly authority or on regional networks.

5.    Ancient period
For the Ancient period, continuing from the previous fiscal year there were investigations of capitals, government office complexes, temples and so forth related to the management of Historic Sites, or aimed at securing Historic Site designations. Additionally, there were investigations carried out of road remains and associated facilities, and production sites, etc. Investigations of large-scale settlements were also conducted.
  For capitals, there were excavations to the southeast of the Former Imperial Audience Hall, and in the Eastern Government Office Sector at the Nara palace site. New materials were obtained related to the Western Palace of Retired Emperor Heizei20 and to the Eastern Government Office Sector. In Kyoto, excavations in the capital districts at the Nagaoka21 and Heian22 capitals are being continuously conducted, and have been producing results.
  At government office sites, investigations are continuing at Tagajō23 and Dazaifu,24 both Special Historic Sites. The Miyagi Prefectural Research Institute of the Tagajō Site has published a compilation of glazed ceramics25 that have been assembled and examined. At the Saikū26 palace complex in Mie Prefecture, a group of features dating back to the Asuka period have been detected, which is an important discovery for clarifying the initial phase of the site. There were many investigations at temple sites. These include the Saiji27 temple site in Kyoto, and the Teramachi28 abandoned temple site in Hiroshima prefecture.
  As for production sites, at the Akasaka D site29 in Fukushima prefecture, the remains were found of kilns for the manufacture of Sue ware, charcoal, and roof tiles for which the locus of production was previously unknown. Apart from this, the Fukada30 kiln site group in Aichi prefecture and the Ishizaka31 kiln site group in Fukuoka prefecture and others were investigated. In addition, the iron casting facilities found at the Kurotsuchi32 site in Kusatsu, Shiga prefecture, are drawing attention as precious archaeological features.
  In recent years, road features and related facilities have been investigated one after another. In Gunma prefecture, gutters and seismic fissures were confirmed at a site inferred as part of the Tōsandō33 highway. Features at the Shimookada34 site in Hiroshima prefecture, from their appearance and because they are facing the Ancient San’yōdō35 highway, are thought to have possibly been the Aki36 post station.
  For settlements, in Saitama prefecture the remains of a vast settlement straddling three archaeological sites and exceeding 60,000 m2 in area have been confirmed. At the Shimoda Minami37 site in Aichi prefecture, the remains of numerous pit- dwellings and embedded pillar buildings have been ascertained, with many distinctive artifacts being recovered. It is hoped that much will result from the analysis of these materials.
  At a symposium on Ancient period fortifications,38 perspectives were presented comparing conditions in eastern and western Japan. This will probably be one of the directions for the future.

6.    Medieval, Early Modern, Modern periods
In urban research, the results of recent activities of the Medieval Urban Research Society were published as Kōshin to kenryoku (Ports and Authority).39 In addition, the results of many years of research that have accumulated for Hiraizumi (Iwate prefecture) have been compiled.40 Both are efforts that show the level of Medieval urban research. In addition, books were published comprehensively examining the samurai as theme from various perspectives.
  Regarding castle research, symposiums were held by active groups such as the Shokuhō Period Castle Research Society,41 San’in Archaeological Research Meeting,42 and Chūgoku/Shikoku Residential Castle Investigations Discussion Meeting.43 Topics such as stone walls, roof tiles, and satellite (branch) castles were taken up. For publications, the Castles Discussion Group compiled a volume on the nature of the castles of the Kinki region from the perspectives of documentary sources, archaeology, and territorial considerations.44 In addition, comprehensive research results related to castles of the Sengoku daimyo Takeda clan were also published.45
  In mortuary research, Sekine Tatsuhito edited a systematic anthology on the themes of funerary customs, graves, and stone stupas, which also clearly demonstrated the significance and methodology of studying gravestones and showed the ultimate goal of research.46
  Ceramics research was extremely prosperous, with symposiums and study meetings held on a variety of issues by the Society for Medieval Ware Research, 47 Japan Society for the Study of Oriental Trade Ceramics,48 and the Bizen History Forum.49 In addition, Volumes 10 and 11 of Chūkinsei tōjiki no kōkogaku (Archaeology of Medieval and Early Modern Glazed Ceramics) have been published,50 with ambitious articles and indications of new research methods included as results showing the current level of research. Also, the monograph Chūsei kawara no kōkogaku (Archaeology of Medieval Roof Tiles),51 which won the 8th Sumita Ancient Tiles/Archaeology Research Promotion Award, summarizes aspects of Medieval roof tiles in each region.

Conclusion
Above, I have described the research trends of the 2019 fiscal year for each era of the Japanese archipelago. I leave the remainder of this task to the separate descriptions in this volume.52
  Research in recent years has focused attention on the beginning of each era and the transition to the next. Typical examples are the appearance of humankind in the archipelago, the relationship between the Paleolithic and the Jōmon periods, and the beginning of the Yayoi period. Topics such as these encompass questions of the substance of each period and the basis for dividing one period from the next. How to answer such questions will be a significant issue for Japanese archaeology.
  Also, the silicone replica method, DNA analysis, and various other new research methodologies are gradually becoming widespread. While there is great hope for new research results, at the same time it will be questioned how we should evaluate those results from the standpoint of archaeology, how we can reconstruct their relations with outcomes of archaeological research. Reflecting critically on the Paleolithic Hoax, we will need to take the stance of assimilating such results with views from an archaeological standpoint.

1 [Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research, 2019, is a partial translation of “Nihon kōkogaku kenkyū no dōkō” 日本考古学研究の動向, in Nihon kōkogaku nenpō 72 (2019 nendoban) 日本考古学年報 72（2019 年度版) (Archaeologia Japonica 72 [2019 Fiscal Year Issue]) (Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai, 2021), pp. 1–31. This essay appears on pp. 1-3, under the Japanese title “Sōsetsu” 総説. It was translated by Walter Edwards, and published by the Japanese Archaeological Association (Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai日本考古学協会) online in 2023. To streamline the text, characters for Japanese names and terms, and bibliographic information have been placed in footnotes. When an English translation of the name of an organization or publication (or symposium, etc.) is supplied by the party responsible, this is used with minimum changes in capitalization etc. to conform to the style followed by Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research. Romanized names of individuals are given with the surname followed by the personal name.]
2 辻 秀人
3 The fiscal year begins on April 1 of each calendar year.
4 令和
5 百舌鳥
6 古市
7 首里城
8 法隆寺 (Nara prefecture) [Translator’s note: The reference is to a fire which broke out in January 1949, prompting concerns that led the following year to the promulgation of the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties.]
9 “Zen/Chūki Kyūsekki Netsuzō kara 20 nen” 前・中期旧石器捏造から 20 年 (20 Years after the Early and Middle Paleolithic Hoax), a collection of six articles in Kōkogaku jānaru 考古学ジャーナル (The Archaeo- logical Journal), no. 730 (2019): 3–23.
10 北町
11 “Jōmon jidai sōbosei kenkyū no gendankai” 縄文時代葬墓制研究の現段階 (The current stage of research on Jōmon period mortuary and burial systems), symposium commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the Jōmon Jidai Bunka Kenkyūkai 縄文時代文化研究会 (Jōmon Period Culture Research Society), Nihon Daigaku, 7–8 December 2019.
12 [Translator’s note: The reference is to the use of silicone replica analysis of impressions in pottery left by organic materials such as starch granules, nuts, and insects.]
13 “Kofun jidai chūki no kyodai kofun” 古墳時代中期の巨大古墳 (Colossal tombs of the Middle Kofun period), session held at the Japanese Archaeological Association 2019 Autumn Meeting (Okayama Daigaku, 26–27 October 2019).
14 Migishima Kazuo 右島和夫, ed., Uma no kōkogaku 馬の考古学 (Archaeology of Horses) (Yūzankaku, 2019).
15 “Chiiki kenkyū ni motozuku Kofun jidai no shūraku kōzō to shakai” 地域研究に基づく古墳時代の集落構 造 と 社 会 (Settlement structure and society in the Kofun period based on regional research), Kōkogaku Kenkyūkai Kansai Reikai Shinpojiumu 考古学研究会関西例会シンポジウム (Society of Archaeological Studies Kansai Regional Meeting Symposium), held at Osaka Campus Plaza Kyoto, 2 February 2020.
16 “Kōki no naka no henkaku: 536 nen ibento ni miru kikō hendō to no kakawari” 後期の中の変革: 536年イベントにみる気候変動との関わり (Changes in the Late Kofun: Relationship with climate change attributable to the extreme weather event of 536), symposium held in conjunction with the Dai 25-kai Tōhoku/Kantō Zenpōkōenfun Kenkyūkai Taikai 第 25 回 東北・関東前方後円墳研究会大会 (25th Meeting, Tōhoku/Kantō Keyhole Tomb Research Society), Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba, 15–16 February 2020.
17 土師
18 須恵
19 “[Kyōdō kenkyū] Kofun jidai/Sangoku jidai ni okeru Nitchō kankeishi no saikōchiku: Wa to Yonsangan ryūiki no kankei o chūshin ni” [共同研究] 古墳時代・三国時代における日朝関係史の再構築: 倭と栄山江流域の関係を中心に ([Collaborative research] Reconstruction of the History of Japan-Korea Relations in the Kofun Period of Japan and the Three Kingdoms Period of Korea: Focusing on the Relationship between the Country of Wa and the Yeongsan River Basin), a collection of 14 articles in Kokuritsu Rekishi Minzoku Hakubutsukan kenkyū hōkoku 国立歴史民俗博物館研究報告 (Bulletin of the National Museum of Japanese History), no. 217 (2019): 1–346.
20 平城
21 長岡
22 平安
23 多賀城 (Miyagi prefecture)
24 太宰府 (Fukuoka prefecture)
25 Miyagi-ken Tagajō Ato Kenkyūjo 宮城県多賀城跡調査研究所 (Miyagi Prefectural Research Institute of the Tagajo Site), Tagajō seyū tōjiki 多賀城施釉陶磁器 (Tagajō Glazed Ceramics) (Tagajō, Miyagi: Miyagi Prefectural Research Institute of the Tagajo Site, 2020).
26    斎宮
27    西寺
28    寺町
29 赤坂Ｄ遺跡
30    深田
31    石坂
32    黒土
33    東山道
34    下岡田
35    山陽道
36    安芸
37    下田南
38 “Kikuchijō shimpojiumu: Kodai no sanjō to Tōhoku jōsaku” 鞠智城シンポジウム: 古代の山城と東北城柵 (Kikuchi castle symposium: Ancient hilltop castles and Tōhoku fortresses), symposium jointly sponsored by Ryūkoku University and the Kumamoto Prefectural Board of Education (Kyoto, Ryūkoku University Kyōto Hall, 6 October 2019
39 Chūsei Toshi Kenkyūkai 中世都市研究会 (Medieval Urban Research Society), ed., Kōshin to kenryoku
港津と権力 (Ports and Authority) (Yamakawa Shuppansha, 2019).
40 Yaegashi Tadao 八重樫忠郎, Hiraizumi no kōkogaku 平泉の考古学 (The archaeology of Hiraizumi) (Koshi Shoin, 2019).
41 “Sengoku jidai ni okeru ishigaki gijutsu no kōkogakuteki kenkyū” 戦国時代における石垣技術の考古学的研究 (Archaeological research on stone wall technology of the Sengoku period), 2019 Meeting of the Shokuhōki Jōkaku Kenkyūkai 織豊期城郭研究会 (Shokuhō Period Castle Research Society), Hikone, 7– 8 September 2019.
42 “San’in no jōkaku kawara dōnyū to tenkai” 山陰の城郭瓦 導入と展開 (Introduction and development of San’in castle roof tiles), Dai 47-kai San’in Kōkogaku Kenkyū Shūkai 第 47 回山陰考古学研究集会 (47th San’in Archaeological Research Meeting), Tottori, 31 August 2019.
43 “Kōkogaku kara shijōsei o tou” 考古学から支城制を問う (Questioning the satellite castle system from archaeology), Dai 24-kai Chūgoku/Shikoku Chiku Jōkan Chōsa Kentōkai 第 24 回中国・四国地区城館調査検 討 会 (24th Chūgoku/Shikoku Residential Castle Investigations Discussion Meeting), Naruto, Tokushima prefecture, 28–29 September 2019.
44 Jōkaku Danwakai 城郭談話会 (Castle Discussion Group), ed., Kinki no jōkaku: Bunken, kōko, nawabari kara saguru 近畿の城郭: 文献・考古・縄張りから探る (The castles of Kinki: Exploring from literature, archaeology, territory) (Ebisukōshō Shuppan, 2019).
45 Hagihara Mitsuo 萩原三雄, Sengokuki jōkaku to kōkogaku 戦国期城郭と考古学 (Sengoku Period Castles and Archaeology) (Iwata Shoin, 2019).
46 Sekine Tatsuhito 関根達人 , ed., “Hakaishi no kōkogaku” 墓石の考古学 (The archaeology of gravestones), a collection of 20 articles in Kikan kōkogaku 季刊考古学 (Archaeology Quarterly), no. 149 (2019): 14-99.
47 “Chūjō kōdai doki o kangaeru” 柱状高台土器を考える (Considering pottery with pillar-shaped pedestals), Dai 38-kai Chūsei Doki Kenkyūkai 第 38 回中世土器研究会 (38th Meeting of the Society for Medieval Ware Research), Kyoto, 30 November–1 December 2019.
48 “Minami Kyūshū–Amami guntō no bōeki tōji” 南九州～ 奄美群島の貿易陶磁 (Trade ceramics of southern Kyushu–Amami Islands), Dai 40-kai Nihon Bōeki Tōji Kenkyūkai 第 40 回日本貿易陶磁研究会 (40th Meeting, Japan Society for the Study of Oriental Trade Ceramics), Kirishima, Kagoshima, 21–22 September 2019.
49 “Bizen yaki kenkyū saizensen III: Tenkabito Hideyoshi kara Bizen miyajishi made” 備前焼研究最前線 III: 天下人秀吉から備前宮獅子まで (The forefront of Bizen yaki research III: From world ruler Hideyoshi to the shrine guardian dog), Bizen Rekishi Fōramu 2019 備前歴史フォーラム 2019 (Bizen History Forum 2019), Bizen, Okayama, 18–19 January 2020.
50 Sasaki Tatsuo 佐々木達夫, ed., Chūkinsei tōjiki no kōkogaku 中近世陶磁器の考古学 (Archaeology of Medieval and Early Modern Glazed Ceramics), vols. 10–11 (Yūzankaku, 2019).
51 Chūsei Kawara Kenkyūkai 中世瓦研究会 (Medieval Roof Tile Research Society), ed., Chūsei kawara no kōkogaku 中世瓦の考古学 (Archaeology of Medieval Roof Tiles) (Koshi Shoin, 2019).
52 [Translator’s note: The reference is to summaries for each era of research trends contained in Nihon kōkogaku nenpō, the same volume as this introductory overview.]

Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research, 2019
© 2023 The Japanese Archaeological Association published
online: April 2023

Overview: Japanese Archaeological Research Trends 20181
Tanigawa Akio2

The Japanese Archaeological Association (JAA), which was established in 1948, greeted the 70th anniversary of its founding in 2018. Born shortly after the wartime defeat, the JAA has played out is role piling up one effort after another through several periods of postwar society’s historic transition.
  On the occasion of its 70th anniversary year the JAA held a program of commemorative projects, designated “Greeting the Transition Period of Japanese Archaeology and the JAA,”3 which are linked with the following conditions of recent years.
  Nearly twenty years have passed since entering the twenty-first century, and as economic globalism advances in the world on the one hand, reaction against it is born on the other. In addition, Japan is becoming a low-birthrate society with an aging population and disparities in wealth, and the future direction of society appears uncertain.
  Trends in archaeological research are surely not unrelated to such conditions of Japan and the world. The problems which Japanese archaeology has been facing in recent years, the decline in population of researchers supporting regional studies, severe personnel shortages at regional public organizations, issues in the training of successors and the educational environment for archaeology at universities, and further, the decline in JAA membership, all appear to have such conditions as their background. Herein I would like to look back on the overall trends in Japanese archaeological research for the 2018 fiscal year.4 What follows will outline the research trends for each period in turn.
  For trends in Paleolithic period research, there has been discussion with regards to the oldest archaeological culture in the Japanese archipelago of a southerly route of humans, based in part on the discovery of new materials at the Sakitari 5 cave site in Okinawa, along with studies of the spread of human population and the establishment of Upper Paleolithic culture in the archipelago, taking as background the worldwide tendencies of research in recent years.
  Also, concerning archaeological culture at the end of the Upper Paleolithic period, topics were taken up such as climatic change and the process of human adaptation at the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene, the age of the appearance of pottery, and the periodic division with the Jōmon era.
  With regards to stone tools, for the oldest tool assemblages, those from the lower strata of the Sōzudai6 site in Ōita prefecture, from the Tsurugaya7 site in Gunma, and from Layer 8 of the Hoshino8 site in Tochigi and so forth have been reexamined. Also, for backed blade tool groups there has been debate on the Higashiyama-type 9 backed blade, and in research on microblade assemblages, identification has been made of the microblade flaking methodology at the Fukui 10 cave in Nagasaki. In studies on the stone tool assemblages of the end of the Upper Paleolithic period, there has been research on relations with stone tools of the Incipient phase of the Jōmon period, and on the process of emergence of stemmed points.
  In experimental use-wear research, while methodological issues and prospects have been sorted out, Yamada Shō pointed out that not only are there biases in the objects of research and methods of analysis as well as insufficient experimentation, but the educational system for training the next generation of use-wear researchers in Japan is deficient.11 Also, Midōshima Tadashi12 has been advancing the reorganization of the extant body of data through a variety of experiments so that interpretations can be made from use-wear traces on stone tools of human behavior and the natural environment.
  On the relationship of the natural environment and resources with the human environment, there were studies such as the research edited by Ono Akira ascertaining the interactions of changes in the ancient environment with the relationship between obsidian resource development in the central highlands of Nagano prefecture and utilization in the Chūbu and Kantō regions.13
  For Paleolithic research, how can we evaluate the diverse archaeological cultures that unfolded during the Pleistocene over the archipelago, with their remarkable variation across space and time? The time has come, it is said, to re- examine what were the Paleolithic and Upper Paleolithic periods.
  As taken up in the section on trends in interdisciplinary research,14 work is being done on various dating methods in Paleolithic period studies, such as the compilation of data for a master curve for oxygen isotope dendrochronology, the creation of a database for radiocarbon dating using accelerated mass spectrometry (AMS), as well as applications of the thermal luminescence and archaeomagnetic dating methods.
  For trends in Jōmon research, chronological studies for the Incipient/Earliest phases at the start of the period based on wide-area examinations of pottery and features stood out, as did research uncovering regional differences. A nationwide anthology centering on the Incipient to the Earliest Jōmon, Kyūsekki jidai bunka kara Jōmon jidai bunka no chōryū: Kenkyū no shiten (Currents of long-term change from the Paleolithic to the Jomon cultures: Research perspectives),15 has been compiled. In addition, according to residual lipid analysis of Incipient to Earliest phase ceramics, the pottery was mainly used for processing aquatic resources.
  Regarding the transitions from one phase to another, in addition to typological approaches, distributional studies based on differences in the environment and topographic location were debated, and in particular the Late phase advance into lowland regions was discussed based on changes in the numbers of sites.
  Concerning the end of the Jōmon period, discussions on the beginning of the Yayoi period are being held from different analytical perspectives and methods. There were studies of archaeological features based on an attribute analysis of ceramics, plus examinations of the radiocarbon dating of rice seeds, and of stone tool materials and stone cores.
  In debates on livelihood, there is active research using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis, scanning electron microscopy with the replica technique, X-ray computer tomography, and so forth. Studies were seen such as Sasaki Yuka and Noshiro Shūichi’s consideration of changes in plant management and utilization due to cooling from the Middle to Late Jōmon at the Shimoyakebe 16 site and elsewhere in the Kantō Plain,17 and research on replicas of maize weevil impressions in Jōmon pottery and their relations to human activity.18
  There were case studies of stone-paved dwelling remains and stone arrangement features, research on rituals attending the abandonment of residences and on the mortuary system, debate regarding the possession and uses of clay figurines based on the results of observations and analysis of these items; for beads there was research on the origin of Jōmon articles made with beads, and on slit-disc earrings, while debate was conducted on trade and distribution by analyzing the production and consumption areas for obsidian, red pigment, asphalt, and so forth.
  In Jōmon period studies, the steady and basic work of delineating transitions between periods and regional differences holds an important position, but there are larger issues ranging from research that cuts across disciplinary lines to that which leads to historical reinterpretation, and it is said that the definition of the Jōmon period and its temporal and spatial frameworks are also being questioned.
  As stated in the section on trends in interdisciplinary research, in Jōmon period research, reconstructions of the paleoenvironment are being carried out with a combination of dating methods and pollen analysis, and with regard to cultigens there was discussion concerning legumes in the central highlands of the Chūbu and western Kantō regions of the latter half of the Middle Jōmon, and an increase in size has been pointed out for Japanese millet from the Early to the latter half of the Middle Jōmon for Hokkaido to the northern Tōhoku regions. In dietary reconstructions based on lipid analysis, it is held that in the inland portions of Hokkaido, the contents of cooking with earthenware were mostly species of salmon and trout.
  In zooarchaeology, inferences of season based on a combination of growth ring analysis of shell bands and oxygen isotope analysis, and indications of diversity based on examinations of dog DNA were carried out, and research was conducted which determined that immigrants could be identified among skeletons from the Tsukumo19 site by analyzing strontium isotope ratios.
  In research trends for the Yayoi period, in the study of the timing of the start of the Yayoi period and the initial phase of wet-rice agriculture, the anthology edited by Morioka Hideto and the Paleological Association of Japan titled Shoki nōkō katsudō  to  Kinki  no  Yayoi  shakai  (What was the early agricultural society in Kinki?)20 was published, discussing society at the start of wet-rice cultivation from multiple perspectives, mainly centered on the Kinki region. In addition, there was research asserting that the practice of diversified farming, combining wet-rice agriculture with the cultivation of assorted cereals in dry fields, was related to the widespread diversity of both agriculture and of society and culture during the Early and Middle Yayoi periods.
  In the study of interregional exchange, along with the macro perspective of east– west exchange within the archipelago, a regional approach was also seen which ascertains interregional exchange in the midst of intergroup relations focusing on the Ise Bay coastal area from the Late Yayoi to the start of the Kofun periods. There were also discussions of interregional exchange that included relations with China and the Korean peninsula. It is said that examinations of such interregional exchanges from the Late Yayoi to the start of the Kofun periods will clarify concrete human activities such as trade and migration, and provide opportunity for drawing a new image of the period of transition from the Yayoi to Kofun periods and the process of state formation.
  In research concerning the technology of artifact production, there were studies of casting technology for bronze implements in the Kinki region, comprehensive research    on    wooden    utensils,    wooden    implements,    and    civil    engineering technology, and clarification of relations between settlements through bead-making. In settlement research, in conjunction with research trends for interregional exchange, studies taking up settlement dynamics from the Late Yayoi to the start of the Kofun periods stood out, and aspects of the environment relevant to livelihood are being clarified, such as the vegetation enveloping settlements and the diversity of resource acquisition. In research on mounded tombs, the entire scope of the cemeteries at the Yoshinogari21 site in Saga prefecture was summarized.
  In Yayoi period research, a tendency has been seen in recent years to reexamine the Yayoi period both as a temporal division and in terms of the concept of Yayoi culture from the vantage points of eastern Japan and East Asia. The relationship between these macro perspectives and Yayoi research in each region is regarded as an issue for the future.
  As taken up in the section on trends in interdisciplinary research, radiocarbon dating with the AMS technique has been conducted in Yayoi period research for the string that suspended the tongue of a bronze bell (dōtaku).22 The regional characteristics and transitions in rice varieties were shown by combining the size, morphology, and DNA of rice seeds.23 DNA analysis of human skeletal material recovered from the Aoya Kamijichi24 site in Tottori prefecture was conducted, and the existence of an immigrant group was confirmed.25 Nanba Yōzō is conducting an archaeological examination of dōtaku, coupled with lead isotope ratio analysis and high frequency inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis.26
  In Kofun period research trends, books were published bringing together comprehensive research on particular regions. This includes for example the second volume of the series Kōza Kinai no kodaigaku (Lectures in ancient studies of Kinai) edited by Hirose Kazuo and others.27 It is anticipated that the archaeological matters discussed therein will be examined as to how they relate to Kinai of the ritsuryō period. In addition, at the JAA’s 2018 Autumn Meeting, a session focusing on chiefs of the eastern provinces was held,28 with debate taking as its subject the Late Kofun period tombs of the eastern part of the Tōkai region, at the border between eastern and western Japan.
  In discussions of ceramics, pottery of the time of the emergence of Kofun period tombs and Korean-style pottery are drawing interest. In debate on settlements, the dynamics of settlements and tombs in Kyushu from the Final Yayoi to the Early Kofun periods were taken up, along with Kofun period settlements that were buried by volcanic ash.
  In research on burial mounds, there were plentiful results seen of studies related to the production and distribution systems of haniwa, and examinations were made of funerary rites based on the expressions and arrangements of representational haniwa. In research on grave goods, there were analyses using 3D measurements of the mold marks, design motifs, and shapes of inscribed characters on bronze mirrors, and in studies of burial facilities, there were many symposia and special collections in journals on the theme of horizontal stone chambers. In research on mounds, there were studies of correspondences among the mound itself, the surface paving of cobbles, and the burial facilities, as well as research on building a typology of the method of embankment.
  In studies of handicraft production, the Tōhoku/Kantō Keyhole Tomb Research Society held its annual meeting on the theme of handicraft production and Kofun period society, and topics related to bead-making and iron production were the focus.29
  As site reports, there were publications for prominent sites such as the Early Kofun period Kurozuka mound in Nara prefecture,30 and the Late Kofun period Kanai Higashiura site in Gunma prefecture where a man dressed in armor buried by ash from the volcanic eruption of Mt. Haruna31 was excavated.32
As stated in the section on trends in interdisciplinary research, Uetsuki Manabu conducted a multifaceted study of cattle and horses from the Kofun period on, including the ratio of cattle to horses, size, paleopathology, breeding location, diet, age at death, and burial.33
  In research trends of the Ancient period, the Kōnin34 earthquake in the interior portion of the Kantō region, and the Jōgan35 earthquake in the Tōhoku region, were taken up as studies of natural disasters. Archaeological research on the history of natural disasters is a field with possible links to geology, seismology, and meteorology, and one in which archaeology can play a social role with regard to such contemporary issues as disaster prevention and mitigation.
In research on ancient capitals and regional government centers, studies of the latter were central. To commemorate the designation of the Hara Kanga36 (government offices) site as a national Historic Site, a symposium was held on the theme of Asuka period government offices and regional society,37 and conditions were clarified of seventh-century regional government centers, which have thus far eluded focus.
  Also, the annual Ancient Government Office/Settlement Research Meeting38 was held on the theme of large brewing pots which are recovered from ancient govern- ment office and settlement sites, and issues involving the food supply facilities of capitals, government offices, and temples, along with large brewing pots, the brewing of sake in relation to the state and regional rule, and the sites of production and consumption of large brewing pots and so forth were discussed.
  Excavations of ancient temples were conducted in conjunction with the management of Historic Sites. These include the Shimoterao39 abandoned temple site in Kanagawa prefecture, the Teramachi40 abandoned temple site in Hiroshima prefecture, the Shimotsuke Yakushiji41 temple site in Tochigi prefecture, and the Kōzuke Kokubun Niji42 temple site in Gunma prefecture. Also, with regard to Ancient period temples and roof tiles, there was research related to temples, roof tiles, and so forth in ancient Koma district of Musashi province,43 and in the Dazaifu44 regional government office complex.
  In research on regions and settlements, there were studies of the transitions and dynamics of sites, piecing together regional views from the local roles, locations, and scenic perspectives of individual sites. Research is also being conducted on interpreting the movements of immigrant clans and of the Emishi,45 based on sites and artifacts.
  Regarding production, the topics of iron, charcoal, and horses were taken up, and there was research on ancient transportation through the collaboration of archaeology and historical geography, concerning post roads and regional network routes.
  In ceramics research, there were many studies focusing mainly on regional topics and vessel types, and as research on artifacts, there was Yoshida Eiji’s monograph Bunbōgu ga kataru kodai Higashi Ajia (Ancient East Asia as told by stationery).46 This study looks over the ritsuryō state through the implements of stationery of Japan and East Asia, beginning with ceramic inkstones.
  In research trends of the Medieval period, with regard to urban studies Ōba Kōji’s monograph on the archaeology of Hakata was published,47 containing basic research articles on the Hakata site. It touches on Tōbō and finds of items inscribed in ink with the character 綱,48 and on trade ships, ports, and so forth. Oka Yōichirō’s monograph on major roads in the Kamakura period was published.49 It takes up the topic of ancient Medieval roads, centering on the Kamakura period, over which it is said that culture, goods, human traffic, and even yōkai (phantoms, goblins) came and went.
  There was considerable research related to glazed stoneware and porcelain. With regard to Yuan blue and white ware, it was pointed out that importation most likely began from the middle portion of the fifteenth century, later than the time of its production. Also, it was noted that term 陶瓷 (Ch., taoci) often used for such special ceramics should not be confounded with the Japanese term for prestige goods ( 威信財 ishinzai). Celadon meiping vases did have a great impact on the production of glazed ceramics in Japan, but rather than as tea ceremony utensils or interior decorative items, they are held to have been used as vessels for serving sake, along with sets of sake cups and decanters.
  Regarding Medieval graves, a Medieval Funerary and Burial Customs Research Meeting50 was held to synthesize work on the cessation of Medieval burial customs. Through holding such meetings and producing compilations of data on Medieval graves thus far, research has been deepened on topics such as the start and finish of Medieval burials, cremations, interment, burial mounds and shrines, and stone monuments. Also, for Medieval graves in Shizuoka prefecture, data for Medieval graves, Medieval and Early Modern daimyo graves, and major stone monuments of the Medieval period were published,51 listing the sites plus giving maps of locations and scale drawings, clarifying the characteristics of Medieval graves for the prefecture.
  The Medieval Studies Society’s second symposium was held on the Medieval period of the Ryūkyūs.52 This was conducted with the aim of inquiring into the facts pertaining to “the state” in the Medieval era while confirming the multi-nucleated and dispersed conditions of Ryūkyū society. Topics concerning the Ryūkyūs such as the Ryūkyū Kingdom and East Asia, and the history of the Ryūkyūs seen from its mortuary system were debated, with a high level of interest discernible.
  As taken up in the section on trends in interdisciplinary research, a topographic survey of the environs of the Iwabitsu castle site was conducted using an airborne lidar survey system,53 and along with the scenery, location, rivers and roads surrounding the castle, its enclosures and the cross-sectional form of its moats were ascertained.
  In research trends for Early Modern archaeology, as a half century has passed since Nakagawa Shigeo and Katō Shinpei raised a proposal in 1969 for Early Modern archaeology,54 a commemorative research meeting on the theme of Early Modern sake and banquets was held jointly by the Edo Archaeological Site Research Society, Kansai Early Modern Archaeological Research Society, and Early Modern Ceramics Research Society.55
In research on castles, the foundation of the main keep of Sunpu56 castle in Shizuoka prefecture was investigated, and from strata beneath the foundation built by Tokugawa Ieyasu,57 a foundation of the main keep of Nakamura Kazuji58 of the Toyotomi59 era was excavated.
  Regarding castle towns, at the daimyo residence in Edo (Toyamasō60) of the Owari domain’s Tokugawa family,61 the scenery of the garden was discussed as analysis was made of the large pond and garden path. For daimyo gardens, there was research by Hara Yūichi on the Ikutokuen garden at the main mansion in Edo of the Kaga domain.62 For townhouses, there was research taking up the townhouse residences of Osaka and elsewhere.
  For sites related to production, Sasaki Kensaku’s Sengoku, Edo jidai o sasaeta ishi (Stones that supported the Edo and Sengoku periods) was published.63 Summarizing the Medieval and Early Modern procedures at Odawara of quarrying, processing, and supplying stone material, for the Early Modern period, the Kanpakuzawa branch of the Hayakawa stone quarry group64 and work for the construction of Edo castle are taken up.
  Regarding glazed ceramics, Ōhashi Kōji discussed the position of Hizen ceramics in Early Modern society.65
  For burial customs, regarding the topic of Christian graves which has been gathering attention in recent years, a special exhibition on the 469 years of Christianity in Japan was jointly held by the museums of Kokugakuin University and Seinan University.66
  For archaeology of the Modern and contemporary periods, at the JAA’s 2018 General Meeting, Kuroo Kazuhisa made a presentation on excavations at the site of the Zenshōen Sanatorium in Tokyo.67 This will likely open up a new horizon of investigations into Hansen’s disease–related remains in the archaeology of the Modern period.
  As stated in the section on trends in interdisciplinary research, Sawafuji Rikai has conducted DNA analysis68 on dental calculus from human skeletal remains at the Unkōin69 site in Tokyo, and further advancements in this research are anticipated for the future.
  For overseas archaeology, research trends are taken up regarding the Korean peninsula, China, Southeast Asia, and Northeast Asia.70 Here I will touch briefly on matters that are particularly related to Japanese archaeology.
  In trends for the Korean peninsula, much research was seen comparing artifacts and features of the peninsula and the Japanese archipelago, in order to examine the lines of derivation of artifacts and features in Japan. Japanese researchers carried out surveys and field investigations in South Korea, while joint projects and symposia were reportedly conducted by Japanese and Korean researchers.
  Meanwhile, for trends in Chinese research, in recent years the influence of Western archaeology appears to be increasing in the academic realm of Chinese archaeology, and Japan’s archaeological research on China is said to be under demands to broadcast its achievements more vigorously than before both domestically and abroad.
  In trends for Southeast Asian research, while some excavations are being conducted for prehistoric periods, on the whole there appears to be more research centered on ceramics of the Medieval to Early Modern periods, or discussing relations with Okinawa. This is probably linked with the research trends for the Medieval and Early Modern periods of Japan.
  With regards to research trends for Northeast Asia, in relation to the Japanese archipelago there was research on the appearance of modern man in northern Asia and the stone tool assemblages of the initial phase of the Upper Paleolithic period, on the appearance of stone tools in Northeast Asia, on the prehistoric period starting with studies of the earliest agriculture, on the culture of Hiraizumi and castles of the Medieval Tōhoku region, on the circum-Okhotsk Sea region, and on relations with peoples of northern regions.
  In this manner, trends in research in the peripheral regions around the Japanese archipelago appear to be deeply connected with the directions of Japanese archaeology of recent years, which has been pursuing connections with the surrounding regions and the diversity of the archipelago.
  Through the above, with regards to the overall directions of Japanese archaeological research for the 2018 fiscal year, I have discussed in outline the trends for each period in turn. As touched upon for the research trends of the Paleolithic, Jōmon, and Yayoi periods, with the nature of the various cultures that developed within the Japanese archipelago becoming clear, we appear to be arriving at a time for reexamining the very concept of culture itself.
  Regarding the diversity of the archipelago’s culture, it goes without saying that there are a variety of aspects such as the three cultures of the north, center, and south following Fujimoto Tsuyoshi,71 or “eastern Japan and western Japan,” or in even more finely drawn regional subdivisions. Both Hokkaido, as the “culture of the north,” and Amami/Okinawa, as the “culture of the south,” possess their own unique realms surpassing the notion of particular regional cultures of the archipelago.
  As seen in the research trends of the areas surrounding the Japanese archipelago, we can discern a movement for thinking about the archipelago’s culture in the context of Asia, which is related to clarification of Japan’s internal cultural diversity. Along with this, there is movement to consider the archipelago’s position in global context, and to consider it from the viewpoint of comparative archaeology.
  In research trends for each era, interest in the points of transition seems to be on the increase, or to state this differently, it appears that the concept of era has come to be questioned anew.
  Archaeology in Japan has thus far pursued a consistent path of taking a view of the archipelago as a whole, based upon steady investigations and research conducted in every region. How to relate the results of archaeological investigations and research in each region with the archaeology of the archipelago as a whole, and then how to situate that view in a global context, are vital problems that must be explored in the future.
  Also, Japanese archaeology is in the midst of broad currents of diversification in its methodology and the temporal and spatial expansion of its subject matter. In addition to the conventional analytic methods of archaeology, those of the natural sciences are being actively introduced, leading to epoch-making advances in research beginning with chronological measurements, ancient environmental and climatic reconstructions, and dietary analyses.
  In addition to this expansion of subject matter brought by the diversification in methodology, investigations and research have come to be conducted on topics which conventional archaeology rarely handled, such as Modern period and contemporary sites. How research and education will respond with regards to such trends in Japanese archaeology are important issues for the future.

1 [Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research, 2018, is a partial translation of “Nihon kōkogaku kenkyū no dōkō” 日本考古学研究の動向の動向動向, in Nihon kōkogaku nenpō 71 (2018 nendoban) 日本考古学年報 70（2018 年度版) (Archaeologia Japonica 71 [2018 Fiscal Year Issue]) (Nihon Kō) (Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai, 2020), pp. 1–56. This essay appears on pp. 1-4, under the Japanese title “Sōsetsu” 総説. It was translated by Walter Edwards, and published by the Japanese Archaeological Association (Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai日本考古学協会) online in 2021. To streamline the text, characters for Japanese names and terms, and bibliographic information have been placed in footnotes. When an English translation of the name of an organization or publication (or symposium, etc.) is supplied by the party responsible, this is used with minimum changes in capitalization etc. to conform to the style followed by Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research. Romanized names of individuals are given with the surname followed by the personal name.]) (Nihon Kō
2 谷川章雄
3 “Tenkanki o mukaeta Nihon kōkogaku to Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai” 転換期を迎えた日本考古学と日本考を迎えた日本考古学と日本考迎えた日本考古学と日本考えた日本考古学と日本考日本考古学と日本考日本考古学協会. [Translator’s note: A full description of the program is available in Japanese on the JAA’s website (/activity/70kinenn/). In brief, the projects are the following: (1) Gathering and archiving materials related to the JAA’s founding, (2) Commemorating individuals who have maintained membership in the JAA from 1965 or before, (3) Publishing an edited volume summarizing the current state of Japanese archaeological research (Nihon kōkogaku - Saizensen 日本考古学・最前線 [Japanese archaeology: The Forefront]) (Nihon Kō, Yūzankaku, 2018), (4) Holding a series of public lectures in conjunction with JAA regular meetings and other occasions, (5) Compiling a commemorative volume of Nihon kōkogaku 日本考古学 (Journal of the JAA) (published as issue no. 47 in October, 2018), and (6) Holding an international session at the JAA’s 2018 Autumn Meeting, “Contextualizing the Yayoi period as a farming society in East Asia” (Shizuoka, 20 October 2018), conducted in English.]) (Nihon Kō
4 The fiscal year begins on April 1 of each calendar year.
5 サキタリ
6 早水台
7 鶴ヶ谷ヶ谷谷
8 星野
9 東山型
10 福井洞窟
11 Yamada Shō 山田しょうしょう, Shiyōkon kenkyū no genjō to kyūsekki jidai ni okeru kōdō kenkyū e no ōyō使用痕研究の動向の動向現状と旧石器時代における行動研究への応用 と日本考旧石器時代における行動研究への応用 における行動研究への応用 行動研究の動向への動向応用 (Current status of traceology and its application to human behavioral studies in the paleolithic period), Kyūsekki kenkyū 旧石器研究の動向 (Paleolithic Research), 14 (2018): 1–16.
12 御堂島正
13 Ono Akira 小野昭, ed., Jinrui to shigen kankyō no dainamikkusu 人類と資源環境のダイナミックスと日本考資源環境のダイナミックスの動向ダイナミックス (Dynamic interactions between humans and natural environment) (Yūzankaku, 2019).
14 [Translator’s note: The reference is to the section appearing on pp. 4–8 of Nihon kōkogaku nenpō, the same volume containing this introductory overview, reporting on interdisciplinary research trends for the 2018 fiscal year.]) (Nihon Kō
15 Shiraishi Hiroyuki 白石浩之, ed., Kyūsekki jidai bunka kara Jōmon jidai bunka no chōryū: Kenkyū no shiten 旧石器時代における行動研究への応用 文化から縄文時代文化の潮流から縄文時代文化の潮流縄文時代における行動研究への応用 文化から縄文時代文化の潮流の動向潮流: 研究の動向の動向視点 (Currents of long-term change from the Paleolithic to the Jomon cultures: Research perspectives) (Rokuichi Shobō, 2019).
16 下宅部 (Tokyo prefecture)
17 Yuka Sasaki and Shūichi Noshiro, “Did a cooling event in the middle to late Jomon periods induced change in the use of plant resources in Japan?” Quaternary International 471 (2017): 369–384.
18 Hiroki Obata, Katsura Morimoto, and Akihiro Miyanoshita, “Discovery of the Jomon era maize weevils in Hokkaido, Japan and its mean,” Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 23 (2019): 137– 156.
19 津雲 (Okayama prefecture)
20 Morioka Hideto 森岡秀人 and the Paleological Association of Japan 古代における行動研究への応用 学協会, eds., Shoki nōkō katsudō to Kinki no Yayoi shakai 初期を迎えた日本考古学と日本考農耕活動と日本考近畿の弥生社会 の動向弥生社会 (What was the early agricultural society in Kinki?) (Yūzankaku, 2018).
21 吉野ヶ谷里
22 Sadamatsu Yoshie 定松佳重 et al., “Minami Awaji-shi Matsuho dōtaku no hōshasei tanso nendai sokutei chōsa seika ni tsuite” 南あわじ市松帆銅鐸の放射性炭素年代測定調査成果について あわじ市松帆銅鐸の放射性炭素年代測定調査成果について 市松帆銅鐸の放射性炭素年代測定調査成果について の動向放射性炭素年代における行動研究への応用 測定調査成果について について (Regarding buried period of Matsuho Dōtaku), presented at the Dai 35-kai Nihon Bunkazai Kagakukai Taikai 日本文化から縄文時代文化の潮流財科学会第 35 大会 (Japan Society for Scientific Studies on Cultural Properties 35th Congress) (Nara Joshi Daigaku, 8 July 2018).
23 Kamijō Nobuhiko 上條信彦, Tanaka Katsunori 田しょう中克典, and Koizumi Shōta 小泉翔太, “Keitai/DNA bunseki kara mita shutsudo ine no rekishiteki hensen” 形態・DNA 分析からみた出土イネの歴史的変遷から縄文時代文化の潮流みた日本考古学と日本考出土イネの歴史的変遷イネの歴史的変遷の動向歴史的変遷 (Historic transformation of the ancient rice from grain shape and DNA analysis), poster presented at the Dai 35-kai Nihon Bunkazai Kagakukai Taikai (Nara Joshi Daigaku, 7–8 July 2018).
24 青谷上寺地
25 Shinoda Ken’ichi 篠田しょう謙一, “DNA ga kataru Aoya no Yayoijin” DNA が語る青谷の弥生人 語る青谷の弥生人 る行動研究への応用 青谷の動向弥生人 (Yayoi people of Aoya revealed by DNA), presentation at the symposium “Wajin no shinjitsu: DNA/nendai/ kankyō” 倭人の動向真実: ＤＮＡ・年代における行動研究への応用 ・環境のダイナミックス (True image of the Wa people: DNA/chronology/environment), organized by the Tottori Prefecture Archaeological Center (Tottori, 2 March 2019).
26 Nanba Yōzō 難波洋三, “Yayoi jidai no seidōki no en dōitaihi bunseki to ICP bunseki” 弥生時代における行動研究への応用 の動向青銅器の動向鉛同位体比分析からみた出土イネの歴史的変遷と日本考 ICP 分析からみた出土イネの歴史的変遷 (Lead isotope analysis and ICP analysis of bronze artifacts in Yayoi period), Maizō Bunkazai Nyūsu 埋蔵文化から縄文時代文化の潮流財ニュース (CAO NEWS), no. 174 (2019): 16–25.
27 Hirose Kazuo 広瀬和雄, Yamanaka Akira 山中章, and Yoshikawa Shinji 吉川真司, eds., Kofun jidai no Kinai 古墳時代における行動研究への応用 の動向畿の弥生社会 内 (Kinai of the Kofun Period), Vol. 2 of Kōza Kinai no kodaigaku 講座畿の弥生社会 内の動向古代における行動研究への応用 学 (Lectures in ancient studies of Kinai) (Yūzankaku, 2018).
28 “Kofun jidai kōki kōhan no Tōgoku chiiki shuchō no shosō” 古墳時代における行動研究への応用 後期を迎えた日本考古学と日本考後半の東国地域首長の諸相の動向東国地域首長の諸相の動向諸相 (Aspects of chiefs of the Tōgoku region in the latter half of the Late Kofun period), session held at the Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai 2018 Nendo Shūki Taikai 日本考古学協会 2018 年度秋季大会 (JAA 2018 Autumn Meeting) (Shizuoka, 20 October 2018).
29 “Shukōgyō seisan to Kofun jidai shakai” 手工業生産と古墳時代社会 と日本考古墳時代における行動研究への応用 社会 (Handicraft industry production and Kofun period society), theme of the Dai 24-kai Tōhoku/Kantō Zenpōkōenfun Kenkyūkai Taikai 第 24 回東北・関東前方後円墳研究の動向会大会 (24th Meeting, Tōhoku/Kantō Keyhole Tomb Research Society), held in Nanyō, Yamagata prefecture, 9–10 March 2019.
30 Kashihara Kōkogaku Kenkyūjo 橿原考古学研究の動向所 (Archaeological Institute of Kashihara), ed., Kurozuka kofun no kenkyū 黒塚古墳の動向研究の動向 (Research on the Kurozuka tomb) (Yagi Shoten, 2018).
31 榛名山
32 Gunma-ken Maizō Bunkazai Chōsa Jigyōdan 群馬県埋蔵文化から縄文時代文化の潮流財調査事業団 (Gunma Archaeological Research Foundation), ed., Kanai Higashiura iseki, Kofun jidai hen 金井東裏遺跡 古墳時代における行動研究への応用 編 (Kanai Higashiura site, Kofun period volume) (Shibukawa, Gunma prefecture, 2019).
33 Uetsuki Manabu 植月学, “Tōgoku ni okeru ushiuma no riyō" 東国における行動研究への応用 牛馬の動向利用 (The role of cattle and horses in eastern Japan), Kikan kōkogaku 季刊考古学 (Archaeology Quarterly), no. 144 (2018): 47– 50.
34 弘仁 [Translator’s note: This earthquake occurred in the seventh month of the year Kōnin 9 (818), with the epicenter inferred to have been in the region of modern Gunma prefecture, and the magnitude estimated at M7.5 or greater.]) (Nihon Kō
35 貞観 [Translator’s note: This earthquake occurred in the fifth month of the year Jōgan 11 (869), with the epicenter inferred to have been off the Pacific coast of the Tōhoku region, and the magnitude estimated as at least M8.4.]) (Nihon Kō
36 幡羅官衙 (Saitama prefecture)
37 “Asuka jidai no yakusho to chiiki shakai” 飛鳥時代における行動研究への応用 の動向役所と日本考地域社会 (Government offices and regional society of the Asuka period), symposium held by the city of Fukaya (Fukaya, Saitama prefecture, 10 November 2018).
38 “Kanga, shūraku to ōmika” 官衙・集落と大甕 と日本考大甕 (Government offices, settlements, and large brewing pots), Dai 22-kai Kodai Kanga/Shūraku Kenkyū Shūkai 第 22 回古代における行動研究への応用 官衙・集落と大甕 研究の動向集会 (22nd Ancient Government Office/Settlement Research Meeting), held by the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (Nara prefecture, 7–8 December 2018).
39 下寺尾
40 寺町
41 下野薬師寺
42 上野国分尼寺
43 武蔵国高麗郡 (Saitama prefecture)
44 大宰府 (Fukuoka prefecture)
45 蝦夷
46 Yoshida Eiji 吉田しょう恵二, Bunbōgu ga kataru kodai Higashi Ajia 文房具が語る古代東アジア が語る青谷の弥生人 語る青谷の弥生人 る行動研究への応用 古代における行動研究への応用 東アジア (Ancient East Asia as told by stationery) (Douseisha, 2018).
47 Ōba Kōji 大庭康時, Hakata no kōkogaku: Chūsei no bōeki toshi o horu 博多の考古学の動向考古学: 中世の貿易都市をの動向貿易都市を迎えた日本考古学と日本考
掘る る行動研究への応用 (The archaeology of Hakata: Excavating a Medieval trade city) (Koshi Shoin, 2019).
48 [Translator’s note: Tōbō 唐 房 was a quarter in the port city of Hakata where many Chinese merchants took up residence from the latter part of the eleventh century, participating in the trade between Song dynasty China and Japan. They were known in Japan as Kōshu 綱首 or Kōshi 綱司, and finds of ink-inscribed pottery with the character 綱 (kō) are associated with their activity.]) (Nihon Kō
49 Oka Yōichirō 岡陽一郎, Daidō Kamakura jidai no kansen dōro 大道 鎌倉時代における行動研究への応用 の動向幹線道路 (Daidō, major roads of the Kamakura period) (Yoshikawa Kōbunkan, 2019).
50 Chūsei Sōsō Bosei Kenkyūkai 中世の貿易都市を葬送墓制研究の動向会
51 Shizuoka-ken Kyōiku Iinkai 静岡県教育委員会 (Shizuoka Prefecture Board of Education), ed., Shizuoka-ken no Chū/Kinsei bo 静岡県の動向中近世の貿易都市を墓 (Medieval/Early Modern period graves of Shizuoka prefecture) (Shizuoka Prefecture, 2019).
52 “Ryūkyū no Chūsei” 琉球の中世 の動向中世の貿易都市を (The Medieval period of the Ryūkyūs), Chūseigaku Kenkyūkai Dai 2- kai Shinpojiumu 中世の貿易都市を学研究の動向会第２回シンポジウム (2nd Symposium, Medieval Studies Society) (Tōkyō Daigaku, 30 June–1 July 2018).
53 Yoshikawa Yuriko 吉川由里子, Yoshida Tomoya 吉田しょう智哉, and Oshino Hirohito 押野博仁, “Kōkū rēza sokuryō shisutemu o mochiita Iwabitsu jōseki shūhen chikei no keisoku shuhō no kentō” 航空レーザ測レーザ測測 量システムを用いた岩櫃城周辺地形の計測手法の検討 システムを迎えた日本考古学と日本考用いた日本考古学と日本考岩櫃城周辺地形の動向計測手法の検討 の動向検討 (Investigation of terrain measurement around Iwabitsu castle site with LiDAR system), presented at the Dai 35-kai Nihon Bunkazai Kagakukai Taikai (Nara Joshi Daigaku, 8 July 2018).
54 Nakagawa Shigeo 中川茂夫, Katō Shinpei 加藤晋平, “Kinsei kōkogaku no teishō” 近世の貿易都市を考古学の動向提唱 (Proposal for Early Modern archaeology), presented at the Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai Dai 35-kai Sōkai 日本考古学協会第 35 回総会 (JAA 35th General Meeting) (Tokyo, 1969).
55 “Kinsei no sake to utage” 近世の貿易都市をの動向酒と宴 と日本考宴 (Early Modern sake and banquets), commemorative research meeting on the 50th anniversary of the “Proposal for Early Modern archaeology,” jointly held by (the Edo Iseki Kenkyūkai 江戸遺跡研究の動向会 (Edo Archaeological Site Research Society), Kansai Kinsei Kōkogaku Kenkyūkai 関西近世の貿易都市を考古学研究の動向会 (Kansai Early Modern Archaeological Research Society), and Kinsei Tōji Kenkyūkai 近世の貿易都市を陶磁研究の動向会 (Early Modern Ceramics Research Society) (Ōsaka Rekishi Hakubutsukan, Osaka, 9–11 February 2019).
56 駿府
57 徳川家康
58 中村一氏
59 豊臣
60 戸山荘
61 尾張藩徳川家
62 Hara Yūichi 原祐一, “Kagahan Hongōtei Ikutokuen no kenkyū 1” 加賀藩本郷邸育徳園の研究の動向研究の動向 1 (Research on Ikutokuen at the Kaga Domain's Hongō mansion 1), poster presented at the Dai 84-kai Kōkogaku Kyōkai 2018 Nendo Sōkai (Meiji Daigaku, 27 May 2018).
63 Sasaki Kensaku 佐々木健策, Sengoku, Edo jidai o sasaeta ishi: Odawara no ishikiri to seisan iseki  戦国・江戸時代における行動研究への応用 を迎えた日本考古学と日本考支えた石えた日本考古学と日本考石: 小田しょう原の動向石切と生産遺跡 と日本考生産と古墳時代社会 遺跡 (Stones that supported the Edo and Sengoku periods: The stone masons and production sites of Odawara) (Shinsensha, 2019).下寺尾官衙遺跡群 アクセス
64 Hayakawa Ishichōba-gun, Kanpakuzawa shigun 早川石丁場群関白沢支えた石群 (Kanagawa prefecture)
65 Ōhashi Kōji 大橋康二, Hizen tōji kara mita Kinsei shakai 肥前陶磁から縄文時代文化の潮流みた日本考古学と日本考近世の貿易都市を社会 (The early modern society from the viewpoints of Hizen ceramics), Kōkogaku jānaru 考古学ジャーナル, no. 715 (2018): 5–8.
66 “Kirishitan: Nihon to Kirisutokyō no 469 nen” キリシタン: 日本と日本考キリスト教の教の動向 469 年 (KIRISHITAN: Christians in hiding), special exhibit (Kokugakuin Daigaku Hakubutsukan 國 學 院 大 學 博 物 館 [Kokugakuin University Museum]) (Nihon Kō, Tokyo, 15 September–28 October 2018; Seinan Gakuin Daigaku Hakubutsukan 西南あわじ市松帆銅鐸の放射性炭素年代測定調査成果について 学院大学博物館 [Seinan Gakuin University Museum]) (Nihon Kō, Fukuoka, 2 November–13 December 2018).
67 Kuroo Kazuhisa 黒尾和久, “Kakuri no kioku o horu: Zenshō Byōin no hori, dorui, tsukiyama no kōkogakuteki chōsa” 隔離の記憶を掘るの動向記憶を掘るを迎えた日本考古学と日本考掘る る行動研究への応用 : 全生病院の動向堀・土イネの歴史的変遷塁、築山の動向考古学的調査 (Digging the memories of segregation: Archaeological investigation of the moats, ramparts, and artificial hill of Zenshō Hospital), presented at the Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai 2018 Nendo Sōkai (Meiji Daigaku, 27 May 2018).
68 Sawafuji Rikai 澤藤りかい, “Shiseki no seibutsugaku kōkogaku: DNA to puroteomikusu o chūshin ni”歯石の動向生物考古学: DNA と日本考プロテオミクスを迎えた日本考古学と日本考中心に に (The bioarchaeology of dental calculus: DNA, proteo- mics and starch analysis), Kikan kōkogaku, no. 143 (2018): 80–83.
69 雲光院
70 [Translator’s note: The reference is to the sections appearing on pp. 37–53 of Nihon kōkogaku nenpō, reporting on research trends for these four regions for the 2018 fiscal year.]) (Nihon Kō
71 Fujimoto Tsuyoshi 藤本強, Nihon rettō no mitsu no bunka: Kita no bunka, naka no bunka, minami no bunka 日本列島の動向三つの動向文化から縄文時代文化の潮流: 北の動向文化から縄文時代文化の潮流・中の動向文化から縄文時代文化の潮流・南あわじ市松帆銅鐸の放射性炭素年代測定調査成果について の動向文化から縄文時代文化の潮流 (The three cultures of the Japanese archi- pelago: Cultures of the north, center, and south) (Douseisha, 2009).

Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research, 2018
© 2021 The Japanese Archaeological Association published 
online: Feb 2021

Overview: Japanese Archaeological Research Trends 20171
Tanigawa Akio2

More than 15 years have passed since entering the twenty-first century, and the world today appears to be in the midst of a period of upheaval due to the forces of economic globalism and its reaction. For our nation the critical problems of social disparity in wealth and an aging society with a low birthrate are becoming more prominent. Trends in archaeological research are not unrelated to such a state of affairs currently enveloping Japan and the world. The problems with which Japanese archaeology has been saddled in recent years, the decline in population of researchers supporting regional studies, severe personnel shortages at regional public organizations, and issues in the training of successors and the educational environment for archaeology at universities, all appear to have such conditions as their background.
  Herein I would like to look back on the overall trends in Japanese archaeological research for the 2017 fiscal year.3 What follows will outline the research trends for each period in turn.
  In Paleolithic period research, studies on the arrival of modern humans to the Japanese archipelago and surrounding parts of Asia drew attention. In the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Grant-in-Aid Project “Cultural History of PaleoAsia: Integrative research on the formative processes of modern human cultures in Asia,”4 work is underway on the construction of a database of Late Pleistocene sites of Asia, and results are emerging regarding the movements of characteristic cultural elements, the classification of types of tool kits for East and Southeast Asia, and the construction of a population replacement model.
  In the Ryukyu Islands, results of the investigation of the Shiraho Saonetabaru5 cave site in Okinawa prefecture are drawing attention. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA from human bone suggests a southern origin, and similarities with Insular Southeast Asia in the nature of the site as a cliff burial have been pointed out, strengthening views of a southern origin for Pleistocene man in the Ryukyu Islands. Also, research regarding navigational techniques of around 38,000–35,000 years ago is being conducted to learn about the possibilities for mobility and routes of access to the Japanese archipelago for modern humans.
  Meanwhile, it is being questioned whether humans existed in the archipelago prior to the arrival of modern humans, in other words before 40,000 years ago. Reevaluations are being conducted of excavations of the Tsujita6 and Babayama7 sites in Fukuoka prefecture, the Hoshino8 site in Tochigi, the Kanadori9 site in Iwate, and the Gongen’yama10 site in Gunma. Within the archipelago, growing concern was seen regarding problems of the regionality of tool kits and of behavioral research. For the latter, there were debates about adaptive behavior in response to changes in the climate or fauna, the utilization of stone tool materials, hunting technology, and so forth. Behavioral research integrating analyses of use wear or of stone scatters is showing signs of entering new stages of investigation. In this manner, notable trends were recognized in Paleolithic period research including studies of the arrival of modern humans in the archipelago with a widened perspective on Asia as a whole, and in approaches to behavioral research based on analyses of tools and stone scatters.
  For trends in Jōmon period research, results of reconstructions of livelihoods and environmental conditions made in coordination with natural scientific analyses drew attention. There were results of research, popular in recent years, on seed impressions in pottery using replica studies of plant remains, and dietary analyses based on organic remains adhering to pots and on carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis of human bone, while lipid analysis and the analysis of starch grains were also carried out on organic adhesions to pottery. Research was seen making wide-area comparisons of climate change and cultural phenomena such as the emergence of pottery through the use of high-precision dating. The use of three- dimensional measurements centering on features and artifacts is spreading, and advances are anticipated for research based on new investigative techniques.
  As stated in the section on trends in interdisciplinary research,11 with regard to both lipid and starch residue analyses, caution should be paid not only to methodology and utility, but also to issues and limits of these approaches as well. Comprehensive research such as analyses of transitions in exploitation patterns has become more viable precisely because current accumulations of data have greatly advanced, but the current tendency pointed out for increasing specialization indicates the need to aim for reconstructions of environment and livelihood using broad perspectives that encapsulate human and natural history. Also, as seen in zooarchaeology, a trend toward using archaeological data to pose meaningful questions for other fields is also vital.
  Meanwhile, basic debates of Jōmon period research on artifacts, features, settlements, etc., are said to be in a stagnant trend. This problem should be examined in light of the tendency in recent years for the methodological diversification of archaeology. Also, Imamura Keiji has re-presented his notion of the Jōmon as a “woodland neolithic culture,” and for comparison with a global “neolithic age,” points out a two-step transition to a neolithic age in Japan in the Early Jōmon and Yayoi periods.12 Such discussion of the position of Jōmon culture from a world historical perspective is likely needed in the future.
  Among research trends for the Yayoi period, topics that were taken up include various aspects of food procurement such as cultivation and fishing, the structure of regional society as seen from settlements and burials, images of Yayoi culture seen from ceremonies and rituals, interregional exchanges revealed through the production and circulation of various types of artifacts, and the outline of Yayoi culture itself.
  As general trends, in the same manner as for the Jōmon period, advances were made in research conducted in coordination with natural scientific analyses. For the analysis of diet in particular, comprehensive investigations were made at the Ikego13 site in Kanagawa prefecture of the composition of floral and faunal remains and the form of human skeletal remains, of human and animal bone through carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses, and of seed impressions, carbonized adhesions on pottery, and starch residues; issues were discussed regarding the vegetative diet of rice, nuts, assorted grains and so forth, and the proportion of marine products in the dietary intake.14 Also discussed were the surprisingly small effects showing little individual variance of marine products on the human diet, based on carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis, and the question of management of inoshishi (wild boar, but in this analysis including possibly pigs) arising from the division of those faunal remains into two groups based on differences in the creatures’ diet.
  With regards to Yayoi culture in the context of Asia, problems such as incipient agriculture in East Asia and the start of cultivation in the Yayoi period are being taken up. Crawford has reviewed the ages and conditions of recovery of cultigens such as rice, other cereals, and legumes in East Asia (Japan, China, Korea), and pointed out that the phenomenon of domestication cannot be explained exclusively as a unitary dispersion out from China, but followed independent historical transitions in each region. In a symposium held by the National Museum of National History focused on reconstructing Japanese prehistory,15 concurrent relations between Japan and Korea in a temporal frame centering on the Yayoi period were examined, and relations of exchange in metals and ceramics between the two regions were clarified. Also, it is said the problem of the eastward spread of early metal implements in Northeast Asia can anticipate future developments in Yayoi period research.
  In research trends of the Kofun period, based on the steady work of republishing materials from past investigations and compiling basic data for various regions, collaborative research and studies to portray an image of the period continue to be widely conducted. These trends are not limited to the Kofun period, but are likely due to the tasks of assembling and analyzing massive amounts of data being beyond the capacity of any individual.
  As studies depicting the image of the period, there was joint research by the National Museum of Japanese History published on the theme of the “Real image of the world of Wa in East Asia,”16 and items also appeared such as Shimogaki Hitoshi’s monograph Kofun jidai no kokka keisei (State formation in the Kofun period)17 explaining the Kofun period from perspectives of the formation of the state or of comparative archaeology. With regard to such issues in the history of state formation, there were achievements in the field of history beginning with Nakada Kōkichi’s Wakoku makki seijishiron (Treatise on the political history of the final phase of the country of Wa).18 It is said that enlivened debate on this topic can be anticipated between archaeology and history in the future. Also, for foreign exchange, there were numerous monographs discussing Japanese–Korean exchanges in the Kofun period from a variety of perspectives, such as Yamamoto Takafumi’s Kodai Chōsen no kokka taisei to kōkogaku (Archaeology and the state system of ancient Korea).19
  Regarding the Kofun period and natural disasters, a session on sites afflicted by volcanic eruptions was put together for the Japanese Archaeological Association 2017 Autumn Meeting.20 Also, information on tombs at various locations damaged by the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes was summarized in materials from a meeting of the Kyushu Keyhole Tomb Research Society.21
  In settlement research, trends were seen towards topics such as transitions of ordinary settlements and their backgrounds, storehouses and embedded-pillar structures, urbanization and the development of miyake,22 whereas for artifacts, research was active with regards to Haji23 and Sue24 wares, haniwa, armor, and so forth. As a trend of recent years, examples utilizing three-dimensional measurements and laser-measuring technology are increasing, and there were studies such as Jōkura Masayoshi’s monograph on the use of digital technology in studying human figurine haniwa previously unearthed from tombs in Kujūkuri, Chiba prefecture.25
  For Ancient period research, while studies of capitals, regional government offices, temple sites, and so forth made from the perspective of the state accounted for the bulk of the work, research on particular topics such as settlements or artifacts is said to have been somewhat inactive.
  Regarding capitals, the Jōri Field System/Ancient Urban Research Society held a research meeting on the theme of dōban (ceremonial banners),26 and as examples of dōban at sites of regional temples are increasing as well, it was an opportunity to reflect upon the majestic appearance of urban centers and temples with these banners raised high. Regarding regional government headquarters, the Ancient Government Headquarters/Settlements Research Society held a meeting on the theme of the transitions and characteristics of regional government office districts.27 Also, the output from a symposium held in 2015 by the Historical Society of Japan was augmented with related papers and results of investigations on regional government headquarters sites in the eastern provinces and published as Kodai Tōgoku no chihō kanga to jiin (Regional government headquarters and temples of the Ancient eastern provinces), an anthology edited by Satō Makoto.28
  A special collection on the topic of regional acceptance of Buddhism with a focus on village-based temples was put together in the journal Minshūshi kenkyū (Popular History Research).29 At a meeting of the Ancient Transport Research Society the theme of “People, places, roads that supported movement” was taken up,30 and in reports centering on the San’indō31 road a variety of roadway structures adapted to topographic variations were clarified, while topics were discussed including the role of major government temples at the start of the Heian period as places for providing relief to the indigent and the sick against a background of the fukuden philosophy,32 and the performance of acts of tree-planting at strategic points of transport as imbued with Buddhist meaning.
  As noteworthy excavation results, at the Nara palace33 site (East Palace34 sector), it became clear that the distribution of buildings in the northern periphery of the East Palace sector was extremely thin around the end of the Nara period. At the Dazaifu35 site two sōbashira structures36 were excavated, and these were possibly facilities related to the Storehouse Office which managed the local products and cloth that were paid as taxes from all over Kyushu. At the site of Mizuki37 castle (Kamiōri Shōmizuki38 remains), scales of the width, length, height and so forth of the earthworks were determined, and the method of piling the embankments depending on the topographic and geologic features became clear.
  In Medieval period research trends, for urban research, the Medieval Urban Research Society held a meeting on the theme of Hakata as a port city.39 Extending the field of view to East Asia, Hakata’s nature as a city and as a base for the domestic and international circulation of goods and the transfer of technology, and its function as a military city and so forth were discussed.
  With regards to castles, the Shokuhō Period Castle Research Society held a meeting on the theme of new perspectives on castle roof tile research,40 and problems involving roof tile manufacture such as same-mold relations and clay- cutting methods were discussed. Also, a Chūgoku/Shikoku Residential Castle Investigations Discussion Meeting was held on current issues in Early Modern castle research as seen from Iyo Matsuyama castle.41 In particular, comparative examinations were made of the nobori ishigaki 42 (stone walls built ascending a slope) at domestic castles beginning with Iyo Matsuyama castle, and at wajō 43 (Japanese castles built in Korea).
  In research on Medieval graves, a series of Medieval Funerary and Burial Customs Research Meetings44 (Representative: Sagawa Shin’ichi) have been held on the topic of the end of Medieval graves. As a result, for burial customs going from the end of the Medieval into the Edo period, in Kyushu there was disruption whereas in Shikoku continuity can be discerned, and while such continuity is also seen to extend as far as Ise45 and western Mino,46 as a semblance of disruption is visible from eastern Mino to Owari,47 Mikawa,48 Tōtomi,49 and Suruga,50 it thus appears that the continuity from the end of the Medieval into the Early Modern period in burial customs that was centered on Kinai51 spread out to other regions.
  The results of collaborative research on the theme of Medieval craftsmen and technology were published by the National Museum of Japanese History, and the nature of productive technology which increased dramatically in the Medieval period came under reexamination.52 Also, for the initial symposium of the Medieval Studies Research Society,53 even while recognizing the role played by Kyoto as a cultural model, the possibility was indicated that rather than regional society simply accepting the Kyoto model as such, Kyoto perhaps functioned as the embodiment of culture which should be universally shared amidst the loss of traditional order that was the Medieval period.
  In Early Modern research, with regards to castles, investigations related to management as Historic Sites were central. These included an excavation attending repair work on the stone walls of Hirosaki54 castle, an investigation of the moat and earthworks at Matsumoto55 castle, an excavation of the base of the main keep at Suruga56 castle, investigations for the reconstruction of buildings in the third bailey at Himeji57 castle, and an excavation at the southeast portion of the main keep of Saga58 castle.
  Regarding castle towns, along with excavations in the Edo castle town, an investigation by the city of Kokubunji59 in Tokyo prefecture of the Koigakubo-mura watercourse,60 a branch of the Tamagawa aqueduct61 that was cut in 1657, has drawn attention. In Osaka, the townhouse of a horn-carving artisan from the early Edo period was investigated. There was also an excavation of the Umeda cemetery, one of those comprising the circuit of the “Ōsaka seven graveyard pilgrimage”62 that was a popular Obon festival event in the Edo period. Investigations were conducted at the Matsue63 castle town, Takamatsu64 castle town, and others as well. In relation to the Ryūkyū kingdom, the excavation report for the site of the Nakagusuku Udun palace was published.65 The remains of the mansion of the heir to the Ryūkyūan king were confirmed, and a stair-shaped feature, stone pilings, a well, and so forth were excavated.
  An excavation was carried out at the grave site in Nagasaki prefecture of Miguel Chijiwa66 and his wife. Christian artifacts and parts of a human skeleton were recovered from within an oblong clothes chest that had been converted into use as a coffin. It has been pointed out based on DNA analysis that the occupant of that grave was likely a woman.
  At the site of a sugar refinery at Kuji67 on Amami Ōshima68 in Kagoshima prefecture, the remains were investigated of a refinery which utilized a steam engine and was in operation around the time of the end of the Edo period and the Meiji Restoration. Brick-paved features, the remains of a chimney, and so forth were excavated.
  For archaeology of the Modern and contemporary periods, a meeting on the theme of “Ibutsu ni miru Bakumatsu, Meiji”(Bakumatsu, Meiji seen in artifacts) was held by the Edo Archaeological Site Research Society.69 This was an attempt to assess the transition from the Early Modern to the Modern periods from changes in the artifacts recovered from Edo and Tokyo that have accumulated thus far. In recent years, as Modern and contemporary archaeological data continue to be collected, we appear to be arriving at the point of considering the framework for archaeology of the current era.
  For research in overseas archaeology, trends for the Korean peninsula, China, and North America are being taken up, but for details I will yield to the descriptions given for each region.70
  In the above manner, with regards to the overall directions of Japanese archaeological research for the 2017 fiscal year, I have discussed in outline the trends for each period in turn. In recent years Japanese archaeology can be said to be in the midst of broad currents for the diversification of its methodology and the temporal and spatial expansion of its subject matter. In addition to the conventional analytic methods of archaeology those of the natural sciences are being actively introduced, leading to epoch-making advances beginning with chronological measurements, ancient environmental and climatic reconstructions, and dietary analyses.
  In addition to this expansion of subject matter in accompaniment with the diversification of methodology, investigations and research on topics which conventional archaeology rarely handled, such as Modern period and contemporary sites, have come to be conducted. At the same time, trends are emerging for assessments of Japanese culture in the contexts of Asia and the entire globe, and for research from vantage points of comparative archaeology. With regards to such directions in Japanese archaeology, how to respond in terms of research and education are important issues for the future.
  Meanwhile, in its long academic history, on top of its steady investigations and research in every region, Japanese archaeology has tread a consistent path of taking a view of the archipelago as a whole. The issue of how to relate the results of archaeological research in every region with the archaeology of the entire archipelago, and how to assess those results overall in a global context, are vital problems in need of future exploration.

1 [Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research, 2017, is a partial translation of “Nihon kōkogaku kenkyū no dōkō” 日本考古学研究の動向, in Nihon kōkogaku nenpō 70 (2017 nendoban) 日本考古学年報 70（2017 年度版) (Archaeologia Japonica 70 [2017 Fiscal Year Issue]) (Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai, 2019),pp. 1–67. This essay appears on pp. 1-4, under the Japanese title “Sōsetsu” 総説. It was translated by Walter Edwards, and published by the Japanese Archaeological Association (Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai日本考古学協会) online in 2019. To streamline the text, characters for Japanese names and terms, and bibliographic information have been placed in footnotes. When an English translation of the name of an organization or publication (or symposium, etc.) is supplied by the party responsible, this is used with minimum changes in capitalization etc. to conform to the style followed by Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research. Romanized names of individuals are given with the surname followed by the personal name.]
2 谷川章雄
3 The fiscal year begins on April 1 of each calendar year.
4 “Pareoajia bunkashigaku: Ajia shinjin bunka keisei purosesu no sōgōteki kenkyū” パレオアジア文化史学: アジア新人文化形成プロセスの総合的研究 (Cultural history of PaleoAsia: Integrative research on the formative processes of modern human cultures in Asia), MEXT Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (16H06407, FY2016–2020, Project Leader: Nishiaki Yoshihiro).
5 白保竿根田原
6 辻田
7 馬場山
8 星野
9 金取
10 権現山
11 [Translator’s note: The reference is to the section appearing on pp. 5–10 of Nihon kōkogaku nenpō, the same volume containing this introductory overview, reporting on interdisciplinary research trends for the 2017 fiscal year.]
12 Imamura Keiji 今村啓爾, Jōmon bunka: Nyūmon kara tenbō e 縄文文化: 入門から展望へ (Jōmon culture: From introduction to outlook) (Nyū Saiensusha, 2017).
13 池子
14 Sugiyama Kōhei 杉山浩平, ed., Yayoi jidai shoku no takakuteki kenkyū: Ikego iseki o kagaku suru 弥生時代食の多角的研究: 池子遺跡を科学する (Multilateral research on Yayoi Period diet: Scientific study of the Ikego site) (Rokuichi Shobō, 2018).
15 “Saikō! Jōmon to Yayoi: Rekihaku ga mezasu Nihon senshi bunka no saikōchiku” 再考! 縄文と弥生:歴博がめざす日本先史文化の再構築 (Rekihaku’s new perspectives on Jomon culture and Yayoi culture: Towards reconstruction of prehistoric Japan), international symposium organized by Kokuritsu Rekishi Minzoku Hakubutsukan 国立歴史民俗博物館 (National Museum of Japanese History) (Tokyo, 2 Decem- ber 2017).
16 “Kodai Higashi Ajia ni okeru Wa sekai no jittai” 古代東アジアにおける倭世界の実態 (Real image of the world of Wa in East Asia), a collection of 15 articles in Kokuritsu Rekishi Minzoku Hakubutsukan kenkyū hōkoku 国立歴史民俗博物館研究報告 (Bulletin of the National Museum of Japanese History), no. 211 (2018): 1–512.
17 Shimogaki Hitoshi 下垣仁志, Kofun jidai no kokka keisei 古墳時代の国家形成 (State formation in the Kofun period) (Yoshikawa Kōbunkan, 2018).
18 Nakada Kōkichi 中田興吉, Wakoku makki seijishiron 倭国末期政治史論 (Treatise on the political history of the final phase of the country of Wa) (Douseisha, 2017).
19 Yamamoto Takafumi 山本孝文, Kodai Chōsen no kokka taisei to kōkogaku 古代朝鮮の国家体制と考古学
(Archaeology and the state system of ancient Korea) (Yoshikawa Kōbunkan, 2017).
20 “Kazanbai kōkogaku no shintenkai: Kazan funka risai iseki kara no shiten” 火山灰考古学の新展開: 火山噴火罹災遺跡からの視点 (New advances in volcanic ash archaeology: From the perspective of sites afflicted by volcanic eruptions), session held at the Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai 2017 Nendo Shūki Taikai日本考古学協会 2017 年度秋季大会 (Japanese Archaeological Association 2017 Autumn Meeting) (Miyazaki, Miyazaki prefecture, 21–22 October 2017).
21 Heisei 28 nendo Kumamoto jishin ni yoru hisai kofun no genjō to kadai 平成 28 年熊本地震による被災古墳の現状と課題 (Current state and issues of tombs damaged in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes), abstracts and materials from the Dai 20-kai Kyūshū Zenpōkōenfun Kenkyūkai 第 20 回九州前方後円墳研 究 会 (20th Meeting, Kyushu Keyhole Tomb Research Society), held in Kumamoto, Kumamoto prefecture; 17–18 June 2017 (Kumamoto, 2017).
22 [Translator’s note: Miyake were estates held directly by the Yamato court prior to the Taika Reform of 645, and many subsequently served as a basis for regional governance under the ritsuryō system.]
23 土師
24 須恵
25 Jōkura Masayoshi 城倉正祥, Dejitaru gijutsu de semaru jinbutsu haniwa: Kujūkuri no kofun to shutsudo ibutsu デジタル技術でせまる人物埴輪: 九十九里の古墳と出土遺物 (Approaching human figurine haniwa with digital technology: The tombs of Kujūkuri and their recovered artifacts) (Yoshikawa Kōbunkan, 2017).
26 “Toshi no sōgon: Dōban o tateru girei o megutte” 都市の荘厳: 幢幡を立てる儀礼をめぐって (Urban majesty: Concerning rites of erecting ceremonial banners), Dai 34-kai Jōrisei/Kodai Toshi Kenkyūkai Taikai 第 34 回条里制・古代都市研究会大会 (34th Research Meeting of the Jōri Field System/Ancient Urban Research Society) (Nara Bunkazai Kenkyūjo, 3–4 March 2018).
27 “Chihō kanga seichōiki no hensen to tokushitsu” 地方官衙政庁域の変遷と特質 (Transitions and special characteristics of regional government headquarters office districts), Dai 21-kai Kodai Kanga/ Shūraku Kenkyūkai 第 21 回古代官衙・集落研究会 (21st Meeting of the Ancient Government Head- quarters/Settlements Research Society) (Nara Bunkazai Kenkyūjo, 8–9 December 2017).
28 Satō Makoto 佐藤信, ed., Kodai Tōgoku no chihō kanga to jiin 古代東国の地方官衙と寺院 (Regional government headquarters and temples of the Ancient eastern provinces) (Yamakawa Shuppansha, 2017).
29 “Kodai no Bukkyō juyō to zaichi shihai: Chiiki shakai to muradō” 古代の仏教受容と在地支配: 地域社会と村堂 (Local society and the Ancient reception of Buddhism: Village temples and regional society), a collection of six articles in Minshūshi kenkyū 民衆史研究 (Popular History Research), no. 93 (2017): 1– 64.
30 “Idō o sasaeta hito to ba, michi” 移動を支えた人と場・道 (People, places, roads that supported move- ment), Dai 19-kai Kodai Kōtsū Kenkyūkai 第 19 回古代交通研究会 (19th Meeting of the Ancient Transport Research Society) (Nihon Daigaku Keizai Gakubu, 24–25 June 2017).
31 山陰道
32 [Translator’s note: Fukuden (福田, literally “field of blessing”) philosophy developed from a notion of the historical Buddha as a source (field) of good fortune, and encompassed the belief that performing compassionate deeds could serve to manifest reverence on the part of devotees.]
33 平城宮
34 Tōin 東院
35 大宰府 (Fukuoka prefecture)
36 sōbashira tatemono 総柱建物 (structures with regularly spaced internal pillars)
37 水城 (Fukuoka prefecture)
38 上大利小水城
39 “Kōshi to shite no Hakata” 港市としての博多 (Hakata as a port city), Chūsei Toshi Kenkyūkai Hakata Taikai 2017 中世都市研究会博多大会 2017 (Medieval Urban Research Society, 2017 Hakata Meeting) (Fukuoka-shi Maizō Bunkazai Sentā, 2–3 September 2017).
40 “Shokuhōki jōkaku kawara kenkyū no shinshiten” 織豊期城郭瓦研究の新視点 (New perspectives on Shokuhō period castle roof tile research), Shokuhōki Jōkaku Kawara Kenkyūkai 2017 Nendo Kōga Taikai 織豊期城郭研究会 2017 年度甲賀研究集会 (Shokuhō Period Castle Research Society, 2017 Kōga Meeting) (Kōga, Shiga prefecture, 9–10 September 2017).
41 “Iyo Matsuyamajō kara mita kinsei jōkaku no ronten” 伊予松山城から見た近世城郭の論点 (Issues of Early Modern castles seen from Iyo Matsuyama castle), Chūgoku/Shikoku Chiku Jōkan Chōsa Kentōkai 中国・四国地区城館調査検討会 (Chūgoku/Shikoku Residential Castle Investigations Discussion Meeting) (Matsuyama, Ehime prefecture, 25–26 November 2017).
42 登り石垣
43 倭城
44 Chūsei Sōsō Bosei Kenkyūkai 中世葬送墓制研究会
45    伊勢
46    美濃
47    尾張
48    三河
49    遠江
50    駿河
51    畿内
52 “Chūsei no gijutsu to shokunin ni kansuru sōgōteki kenkyū” 中世の技術と職人に関する総合的研究 (General study on technology and craftsmen in Medieval times), a collection of 13 articles in Kokuritsu Rekishi Minzoku Hakubutsukan kenkyū hōkoku, no. 210 (2018): 1–272.
53 “Gensō no Kyōto moderu” 幻想の京都モデル (The illusory Kyoto model), symposium organized by the Chūseigaku Kenkyūkai 中世学研究会 (Medieval Studies Research Society) (Keio Gijuku Daigaku Hiyoshi Kyampasu, 1–2 July 2017).
54 弘前 (Aomori prefecture)
55 松本 (Nagano prefecture)
56 駿府 (Shizuoka prefecture)
57 姫路 (Hyogo prefecture)
58 佐賀 (Saga prefecture)
59 国分寺
60 Koigakubo-mura Bunsui 恋ヶ窪村分水
61 Tamagawa Jōsui 玉川上水
62 Ōsaka nanahaka meguri 大坂七墓巡り
63 松江 (Shimane prefecture)
64 高松 (Kagawa prefecture)
65  Okinawa  Kenritsu  Maizō  Bunkazai  Sentā  沖縄 県立 埋蔵 文化 財セ ンタ ー  (Okinawa  Prefectural Archaeological Center), ed., Nakagusuku  Udun  ato   中城御殿跡  (Nakagusuku Udun site), vol. 95 of Okinawa Kenritsu Maizō Bunkazai Sentā hakkutsu chōsa hōkokusho  沖縄県立埋蔵文化財センター発掘調査報告書 (Okinawa Prefectural Archaeological Center Excavation Reports) (Nishihara-chō, Nakakami- gun, Okinawa, 2018).
66 千々石ミゲル
67 久慈
68 奄美大島
69 “Ibutsu ni miru Bakumatsu, Meiji” 遺物にみる幕末・明治 (Bakumatsu, Meiji seen in artifacts), Dai 31- kai Edo Iseki Kenkyūkai Taikai 第 31 回江戸遺跡研究会大会 (31st Meeting of the Edo Archaeological Site Research Society) (Nihon Daigaku Bunri Gakubu, 27–28 January 2017).
70 [Translator’s note: The reference is to the sections on overseas research trends for the Korean peninsula, China, and Central Europe, appearing on pp. 66–87 of Nihon kōkogaku nenpō, the same volume containing this introductory overview.]

Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research, 2017
© 2019 The Japanese Archaeological Association published
online: October 2019

Overview: Japanese Archaeological Research Trends 20161

Tanigawa Akio2

At the start of the twenty-first century our nation faced a period of great change, in the midst of economic globalism, and with both social disparity and the transition to an aging society with a low birthrate becoming more evident. Trends in archaeological research are not unrelated to such social conditions. The drastic decline in population of researchers supporting regional studies, severe personnel shortages at regional public organizations, and problems of training successors and the educational environment for archaeology at universities, all appear to have such social conditions as the background.
  Herein I would like to look back over the overall trends in Japanese archaeological research for the 2016 fiscal year.3 What follows will outline in order the research trends for each period.
  For Paleolithic period research regarding human origins and dispersals, in recent years collaborative research with various Quarternary sciences going beyond the frameworks of individual national histories, from perspectives such as geographic diversity, variation, and adaption, has become active. For the 8th Meeting of the Asian Paleolithic Association, hosted in Japan for the second time, a symposium was held on “Variability, similarities, and the definition of the Initial Upper Paleolithic across Eurasia.”
  With these developments, along with research on human dispersals and the formation of tool kits of the Lower, Middle, and Upper Paleolithic periods in Japan and surrounding regions, work was seen related to the span from the end of the Upper Paleolithic to the Incipient Jōmon periods. For the latter, there was much research focused on regional examples related to human adaptations to the climatic changes of the period. In this manner, for Paleolithic research, collaborative work on the natural environment and human adaptation linking archaeological and natural scientific methodologies is progressing.
  As research in traceology (use-wear analysis) of stone tools, Midōshima Tadashi 4 has experimentally examined acid-induced surface change on obsidian stone tools, to study its effects on use-wear traces. The results are worth taking into consideration for the Japanese archipelago, in which acidic soils predominate. Also, in research on the sources of materials for stone tools, focusing on obsidian, petrological studies and geochemical analyses of source areas in various regions, and distribution surveys of sites in the regions bordering those source areas were carried out. Stone tool material research requires cooperative work of archaeology and the geological sciences, and in recent years is close to being established as one interdisciplinary theme linking archaeological and natural scientific methodologies.
  In trends of Jōmon period research, studies were seen with the tendency of recent years to focus on the relationship between society and the environment. Reconstructions of livelihood through analyses of animal remains and so forth were conducted, and links with carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of human bone, etc., draw attention. Also, for faunal remains there were many reports on replica studies of seed impressions. Numerous data on seed impressions have been accumulated, making it possible to debate issues across a wide range of time for all of Japan. Lipid analysis, the analysis of starch grains, and so forth, of residual organic materials adhering to pottery are also being conducted.
  In considering the utilization of nuts in the Japanese prehistoric era, Hosoya Aoi 5 has called for vigorous examinations of ethnographic examples among North American native peoples, and analyzed ethnographic accounts recorded at the start of the twentieth century for Northern Californian indigenous groups. In the future this type of ethnoarchaeological perspective will likely prove effective. In research on ancient human skeletal remains, based on the morphology and physical and chemical analyses of human skeletons of the Final Jōmon, Saeki Fumiko and others have made a reconstruction of the daily living environment.6 As research on stone tools, Hashimoto Katsuo discussed the appearance and lines of derivation of stone arrowheads in the Kantō and Chūbu regions,7 and the importance can be seen of basic research utilizing data recovered from extensive regions.
  In research related to Jōmon society, much discussion was seen of social stratification based on analyses of settlement structure and burial customs. Also, the monograph edited by Kobayashi Ken’ichi and colleagues, Jōmon shakai o shūraku kara yomitoku (Deciphering Jōmon society from settlements),8 was published, bringing together the results of Jōmon settlement research. It includes interpretations of dogū 9 with regard to ritual and ceremonial practices, and while there will be opposing views on such matters, it is claimed that debate should be engaged concerning the methodology of archaeology itself, as well as approaches followed when invoking the results of fields such as cultural anthropology or iconography.
  In research on the Yayoi period, from the perspective of the AMS long chronology Fujio Shin’ichirō defined Yayoi culture in the previous year as one “with paddy rice cultivation placed within the whole of daily life”10 and took its sphere as extending west from Niigata–Chiba prefectures; in response to this, movements to reexamine previous frameworks are accelerating. From the viewpoint that the fundamental characteristics of Yayoi culture for each region should be given equal valuation in historical studies, Ishikawa Hideshi calls for interpreting the cultural content of each region with both diachronic historic and pan-East-Asian perspectives as essential conditions.11 In conjunction with such debate, discussion regarding the beginnings of Yayoi culture is showing brisk activity.
  Results of natural scientific analyses, such as replica studies of seed impressions, reconstructions of livelihood based on carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of human bone, and reconstructions of the genetic diversity of rice through DNA analysis, will likely promote tremendous developments in future research. Also, with progress in investigations and research in China and on the Korean peninsula, it can be said that conditions have become possible for evaluating the position of Yayoi culture within the East Asian context.
  In excavations, at the Bunkyō12 site in Ehime prefecture the oldest field remains in the country, from the end of the Final Jōmon to the start of the Early Yayoi periods, have been found. Also, at the Sugu Okamoto13 site in Fukuoka prefecture, a bronze dagger and bronze pommel decoration were among the items recovered from a jar burial of the first half of the Middle Yayoi period, made in the largest class of burial pit in the nation.
  In trends of Kofun period research, the research direction was seen of assessing the position of Japan’s Kofun period within the history of East Asia including China and the Korean peninsula. Ichinose Kazuo’s Mozu, Furuichi kofungun (Mozu, Furuichi tomb groups)14 evaluates the place of these colossal tomb groups, which Japan aims to have inscribed on the World Heritage List, within the larger East Asian world. With regard to foreign connections in the Kofun period the Japanese– Korean relationship is central, for which bilateral comparisons and considerations of historical background are increasingly regarded as important.
  The monograph Kinai no shuchōfun (Chiefly tombs of the Kinai region),15 edited by the archaeological program of Ritsumeikan University, makes a review of basic data centering on the Kinai region. It is called a self-generated attempt at revisiting the issue of the “necessity of the center” in the process of state formation. In settlement research, relations with tombs has become an important theme. Also, research is being conducted that reconstructs the ancient topography and analyzes trends in agricultural reclamation and settlements based on the methodology of “geoarchaeology,” cooperative work between the earth sciences and archaeology. For Haji 16 ware used in cooking, observations on soot and charred adhesions and research on functional aspects through ethnographic and experimental approaches are drawing attention.
  Research based on animal remains has been conducted that clarifies horse breeding in the period of state formation, and through carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of the enamel of horse teeth recovered from sites of the Kofun through Medieval periods, fodder content has been reconstructed while referencing documentary materials, and the nature of agricultural practices was debated. Also, three-dimensional modeling of artifacts and features using digital technology has become an enormous trend. Aerial laser surveys of imperial tombs, and research on the construction plans of keyhole-shaped tombs using digital measurement technology and ground-penetrating radar, are making great advances.
  In Ancient period research, investigations at ancient capitals which drew attention included flagpole features in the State Halls Compound of the Fujiwara palace;17 the Gokenmon18 sector west of the State Halls Compound of the Latter Naniwa palace;19 the eastern, western, and southern gutters of intra-ward streets in West Second Ward on Sixth Street of the Nagaoka capital;20 the eastern gutter of Kōkamon21 avenue of the Heian capital22 and an accompanying tamped-earth wall that collapsed from an earthquake in the mid-ninth century or after.
  As investigations of regional government offices, the following can be mentioned: the Tagajō23 site, the intersection of the ancient San’yōdō24 highway and the road leading to the Bingo provincial headquarters25 site, the Hyūga provincial headquarters26 site, the Izumo provincial headquarters27 site, the Sanuki provincial headquarters,28 the Kōzuke provincial headquarters29 site, the Oyashikizoe30 site which is regarded as the headquarters of Aikō31 district in Sagami 32 province, the headquarters of Tachibana33 district in Musashi34 province, the headquarters of Kōza35 district in Sagami province, the government storehouse sites of Sai 36 and Tago37 districts in Kōzuke province, and the site of the headquarters of Niita 38 district in Mutsu39 province. In addition, the Tsuji 40 and Kinryūji Higashi41 sectors of the Bingo provincial headquarters site received a national Historic Site designation.
  Investigations of temples include those at Tōdaiji, 42 the Higashi Yuge43 (Yugedera44 temple) site in Osaka prefecture, and the Mirokuji 45 temple site of the Mirokuji Government Offices Sites, a nationally designated Historic Site in Gifu prefecture. At the Aoya Yokogi46 site in Tottori prefecture, a wooden board drawn with an image of a group of court ladies of the seventh–eighth centuries was confirmed. Roof tiles recovered from the Ainoshima47 underwater site in Shingū,48 Fukuoka prefecture, were assessed as shipwrecked cargo bound from Kyushu for the Heian capital.
  Symposia were actively held in various locations concerning regional government offices, settlements, production sites, and artifacts. The recorded proceedings of a symposium regarding Akita castle were published as Hoppō sekai to Akitajō (The northern realm and Akita castle),49 and it is said that the singular nature of Japan’s northernmost fortification and its importance in the history of the northern region in the Ancient period have been clarified.
  In trends for the Medieval period, for urban research, the Medieval Urban Research Society held its annual meeting on the theme of “Considering the ‘religious city’ of Nara”50 at the Nara National Museum, where a special exhibit on “Commemorating the 800th birthday of Ninshō”51 was underway. For research on jōkan 52 (fortified residences), in a symposium on “Reconsidering the end of the Sengoku period in the Kantō region” held at the Saitama Prefectural Ranzan Historical Museum,53 the jōkan within the domain ruled by the Odawara Hōjō54 clan were taken up. Also, the annual meeting of the Shokuhō Period Castle Research Society was held on the theme of “Pillar base stone buildings atop stone walls of Shokuhō-type castles,”55 and there was also a seminar of castle researchers on “A reconsideration of serial dry moat formations.”56
  In research on stone monuments, with the theme of monuments from the Medieval to the Early Modern periods, Medieval Funerary and Burial Customs Research Meetings were held on the topics of itabi (stone stupas in the shape of stele)57 and isseki gorintō (Five Elements stone stupas made from single stones).58
In research on itabi, an anthology edited by Chijiwa Itaru and Asano Haruki 59 was a significant accomplishment. For research related to religion, a symposium on Mt. Fuji religious belief held by the Shizuoka Prefecture Archaeological Society took up sites related to Mt. Fuji worship from the Ancient through the Early Modern periods.60
  For research on pottery and high-fired ceramics, research meetings were held by the Japan Society for Medieval Ware on “The current state of trade ceramics research and pottery research”61 and by the Japan Society for the Study of Oriental Trade Ceramics on “Perspectives of ceramics research: Production, circulation, consumption,”62 and a volume edited by Yaegashi Tadao and Takahashi Kazuki on Medieval samurai and pottery63 plus a compilation from the Archaeological Institute of Kamakura on archaeologically recovered ink-inscribed pottery64 received attention. As results of research related to transportation, the Saitama Archaeological Society held a symposium on the roads to Kamakura as documented through archaeology.65
  In Early Modern research, excavations conducted in conjunction with projects for preservation and management included those at the Ōsaka castle66 site, Fushimi castle67 in Kyoto, Sawayama castle in Hikone,68 and Hikone castle.69 A session at the Japanese Archaeological Association 2016 Autumn Meeting in Hirosaki was held on the topic of Early Modern castles in northern Japan.70 For castle towns, there was a symposium titled “On the towns of Kai province: Centering on the results of excavations at Yamura castle.”71 For Edo, the report for the Igakubu Fuzoku Byōin Nyūintō A Chiten site within the Tokyo University campus grounds was published.72 This was an investigation of a group of row houses, maintained by the Kaga73 domain for lower-ranking retainers, which was destroyed by fire in 1682. A special exhibit titled “Akamon—From Yōhime Shuden to Tokyo University”74 was held at the University Museum of Tokyo University. Also, it has become clear that human bones from the Kirishitan Yashiki75 site are the remains of Italian missionary Giovanni Battista Sidotti, and a symposium titled “Father Sidotti and the Kirishitan culture of Edo”76 was held, and a site report was published.77
  Among production sites, with regards to stone quarries there was a symposium held on those for stone material for the walls of Edo castle, recently designated as a Historic Site,78 and a special collection on the topic of “Early Modern, Modern stone quarries and the circulation of stone material” was featured in an issue of Isekigaku kenkyū (Journal of the Japanese Society for Cultural Heritage).79 In ceramics research, meetings were held by the Japanese Society of Oriental Ceramic Studies on “The founding and development of Japanese porcelain,”80 and by the Okinawa Archaeological Society on “The development of the ceramics industry in 16th–17th century Okinawa and its background.”81 Also, Volumes 3–5 of Chūkinsei tōjiki no kōkogaku (The archaeology of Medieval and Early Modern ceramics)82 were published, with many articles related to ceramics of the Early Modern period included.
  As excavations of the Modern period, investigation of the site of the school, Zensei Gakuen,83 within the National Sanatorium Tama Zenshōen84 in Tokyo drew attention. In recent years, cases of investigations of Modern period sites are accumulating, and it appears we are approaching the stage of considering the framework of Modern period archaeology.
  For the details of trends in research in overseas archaeology I will yield to the descriptions given for each region,85 but looking at the research trends taken up in the current volume for the Korean peninsula, China, and Central Europe (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), it appears that for the Korean peninsula from the Bronze Age and early Iron Age (Mumun pottery period) into the Proto-Three Kingdoms and Three Kingdoms periods, an accumulation of research can be seen regarding the history of relations and foreign exchange with Japan, whereas the situation of research on Chinese archaeology in Japan is undergoing rapid transformation, and research trends and frameworks for Central Europe would appear to be of great relevance for considering the future shape of archaeology in Japan.
  Also, this fiscal year the 8th World Archaeological Congress (WAC-8) was held at Doshisha University in Kyoto, but as so-called “internationalization” does not stop with merely disseminating information about Japanese archaeology, should we not also be considering “Japan in the context of the world,” namely directions for vantage points on comparative archaeology?
  In the above manner, with regard to the overall trends of Japanese archaeological research for the fiscal 2016 year, I have mentioned the outlines of developments for each period in turn. In recent years Japanese archaeology appears to be in the midst of large currents for the diversification of its methodology and expansion of its subject matter. In addition to the conventional analytic methods of archaeology those of the natural sciences are being actively introduced, leading to epoch-making advances beginning with chronological measurements and ancient environmental and climatic reconstructions. Also, for archaeological interpretation as well, movements are seen to incorporate the results and cognitive frameworks of related fields such as cultural anthropology and history. In addition to the expansion of subject matter in accompaniment with the diversification of methodology, investigations and research on topics which conventional archaeology rarely handled, such as Modern period sites, have come to be conducted. With regard to this methodological diversification and thematic expansion, how to respond in terms of research and education are important issues for the future.
  Also, as mentioned at the beginning, our society which envelops archaeology is facing a period of great change, in the midst of which there are tremendous problems for Japanese archaeology such as the drastic reductions in numbers of researchers who support regional studies, critical shortages of personnel in regional public organizations, and issues facing archaeology in universities regarding the educational environment and the training of successors.
  At the same time, in its long academic history, on top of its steady investigations and research in every region, Japanese archaeology has tread a consistent path of taking a view of the archipelago as a whole. The issue of how to relate the results of archaeological research in every region with the archaeology of the entire archipelago, as stated above, will likely link up with the problem of how to train future practitioners.

1 [Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research, 2016, is a partial translation of “Nihon kōkogaku kenkyū no dōkō” 日本考古学研究の動向, in Nihon kōkogaku nenpō 69 (2016 nendoban) 日本考古学年報 69（2016 年度版) (Archaeologia Japonica 69 [2016 Fiscal Year Issue]) (Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai, 2018),pp. 1-66. This essay appears on pp. 1-4, under the Japanese title “Sōsetsu” 総説. It was translated by Walter Edwards, and published by the Japanese Archaeological Association (Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai日本考古学協会) online in 2019. To streamline the text, characters for Japanese names and terms, and bibliographic information have been placed in footnotes. When an English translation of the name of an organization or publication (or symposium, etc.) is supplied by the party responsible, this is used with minimum changes in capitalization etc. to conform to the style followed by Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research. Romanized names of individuals are given with the surname followed by the personal name.]
2 谷川章雄
3 The fiscal year begins on April 1 of each calendar year.
4 御堂島正
5 Hosoya Aoi 細谷葵, “Senshi jidai no kenkarui kakō saikō: Sekaiteki na hikaku kenkyū o tomonau minzoku kōkogaku o mezashite” 先史時代の堅果類加工再考: 世界的な比較研究をともなう民族考古学をめざして (Rethinking prehistoric wild nuts processing: Towards global comparative ethnoarchaeology), Kodai古代 (Journal of the Archaeological Society of Waseda University), no. 138 (2016): 1–38.
6 Saeki Fumiko 佐伯史子, Adachi Noboru 安達登, Yoneda Minoru 米田穣, et al., “Ōfunato-shi Nonomae kaizuka Jōmon jidai jinkotsu no keitai jinruigakuteki oyobi rikagakuteki bunseki” 大船渡市野々前貝塚縄文時代人骨の形態人類学的および理化学的分析 (Analyzing the Final Jomon human remains from the Nonomae shellmound, Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture), Anthropological Science (Japanese Series) 124 (2016): 1–17.
7 Hashimoto Katsuo 橋本勝雄, “Kantō, Chūbu ni okeru sekizoku no shutsugen to sono keifu: Jōmon sōsōki kara Jōmon sōki zenhan made” 関東・中部における石鏃の出現とその系譜: 縄文草創期から縄文早期前半まで (The appearance and lines of derivation of stone arrowheads in the Kantō and Chūbu regions: From the Incipient Jōmon to the first half of the Initial Jōmon periods), Ibaraki-ken Kōkogaku Kyōkaishi 茨城県考古学協会誌 (Bulletin of the Ibaraki Prefecture Archaeological Society), no. 28 (2016):
1–40.
8 Kobayashi Ken’ichi 小林謙一, Kuroo Kazuhisa 黒尾和久, Nakyama Shinji 中山真治, and Yamamoto Noriyuki 山本典幸, eds., Jōmon shakai o shūraku kara yomitoku 縄文社会を集落から読み解く (Decipher- ing Jōmon society from settlements), vol. 1 of Kōkogaku no chihei 考古学の地平 (Archaeological horizons) (Rokuichi Shobō, 2016).
9 土偶 (clay figurines)
10 Fujio Shin’ichirō 藤尾慎一郎, Yayoi jidai no rekishi 弥生時代の歴史 (History of the Yayoi Period) (Kodansha, 2015), p. 233.
11 Ishikawa Hideshi 石川日出志, “Rekishigaku ni okeru Yayoi bunkaron no ichi” 歴史学における弥生文化論の位置 (The position of the Yayoi culture debate in historical studies), Kikan kōkogaku 季刊考古学 (Archaeology Quarterly) no. 138 (2017): 67–70.
12 文京
13 須玖岡本
14 Ichinose Kazuo 一瀬和夫, Mozu, Furuichi kofungun: Higashi Ajia no naka no kyodai kofungun 百舌鳥・古市古墳群: 東アジアのなかの巨大古墳群 (Mozu, Furuichi tomb groups: Colossal tomb groups in the context of East Asia) (Doseisha, 2016).
15 Ritsumeikan Daigaku Bungakubu Kōkogaku/Bunkaisan Senkō 立命館大学文学部考古学・文化遺産専攻 (Archaeology/Cultural Heritage Major, College of Letters, Ritsumeikan University), ed., Kinai no shuchōfun 畿内の首長墳 (Chiefly tombs of the Kinai region) (Kyoto: Ritsumeikan Daigaku, 2017).
16 土師
17 藤原宮 (Nara prefecture)
18 五間門
19 後期難波宮 (Osaka prefecture)
20 長岡京 (Kyoto prefecture)
21 皇嘉門
22 平安京 (Kyoto prefecture)
23 多賀城 (Miyagi prefecture)
24 山陽道
25 備後国府 (Hiroshima prefecture)
26 日向国府 (Miyazaki prefecture)
27 出雲国府 (Shimane prefecture)
28 讃岐国府 (Kagawa prefecture)
29 上野国府 (Gunma prefecture)
30 御屋敷添 (Kanagawa prefecture)
31 愛甲
32 相模
33 橘樹 (Kanagawa prefecture)
34 武蔵
35 高座 (Kanagawa prefecture)
36 佐位 (Gunma prefecture)
37 多胡 (Gunma prefecture)
38 新田 (Miyagi prefecture)
39 常陸
40 ツジ (Hiroshima prefecture)
41 金龍寺東
42 東大寺 (Nara prefecture)
43 東弓削
44 由義寺
45 弥勒寺
46 青谷横木
47 相島
48 新宮
49 Oguchi Masashi 小口雅史, ed., Hoppō sekai to Akitajō 北方世界と秋田城 (The northern realm and Akita castle) (Rokuichi Shobō, 2016).
50 “‘Shūkyō toshi’ Nara o kangaeru”「宗教都市」奈良を考える (Considering the “religious city” of Nara), 2016 Nen Chūsei Toshi Kenkyūkai 2016 年中世都市研究会 (2016 Medieval Urban Research Meeting) (Nara, 3–4 September 2016).
51 “Tanjō 800 nen kinen tokubetsuten Ninshō” 生誕 800 年記念特別展忍性 (Special Exhibit: Commemo- rating the 800th birthday of Ninshō), special exhibit held at the Nara National Museum (23 July–19 September 2016).
52 城館
53 “Kantō no Sengoku makki o saikō suru” 関東の戦国末期を再考する (Reconsidering the end of the Sengoku period in the Kantō region), symposium held at Ranzan Shiseki no Hakubutsukan 嵐山史跡の博物館 (Saitama Prefectural Ranzan Historical Museum) (29 January 2017).
54 小田原北条
55 “Shokuhōkei jōkaku no ishigakijō soseki tatemono” 織豊系城郭の石垣上礎石建物 (Pillar base stone buildings atop stone walls of Shokuhō-type castles), 2016 Meeting of the Shokuhōki Jōkaku Kenkyūkai織豊期城郭研究会 (Shokuhō Period Castle Research Society) (Odawara, 10–11 September 2016)
56 “Renzoku karaborigun saikō” 連続空堀群再考 (A reconsideration of serial dry moat formations), Dai 33-kai Zenkoku Jōkaku Kenkyūsha Seminaa 第 33 回 全国城郭研究者セミナー (33rd Seminar of Nation- wide Castle Researchers) (Gifu, 6–7 August 2016).
57 “Chūseibo no shūen o kangaeru: Kantō ni okeru itabi no shūen o tōshite” 中世墓の終焉を考える: 関東における板碑の終焉を通して (Considering the end of Medieval graves: Through the cessation of itabi in Kantō), Dai 8-kai Chūsei Sōsō Bosei Kenkyūkai 第 8 回 中世葬送墓制研究会 (8th Medieval Funerary and Burial Customs Research Meeting) (Tokyo, 23 April 2016).
58 “Tōkai to Kinki no sekizōbutsu kara mita Chūseibo no shūen: Isseki gorintō o chūshin to shite” 東海と近畿の石造物から見た中世墓の終焉: 一石五輪塔を中心として (The end of Medieval graves seen from stone monuments of the Tōkai and Kinki regions: Centering on Five Elements stone stupas made from single stones), Dai 9-kai Chūsei Sōsō Bosei Kenkyūkai 第 9 回 中世葬送墓制研究会 (9th Medieval Funerary and Burial Customs Research Meeting) (Hikone, 14–15 January 2017),
59 Chijiwa Itaru 千々和到 and Asano Haruki 浅野晴樹, eds., Itabi no kōkogaku 板碑の考古学 (The archaeology of itabi [stone stupas]) (Koshi Shoin, 2016).
60 “Fujisan shinkō e no fukugōteki apurōchi” 富士山信仰への複合的アプローチ (A multiplex approach to Mt. Fuji religious belief), Shizuoka-ken Kōkogakkai 2016 Nendo Shinpojiumu 静岡県考古学会 2016 年度シンポジウム (Shizuoka Prefecture Archaeological Society 2016 Fiscal Year Symposium) (Fujinomiya, 4 March 2017).
61 “Bōeki tōjiki kenkyū no genjō to doki kenkyū” 貿易陶磁器研究の現状と土器研究 (The current state of trade ceramics research and pottery research), Dai 35-kai Chūsei Doki Kenkyūkai 第 35 回中世土器研究会 (35th Meeting for Research on Medieval Ware), held by the Nihon Chūsei Doki Kenkyūkai 日本中世土器研究会 (The Japan Society for Medieval Ware) (Doshisha University, 7 January 2017).
62 “Tōjiki kenkyū no shiten: Seisan, ryūtsū, shōhi” 陶磁器研究の視点: 生産・流通・消費 (Perspectives of ceramics research: Production, circulation, consumption), Dai 37-kai Nihon Bōeki Tōji Kenkyū Shūkai第 37 回日本貿易陶磁研究集会 (37th Meeting for Oriental Trade Ceramics Research), held by the Nihon Bōeki Tōji Kenkyūkai 日本貿易陶磁研究会 (Japan Society for the Study of Oriental Trade Ceramics) (Rikkyo University, 17–18 September 2016).
63 Yaegashi Tadao 八重樫忠郎 and Takahashi Kazuki 高橋一樹, eds., Chūsei bushi to doki [kawarake] 中世武士と土器(かわらけ) (Medieval samurai and pottery [kawarake]) (Koshi Shoin, 2016).
64 Kamakura Kōkogaku Kenkyūjo 鎌倉考古学研究所 (Archaeological Institute of Kamakura), ed., Shūsei Kamakura no bokusho: Chūsei iseki shutsudohin 集成鎌倉の墨書: 中世遺跡出土品 (Compilation, ink- inscribed pottery of Kamakura: Items recovered from Medieval sites) (Kamakura: Archaeological Institute of Kamakura, 2017).
65 “Kamakura Kaidō no fūkei: Hakkutsu de yomigaeru Saitama no Chūsei” 鎌倉街道の風景: 発掘でよみがえる埼玉の中世 (Views of the Kamakura roads: Medieval Saitama brought back to life through excava- tion), symposium held by the Saitama Kōkogakukai 埼玉考古学会 (Saitama Archaeological Society) (Saitama, 27 November 2016).
66 大坂城 (Osaka prefecture)
67 伏見城
68 彦根市佐和山城 (Shiga prefecture)
69 彦根城
70 “Kita Nihon ni okeru kinsei jōkaku: Chikujō kara gendai made” 北日本における近世城郭: 築城から現代まで (Early Modern castles in northern Japan: From construction to the present), research presentation session at the Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai 2026 Nendo Shūki Taikai 日本考古学協会 2016 年度秋季大会 (Japanese Archaeological Association 2016 Autumn Meeting) (Hirosaki, 15 October, 2016).
71 “Kai no kuni no machikata ni tsuite: Yamurajō hakkutsu chōsa seika o chūshin to shite” 甲斐国の近世町方について: 谷村城発掘調査成果を中心として (On the towns of Kai province: Centering on the results of excavations at Yamura castle), symposium held by the Yamanashi-ken Maizō Bunkazai Sentā 山梨県埋蔵文化財センター (Yamanashi Prefectural Center for Archaeological Research) (Kōfu, 10 October 2016).
72 Tōkyō Daigaku Maizō Bunkazai Chōsashitsu 東京大学埋蔵文化財調査室 (Archaeological Research Uni，The University of Tokyo) ed., Tōkyō Daigaku Hongō kōnai no iseki Igakubu Fuzoku Byōin Nyūintō A Chiten 東京大学本郷構内の遺跡医学部附属病院入院棟 A 地点 (Tokyo University Hongō campus site, University Hospital In-Patient Ward Location A) (Tōkyō Daigaku Maizō Bunkazai Chōsashitsu, 2016).
73 加賀
74 “Akamon—Yōhime Shuden kara Tōkyō Daigaku he” 赤門—溶姫御殿から東京大学へ (Akamon—From Yōhime Shuden to Tokyo University), special exhibit held at Tōkyō Daigaku Sōgō Kenkyū Hakubutsukan 東京大学総合研究博物館 (The University Museum, The University of Tokyo), 18 March– 28 May 2017.
75 切支丹屋敷 (Tokyo prefecture)
76 “Shidotchi shinpu to Edo no Kirishitan bunka” シドッチ神父と江戸のキリシタン文化 (Father Sidotti and the Kirishitan culture of Edo), symposium held by the Bunkyō-ku Kyōiku Iinkai 文京区教育委員会 (Bunkyō Ward Board of Education) (Bunkyo, Tokyo, 13 November 2016).
77 Teikei Torēdo Kabushiki Kaisha Maizō Bunkazai Jigyōbu テイケイトレード株式会社埋蔵文化財事業部 (Teikei Torēdo K. K. Buried Cultural Properties Project Division), ed., Kirishitan Yashiki ato 切支丹屋敷跡 (Kirishitan Yashiki site), 2 vols. (Tokyo: Mitsubishi Jisho Rejidensu, 2016).
78 “Shiseki Edojō Ishigaki Ishi Chōbaato no jitsuzō ni semaru: Kuni shitei o kinen shite” 史跡江戸城石垣石丁場跡の実像に迫る: 国指定を記念して (Closing in on the actual image of the Edo Castle Stone Walls Stone Quarry Remains Historic Site: Commemorating the national designation), symposium held by the Odawara-shi Bunkazaika 小 田 原 市 文 化 財 課 (Odawara City Cultural Properties Department) (Odawara, 5 November 2016).
79 “Kinsei, Kindai no ishikiriba to sekizai ryūtsū” 近世・近代の石切場と石材流通 (Early Modern, Modern stone quarries and the circulation of stone material), collection of six articles in Isekigaku kenkyū (Journal of the Japanese Society for Cultural Heritage), no. 13 (2016): 100–141.
80 “Nihon jiki no sōshi to hatten: Edo zenki o chūshin ni” 日本磁器の創始と発展: 江戸前期を中心に (The founding and development of Japanese porcelain: Centering on the Early Edo period), Dai 44-kai Taikai, Tōyō Tōji Gakkai 第 44 回大会 東洋陶磁学会 (44th Meeting, Japanese Society of Oriental Ceramic Studies) (Arita, Saga prefecture, 29–30 October 2016).
81 “16–17 seiki no Okinawa ni okeru yōgyō no tenkai to sono haikei” 16 ～17 世紀の沖縄における窯業の展開とその背景 (The development of the ceramics industry in 16th–17th century Okinawa and its background), 2016 Nendo Okinawa Kōkogakukai Sōkai 2016 年度沖縄考古学会総会 (2016 Okinawa Archaeological Society General Meeting) (Nishihara, Okinawa prefecture, 2 July 2016).
82 Sasaki Tatsuo 佐々木達夫, ed., Chūkinsei tōjiki no kōkogaku 中近世陶磁器の考古学 (The archaeology of Medieval and Early Modern ceramics), Vols. 3–5, (Yuzankaku, 2016–2017).
83 全生学園
84 Kokuritsu Ryōyōjo Tama Zenshōen 東京都の国立療養所多磨全生園 [a sanatorium for leprosy or ex- leprosy patients, founded 1909]
85 [Translator’s note: The reference is to the sections on overseas research trends for the Korean peninsula, China, and Central Europe, appearing on pp. 66–87 of Nihon kōkogaku nenpō, the same volume containing this introductory overview.]

Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research, 2016
© 2019 The Japanese Archaeological Association published
online: April 2019

Overview: Japanese Archaeological Research Trends 20151

Tanigawa Akio2

More than a decade has elapsed since the start of the twenty-first century, and it appears that at present we are facing a period of great transition. The wave of economic globalism is sweeping over our nation, bringing an end to the era of Japan’s “postwar society,” while at the same time issues of social disparity and an aging population are becoming increasingly evident. Trends in archaeological research can hardly be indifferent to this type of world or the conditions enveloping Japan. Here I would like to look back over the overall trends in Japanese archaeological research for the 2015 fiscal year.3 Below I shall note the outlines of research trends for each period in order.
  Research for the Paleolithic period is progressing in the midst of coordination with various fields of Quaternary science in relation to the dispersal of modern man and human adaptation to the natural environment. It is said that research on the origins of mankind for the Japanese archipelago, while keeping in mind the variability of human adaptation, needs to make comparative examination of Paleolithic culture in the archipelago with materials from the Nansei Islands,4 where there are many finds of fossilized human bone. In research on the stone materials of stone tools, comparison is required of the results of field studies and analyses of source areas with the accumulation of archaeological knowledge. Also, regarding the issue of human adaptation and the natural environment during the transition from the Paleolithic to the ensuing Jōmon, the significance of this period in terms of cultural history is being investigated based on reconstructions of the paleoenvironment and paleoclimate and the debate over AMS 14C dating. Lithic research is diverse, including the clarification of stone tool-making technology from an archaeological perspective, research on lithic technology as chains of operations, experimental tool-making research, and examinations with the obsidian hydration dating technique. In this manner, research on the Paleolithic period is progressing through cooperation between archaeological and natural scientific approaches with regard to the natural environment and human adaptation.
  Also, as pointed out in the section on Paleolithic research trends,5 the drastic decrease in the numbers of researchers who support regional studies, and the severe personnel shortages of regional government research organizations, are issues held by archaeology as a whole. These also link up with the problem of the educational environment for archaeology in the universities, and the issue of training successors in the field, which have been taken up by the Research Conditions Investigative Committee6 and in the session on university education and cultural properties protection held at the Association’s 2015 Autumn Meeting.7
  Among trends in Jōmon period research, results were seen of reconsiderations of the notion of “Jōmon” itself, namely its temporal and spatial extents, periodization, discrepancies between the eastern and western portions of the archipelago, etc., and of giving serious consideration to the relatedness of the natural environmental and social dimensions. These are all trends of recent years. Representative of the former set of considerations is Yamada Yasuhiro’s Tsukurareta Jōmon jidai (The Constructed Jōmon Period),8 while Anzai Masato’s Jōmonjin no seikatsu sekai (The World of Daily Life of the Jōmon People)9 represents the latter. Diverse methodologies were seen with regard to spiritual culture. While there were positions asserting the need for detailed observations of the uses and conditions of discovery of ritual implements on the one hand, research on artifacts and features following in the line of Nelly Naumann’s iconography, and ethnoarchaeological research incorporating results from anthropology were visible on the other. As research debating interregional relations through classifications and reassessments of materials, there were studies of the stone materials of stone tools and of regional typologies of stone points, and ceramic research on spouted vessels and pedestaled censer-shaped vessels in addition to deep bowls. Among analyses based on the natural sciences, analysis of the clay paste of pottery, research on the effects of the Kikai Akahoya volcanic eruption, analysis of diet based on the ratios of stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in materials adhering to pots and baked clay objects, analysis of starch remains, research on the shape of utilization of plant materials using silicone replica studies of seed impressions in pottery, anthropological research on stress markers in human bone, and so forth, are being conducted. In the above manner, a variety of methodology can be seen in research on the Jōmon period, including approaches from archaeology, the natural sciences, anthropology, and the use of the results of iconography.
  Also, as pointed out in the section on trends for the Jōmon period,10 various initiatives such as a dogū (clay figurine) guidebook aimed at a general audience,11 cookies baked in the shape of potsherds, popularity contests for cartoon characters based on dogū,12 a Jōmon-themed free magazine,13 and a Jōmon-themed art exhibit14 all impress upon us the emerging increase in popular interest towards the realm of archaeology.
  In Yayoi period research, with regard to the calendrical age for Shōnai15 style pottery, there was debate based upon the chronology for Han mirrors and the results of dendrochronological analysis of wooden materials. For the ancient environment, based on an analysis of the ratio of oxygen isotopes utilizing the cellulose found in tree rings, Nakatsuka Takeshi has clarified changes in climate and rainfall on a yearly basis.16 This is a ground-breaking achievement. Also, consideration was made of the nature of relations between the forest environment and settlement formation at the Aoya Kamijichi17 site in Tottori prefecture, based on pollen analysis and identifications of the tree species for recovered architectural members and wooden utensils. With regard to livelihood, research on the utilization of plants with the silicone replica method for seed impressions in pottery is raising problems even for the nature of cultivation in the Yayoi period. Meanwhile, in terms of the history of the Yayoi period seen from the position of the AMS long chronology,18 Fujio Shin’ichirō defines the Yayoi as “a culture with paddy rice cultivation placed within the whole of daily life,”19 and takes its sphere as extending west from Niigata–Chiba prefectures. For production and circulation, there were studies of the actual conditions of workshop production that focused on the flanges of bronze socketed spearheads, and of the nature of chiefs who distributed iron implements. Concerning social structure as seen through burial systems, there were discussions of the proposal and subsequent fate of the hypothesis of square-shaped moated burials being equivalent to family graves, and of the method of construction of burial mounds in terms of their temporal relation to the persons interred. With regard to the mind of the Yayoi people, there was research on an east–west difference in consciousness toward the color red. In this manner, in research on the Yayoi period, the results of work based on methodologies of the natural sciences, such as AMS radiocarbon dating, along with that of archaeology, were the focus of discussion.
  Among the trends in Kofun period research, we can point to Wada Seigo’s Kofun jidai no seisan to ryūtsū (Production and Circulation in the Kofun Period),20 which takes Kofun period economy as inseparable from the political system or religious outlook, and the examination in Sasō Mamoru’s Kami to shisha no kōkogaku (The Archaeology of Deities and the Dead)21 of the relationship between festivals for the deities and rites associated with tombs. Such systematic approaches are said to raise expectations for further examinations to probe more deeply how they may link up with individual studies carried out in various localities. There was heightened interest in the following topics for their respective areas: for burial facilities of tombs, research on clay compartments and horizontal stone chambers; for grave goods, examinations of examples in which weapons and armor were interred in large volumes; for handicraft production and technology, Haji22 ware, horse breeding, and iron production; and for settlement research, immigrant settlements and those with maritime orientations. In addition, there were publications of reports from reexaminations of previously excavated materials such as the Nara National Museum’s Gojō Nekozuka kofun no kenkyū (Research on the Gojō Nekozuka Tomb),23 and many Kofun-related regular research meetings and gatherings of note in various regions, plus exhibits and symposiums, etc., for the public, are said to have thrived.
  For investigative technology, 3D measurement technology is progressing, and research utilizing high-precision scale drawings is being advanced. In the future, the making of such high-precision scale drawings in every region will likely enable debate on a level unseen until now. This is an advancement in research through the introduction of new technology.
  In this manner, looking at the outlines of research trends from the Paleolithic to the Kofun periods, it can be seen that methodology from the natural sciences holds an important position for each period. As interdisciplinary trends, the results of cooperative work with fields of natural science are being introduced,24 and the wide- ranging themes include the paleoenvironment/paleoclimate, dating methods, the form of production, production locales/materials/technologies, physical anthro- pology including DNA analysis, and site investigation methods. To name the analytic methods in concrete fashion, although there will be some overlap with what has already been introduced, there are AMS-based 14C dating of materials adhering to pottery, the calculation of regional offset values for the marine reservoir effect based on an analysis of shells from the Initial Jōmon period, nitrogen and carbon stable isotope ratios in materials adhering to pottery, dating methods including the study of isotope ratios for oxygen using cellulose contained in tree rings, analysis of diet based on the ratios of stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in materials adhering to pots and baked clay objects, inference of the place of production of bronze implements and so forth based on lead isotope ratios, analysis of isotopes of the three elements of sulfur/mercury/lead in vermilion (cinnabar), and so forth, with new methodologies using various isotope analyses thus being included, and the active pursuit of research drawing attention.
  Research on the paleoenvironment/paleoclimate, the analysis of obsidian sources, clay paste analysis, X-ray fluorescence analysis of ancient glass, reconstructions of shellfish-gathering activity based on growth line analysis of shells, the study of plant utilization with the silicone replica technique applied to seed impressions in pottery, and so forth, are all studies that have been conducted from before and are yielding regular results. Also, in anthropology, the relationship between archaeological knowledge and the results of DNA analysis and research on genetic traits is drawing attention.
  In research on the Ancient period, with regard to transportation, post stations found in multi-period sites were debated from a variety of perspectives. Also, research is consolidating with regard to ancient cities such as the ancient capitals, regional cities represented by Dazifu25 (Fukuoka prefecture) and Tagajō26 (Miyagi prefecture), the provincial headquarters of regional units under the ritsuryō system, as well as to the ancient land division system. For regional government offices, investigations in the ancient province of Kōzuke,27 such as at the sites of the official granary of Tago district28 and the district office of Nitta,29 drew attention. In a special issue of Kōkogaku jānaru (The Archaeological Journal) concerning regionally located state-supported temples and the ritsuryō state, Suda Tsutomu declares that Dazai Kanzeonji30 (Fukuoka prefecture) and Shimotsuke Yakushiji31 (Tochigi prefecture) were conceived as Japan’s earliest regional state-supported temples but at first were not carried through, and that they started forward again with the construction of Daikan Daiji32 (Nara prefecture) and the regional Buddhist policy that were advanced along with the compilation of the Taihō Ritsuryō33 code.34 Also, the journal Kikan kōkogaku (Archaeology Quarterly) had a special collection on pit structures.35 Voicing objections to the careless use of the conventional term pit dwelling, along with asserting the importance of the alternate pit structure, various facilities of these buildings, including cooking stoves, and their functions are widely debated.
  For research on the Ancient period, while examples of studies bringing in methodology from the natural sciences appear to be fewer in number, in their place points of contact with the study of history as historical archaeology come to hold an important position. For example, in the analysis of ink-inscribed and incised pottery, it is said to be not only a matter of interpreting the writing, but also of seeking interpretation and understanding in coordinated fashion of the points of contrast with other historic materials through a comprehensive examination, for each individual artifact, of its nature and the conditions of its discovery, the accompanying finds, etc. This can be said to indicate the significance in historic archaeology of debate surrounding documentary materials.
  For trends in Medieval period research, studies of sites of cities and villages included examples from the Tōhoku region, plus Kamakura36 (Kanagawa prefecture) and Hakatatsu Tōbō37 (Fukuoka prefecture). With regards to castles, research meetings were seen focusing on such topics as the conditions in western Japan of the introduction of Azuchi-Momoyama castles,38 the establishment of the stone walls characteristic of this style of castle seen from the perspective of construction technology, and gardens at castle residences of the Sengoku period, while compilations were published on castle planning and design. For burial systems and religious matters there was research on beliefs about interring cremated remains and sacred sites, and on stone monuments and stone-processing technology. Regarding ceramics, research was carried out on porcelain and glazed stoneware, including Tōbankei Sueki,39 ash-glazed stoneware, and trade ceramics of the fifteenth-sixteenth centuries in the Japan Sea area centering on the San’in region. For transportation and circulation, there were studies of water transport in the San’in region in the latter half of the sixteenth century, of the circulation of silver with the Iwami Ginzan40 Silver Mine at its core, of the utilization of lumber, and of border region issues such as the Ainu and trade ceramics in Okinawa.
  Research by Nakai Atsushi on terms noted in historic documents for pottery is an issue concerning a point of contact between historical archaeology and history.41 Also, the 13th Symposium on Archaeology and Medieval Period History “Kōkogaku wa Chūsei o katareru ka” (Can Archaeology Discuss the Medieval Period?),42 held at the Research Institute of Cultural Properties of Teikyo University, saw debate synthesizing the discussion of this research group. It suggests that a period of generational change in Medieval period research is approaching.
  With regards to Early Modern period research, investigations and research related to features of Early Modern cities such as castles and castle towns were active. For castles, projects including excavations and symposiums were carried out in conjunction with designations as Historic Sites and the attending site preparations. For castles and castle towns, a session on castles and cities of the transitional period from the Medieval to Early Modern eras was held at the Association’s 2015 Autumn Meeting,43 and the Osaka Museum of History had a special exhibit, for the 400th anniversary of the Osaka Castle Siege, on Osaka as an Early Modern city revealed archaeologically.44 Investigations and research on castle towns are happening not only for Edo and Osaka but are also gradually expanding to include regional castle towns and domain headquarters. With regards to townhouses, continuing from the previous fiscal year the Edo Archaeological Site Research Society took up the topic of “commoners’ districts,”45 and at the Itami Gōchō46 site in Hyōgo prefecture an oil-pressing feature was excavated. As production sites, there were investigations of kiln remains of Kyō47 ware, Akahada48 ware, and Nabeshima49 ware. Kobayashi Katsu’s research on garo, vessels used in the manufacture of white sugar, drew attention.50 In research on porcelain and glazed stoneware, there were research meetings on Bizen51 ware, and on the circulation and composition of Hizen52 porcelain in the Early Edo period.
  Further, among Early Modern research trends, the need is being advocated for cooperation and support for projects in the Tōhoku region accompanying work for reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake, and for the Japanese Archaeological Association it is likely necessary to maintain a constant disaster response.
  Also, investigations and research on modern and contemporary era sites are producing results, and excavation in conjunction with site preparation was conducted at the Mietsu Naval Facility53 site in Saga prefecture, and the Tomioka Silk Mill54 in Gunma prefecture, both inscribed on the World Heritage List. This development can be assessed as part of the trend for the broadening scope of objects of archaeology.
  For trends in research in overseas archaeology, I will yield to the descriptions given for each region,55 but for the regions surrounding Japan beginning with the Korean peninsula and China, comparisons of data and problems concerning the circulation of goods are being taken up. In concrete terms, for the Paleolithic period there was a study of the appearance of laminar blade tool groups in the central part of the Japanese archipelago and relationships with various regions of the Eurasian continent, and a comparison of stone tool assemblages for northwestern Kyushu and the southern half of the Korean peninsula in relation to flaked projectile points. For the Yayoi period there were studies of cylindrical beads from the Nishidani No. 3 tomb56 of Shimane prefecture that included glass composition indicating production in the environs of the Mediterranean, and of exchange with Neukdo Island57 (South Gyeongsang province, South Korea) in relation to iron from the Korean peninsula. A joint Japanese–Korean research meeting was held related to pottery/iron production and settlements of the Kofun period,58 and there was a study for the Medieval period of castles built by the Jurchen people along the Russian sea coast and the northeastern region of China.
  Also, from the question of what past society has taken as beauty, Matsugi Takehiko asserts that by the same path taken from Jōmon through Yayoi pottery to Haji and Sue59 wares, pottery in nearly all regions of the world follows three stages from simple to complex to noble.60 This is a study made from the vantage point of comparative archaeology, with the same type of methodology as Kawanishi Hiroyuki who sorts out the transitions in settlement formation all over the world, and tries to link the rises and falls of human activity with settlement research of the Kofun period.61 Such relations with overseas archaeology appear to suggest one direction for the so-called “internationalization” of Japanese archaeology.
  In the above manner, regarding the overall trends of Japanese archaeological research in the 2015 fiscal year, outlines have been given for the research trends of each period in turn. These can be seen as set in the midst of larger currents representing prior ongoing trends, which, put briefly, are an increasing diversity in methodology related to archaeology, and an expansion of the objects of archaeological study. The methodological diversification consists of the active introduction of natural scientific analyses as additions to traditional archaeological analytic methods, plus the incorporation of the results and ideational frameworks of adjacent disciplines such as cultural anthropology and history. At the same time, the expansion of objects of archaeological study, in addition to being a broadening of the scope of analysis attending the diversification of methodology, can also be seen as resulting from the gradual normalization of investigation and research in areas which archaeology conventionally did not handle, such as sites of the modern and contemporary eras.
  Additionally, as touched upon at the start of this contribution, the larger society enveloping Japanese archaeology is facing a period of great transition, in which the discipline of archaeology is confronted with problems such as drastic decreases in the numbers of researchers who support regional research, severe personnel shortages for regional government research organizations, and issues in the educational environment for archaeology in the universities and in the training of successors. On the other hand, as pointed out for Jōmon period trends, a variety of initiatives aimed at the general public brings premonitions of future increases in the numbers of people with an interest in archaeology. These phenomena will most likely link with issues of how Japanese archaeology will pass on and advance the broad and deep “world of knowledge” that it has cultivated thus far.

1 [Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research, 2015, is a partial translation of “Nihon kōkogaku kenkyū no dōkō” 日本考古学研究の動向, in Nihon kōkogaku nenpō 68 (2015 nendoban) 日本考古学年報 68（2015 年度版) (Archaeologia Japonica 68 [2015 Fiscal Year Issue]) (Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai, 2017), pp. 1-61. This essay appears on pp. 1-4, under the Japanese title “Sōsetsu” 総説. It was translated by Walter Edwards, and published by the Japanese Archaeological Association (Nihon Kōkogaku Kyōkai日本考古学協会) online in 2018. To streamline the text, characters for Japanese names and terms, and bibliographic information have been placed in footnotes. When an English translation of the name of an organization or publication (or symposium, etc.) is supplied by the party responsible, this is used with minimum changes in capitalization etc. to conform to the style followed by Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research. Romanized names of individuals are given with the surname followed by the personal name.]
2 谷川章雄
3 The fiscal year begins on April 1 of each calendar year.
4 南西諸島 (a general term for the islands lying between Kyushu and Taiwan)
5 [Translator’s note: The reference is to the section on Paleolithic period research trends appearing on pp. 20–26 of Nihon kōkogaku nenpō, the same volume containing this introductory overview.]
6 Kenkyū Kankyō Kentō Iinkai 研究環境検討委員会 (a standing committee of the Japanese Archaeo- logical Association)
7 “Daigaku kyōiku to bunkazai hogo” 大学教育と文化財保護 (University Education and Cultural Proper- ties Protection), session at the Japanese Archaeological Association 2015 Autumn Meeting, Nara, 18 October, 2015.
8 Yamada Yasuhiro 山田康弘, Tsukurareta Jōmon jidai つくられた縄文時代 (The Constructed Jōmon Period) (Shinchosha, 2015).
9 Anzai Masato 安斎正人, Jōmonjin no seikatsu sekai 縄文人の生活世界 (The World of Daily Life of the Jōmon People) (Keibunsha, 2015).
10 [Translator’s note: The reference is to the section on Jōmon period research trends appearing on pp. 26–32 of Nihon kōkogaku nenpō, the same volume containing this introductory overview.]
11 Konda Akiko 譽田亜紀子, Nippon zenkoku dogū techō: Anata no ouchi no gokinjo dogū sagashite kudasai にっぽん全国土偶手帖: あなたのおうちのご近所土偶、探して下さい (All-Japan Handbook of Dogū: Look for the Neighborhood Dogū Near Your Home) (Sekaibunka Publishing, 2015).
12 [Translator’s note: These contests have been sponsored in recent years by the website Dogūpota, which describes itself as a “dogū and Jōmon portal.” Final results for the 2015 contest were posted at the following URL: http://dogupota.net/dogusen2015/]
13 [Translator’s note: Titled Jōmonzine 縄文 ZINE, published irregularly. Information is available from its website: http://jomonzine.com/index.html]

14 [Translator’s note: The reference is to an exhibit titled “ARTs of JOMON” that was held in Tokyo 4- 18 January 2015.]
15 庄内
16 Nakatsuka Takeshi 中塚武, “Sanso dōitaihi nenrin nendaihō ga motarasu atarashii kōkogaku kenkyū no kanōsei” 酸素同位体比年輪年代法がもたらす新しい考古学研究の可能性 (New possibilities in archaeo- logical research enabled by oxygen isotope dendrochronology), Kōkogaku kenkyū 考古学研究 (Quar- terly Journal of Archaeological Studies) 62, no. 2 (2015): 17–30.
17 青谷上寺地
18 [Translator’s note: The reference here is to research by a team at the National Museum of Japanese History, first published in 2003, which used calibrated radiocarbon dating to push the start of the Yayoi period back to the ninth century BCE, several centuries earlier than previous thought. While it is the application of calibration which gives the longer chronology, the team’s aggressive use of measurements based on accelerated mass spectrometry (AMS) to back up their findings with large numbers of samples has resulted in Japanese archaeologists commonly misapplying the term AMS as referring to their approach and results as a whole.]
19 Fujio Shin’ichirō 藤尾慎一郎, Yayoi jidai no rekishi 弥生時代の歴史 (History of the Yayoi Period) (Kodansha, 2015), p. 233.
20 Wada Seigo 和田晴吾, Kofun jidai no seisan to ryūtsū 古墳時代の生産と流通 (Production and Circulation in the Kofun Period) (Yoshikawa Kōbunkan, 2015).
21 Sasō Mamoru 笹生衛, Kami to shisha no kōkogaku: Kodai no matsuri to shinkō 神と死者の考古学: 古代の ま つ り と 信 仰 (The Archaeology of Deities and the Dead: Rites and Beliefs in Ancient Times) (Yoshikawa Kōbunkan, 2016).
22 土師
23 Nara Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan 奈良国立博物館 (Nara National Museum), Gojō Nekozuka kofun no kenkyū 五條猫塚古墳の研究 (Research on the Gojō Nekozuka Tomb), vol. 1-3 (Nara, 2013–15).
24 [Translator’s note: The reference is to the section on interdisciplinary research trends appearing on pp. 5–10 of Nihon kōkogaku nenpō, the same volume containing this introductory overview.]
25 太宰府
26 多賀城
27 上野 (modern Gunma prefecture)
28 多胡郡正倉
29 新田郡家
30 太宰観世音寺
31 下野薬師寺
32 大官大寺
33 大宝律令
34 Suda Tsutomu 須田勉, “Chihō kanji to ritsuryō kokka” 地方官寺と律令国家 (Establishment of Local Government Temples and the Monmu Age Taikantaiji Temple), Kōkogaku jānaru 考古学ジャーナル (The Archaeological Journal), no. 680 (2016): 3-7.

35 “Kodai ‘tateana tatemono’ kenkyū no kanōsei” 古代「竪穴建物」研究の可能性 (Possibilities of Ancient “Pit Structure” Research), special issue of Kikan kōkogaku 季刊考古学 (Archaeology Quarterly), no. 131 (2015).
36 鎌倉
37 博多津唐房
38 [Translator’s note: The term used, Shokuhōkei jōkaku 織豊系城郭, is based on the first characters of the surnames of Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who advanced the unification of the country while promoting the building of castles characterized by high stone walls, imposing central keeps, and tiled roofs. Hōshoku is also used as an alternate name for the Azuchi-Momoyama period, which itself is a term derived from the names of castles built by these two figures.]
39 東播系須恵器 (Tōban [= eastern Harima, southern Hyōgo prefecture] Sue ware)
40 石見銀山
41 Nakai Atsushi 中井淳史, “Chūsei doki/tōjiki no meiji to sono kinō: Toku ni ‘chawan’ ‘wan’ ‘sara’ o megutte” 中世土器・陶磁器の名辞とその機能: とくに「茶椀」「椀」「皿」をめぐって(Names for Medieval Pottery/Porcelain and Their Functions: Particularly Concerning “Bowl” “Cup” and “Plate”), Ōtemae Daigaku Shigaku Kenkyūjo Kiyō 大手前大学史学研究所紀要 (Research Report of the Otemae Research Center of History), no. 10 (2015): 1–28.
42 “Kōkogaku wa chūsei o katareru ka” 考古学は中世を語れるか (Can Archaeology Discuss the Medieval Period?), Dai 13-kai Kōkogaku to Chūseishi Shinpojiumu 第 13 回考古学と中世史シンポジウム (13th Symposium on Archaeology and Medieval Period History), held at Teikyo University Research Institute of Cultural Properties, 4–5 July 2015.
43 “Chūkinsei ikōki no shiro to toshi” 中近世移行期の城と都市 (Castles and Cities of the Medieval to Early Modern Transitional Period), session at the Japanese Archaeological Association 2015 Autumn Meeting, Nara, 18 October, 2015.
44 Ōsaka Rekishi Hakubutsukan 大阪歴史博物館 (Osaka Museum of History), “Ōsaka: Kōkogaku ga kataru kinsei toshi” 大坂: 考古学が語る近世都市 (Osaka: An Early Modern City as Told by Archaeology), special exhibit for the 400th anniversary of the Osaka Castle Siege (18 April – 8 June 2015).
45 “Edo no chōninchi 2: Iseki kara miru kinsei toshi Edo” 江戸の町人地２: 遺跡から見る近世都市江戸 (Edo Commoners’ Districts 2: The Early Modern City of Edo Seen from Archaeological Sites), Edo Iseki Kenkyūkai Dai 29-kai Taikai 江戸遺跡研究会第 29 回大会 Edo Archaeological Site Research Society 29th Meeting, held at Nihon University, 30–31 January 2016.
46 伊丹郷町
47 京
48 赤膚
49 鍋島
50 Kobayashi Katsu 小林克, “Edo jidai no garo” 江戸時代の瓦漏 (Garo in the Edo Period), Nihon Kōkogaku 日本考古学 (Journal of the Japanese Archaeological Association), no. 40 (2015): 89–106.
51 備前
52 肥前
53 三重津海軍所
54 富岡製糸場
55 [Translator’s note: The reference is to the sections on overseas research trends for the Korean peninsula, China, South Asia, and Western Asia, appearing on pp. 62–87 of Nihon kōkogaku nenpō, the same volume containing this introductory overview.]
56 西谷 3 号墓
57 勒島
58 “Nikkan 4-5 seiki no doki/tekki seisan to shūraku” 日韓４～５世紀の土器・鉄器生産と集落 (Japanese– Korean Pottery/Iron Production and Settlements of the 4th–5th Centuries), Dai 3-kai Kyōdō Kenkyūkai, Nikkan kōshō no kōkogaku: Kofun jidai 第 3 回共同研究会 日韓交渉の考古学: 古墳時代 (3rd Joint Research Meeting, Archaeology of Japanese–Korean Negotiations: The Kofun Period), held at Ryūkoku Daigaku, 10–11 January 2016.
59 須恵
60 Matsugi Takehiko 松木武彦, Bi no kōkogaku: Kodaijin wa nani ni miserarete kita ka 美の考古学: 古代人は何に魅せられてきたか (The Archaeology of Beauty: By What Has Ancient Man Been Charmed?) (Shinchosha, 2016).
61 Kawanishi Hiroyuku 川西宏幸, Datsu shinka no kōkogaku 脱進化の考古学 (Freeing Archaeology from Evolution) (Douseisha, 2015).

Trends in Japanese Archaeological Research, 2015
© 2018 The Japanese Archaeological Association published 
online: February 2018