From the four winds and the scent of the earth,

come the color of the seasons.

Exploring the four seasons of Japan.

Today in Japan, the Jomon period is experiencing a quiet boom.

Jomon is a unique Japanese culture that lasted approximately 13,000 years in the pre-Christian age.

So sweet.

People are excited by a primitive lifestyle using pottery and stoneware.

Jomon ruins found throughout Japan number up to 90,000 locations.

In 2021, 17 Jomon ruins in Hokkaido and the northern Tohoku region were registered as World Heritage sites.

Go ahead!

The Jomon people lived by hunting beasts and birds, gathering nuts from the forest,

and erecting pit-type buildings dug into the ground.

How cozy is a pit house?

- "It's roomy."
- Pretty spacious.

It must've been quite comfortable.

The temperature wouldn't change
much because it's in the ground.

Jomon is a unique culture that attracts people today.

It's appreciation of the blessings of nature and it's wisdom on life are still being passed down today.

A wild chestnut. You eat them raw.

Even today, the way of eating and the taste remains the same as the Jomon era.

It's sweet and very tasty.

They found Jomon pottery at the summit.

It's kind of fun.

These people actually lived here
once. And now we get to live here.

Fascinated by the people who lived during the era, the wonders of the Jomon period never end...

Wow, look. There're so many here.

In this episode of Seasoning the Seasons,

we go on a journey all over Japan to discover Jomon culture that is still alive.

A culture that existed over 10,000 years ago,

the Jomon Period in Japan corresponds to the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods in world history.

It was a time when pit-buildings, pottery, and bows and arrows started to be used.

It's May, and we are at the Umenoki Ruins located in Hokuto City, in the highlands of northern Yamanashi Prefecture.

- "That's your own stone axe?"
- Yes.

Takes a couple of months to make.

Let's pray for safety.
Hands together, everyone.

These locals come here every weekend to enjoy Jomon culture.

Since 2014, Hokuto City has been restoring Jomon pit houses at the Umenoki ruins, with the help of volunteers.

Four houses have been completed so far, and work on the fifth and final one start today.

First, sawtooth oak trees that will serve as pillars are cut down from the forest surrounding the ruins.

Three pillars are needed.

And that's hard work for weekend Jomon enthusiasts.

- "You're panting."
- Of course, I am.

Oh no. The string's come off.

The string breaks.

It spreads out gradually, so
even if you tighten it, it can snap.

There it goes.

Watch out.

After two hours, they finally cut down the first tree.

In Yamanashi, as many as 1,900 ruins have been discovered.

But preserving an archaeological site in its entirety is not an easy task.

In 1980, a civil engineering project took place in Hokuto to develop rice paddies into plots.

The project turned into the discovery of the Kinsei Ruins, a place where the Jomon people performed rituals.

Niitsu Takeshi was in charge of the negotiations to preserve the ruins with the farmers who owned the land.

This was prime farmland. And unlike today,
they had no trouble finding successors.

So, the demand for rice paddies and
farmland was very high back then.

Although it was designated as a National Historic Site,

in the end, only one-seventh of the total farming area could be preserved.

In 2003, the remains of more than 100 dwellings were found in the middle of a field.

Today it is known as Umenoki Ruins.

Situations surrounding agriculture had changed by then, and many farmers agreed to give up their land.

Most of the ruins were preserved as a National Historic Site.

It is now July and the building of pillars for the pit houses continues.

"Why do you hit the log?"

Makes it easier to peel the bark.

The bark is removed to prevent insect infestation.

It is believed the Jomon people built their houses in this way, and lived in them for 10 to 20 years.

In October, five months since the pillars were cut, the roofs are finally thatched.

It's thought that the Jomon people thatched their houses with clay over a bed of cedar bark.

The bark is secured with rope to prevent leaks.

It looks fun, right?

I think the Jomon people had a sense of fun.

- They probably had a rich sense of well-being.
- "Definitely."

We are at a studio in Hashikami, a town in the eastern part of Aomori Prefecture.

Lined up in a row are Jomon pottery.

This is the namesake of Jomon, which means "rope markings" in Japanese.

This pattern on the pottery surface is created by rolling rope into the clay.

The Jomon period is defined by the era when Jomon pottery was used.

One man has been enamored by this beautiful Jomon artistry for the past 20 years.

This is where the Jomon pattern comes in.

Sakyo Mitsuyoshi built a studio and kiln in his home,

to create the unique patterns on Jomon pottery with his own hands.

- "What's that helmet?"
- It's a very old diving helmet.

When Mitsuyoshi was 40 years old, working as a port construction diver, he became ill and took time off work.

At that time, at a museum, Mitsuyoshi happened to see Jomon pottery excavated in his hometown.

He also had a life-changing encounter with something.

It was the most famous Shakoki-dogu.

It has the Kamegaoka pattern here.

"Why did you make this replica?"

Because it's difficult. I love difficult things.

I figured if I could do this, I could do anything.

The superstar of Jomon culture, the Shakoki-dogu, or "goggle-eyed clay figure,"

was excavated in Kamegaoka, Aomori Prefecture in 1887.

It's decorated with a pattern of intricate curved lines wrapped around it's body.

The Kamegaoka pattern flourished in Aomori in the late Jomon Period.

The influence of this pattern is seen in the entire Tohoku region and even in southern Hokkaido.

There is a place that inspires Mitsuyoshi when he wants to be immersed in the beauty of Jomon.

It's the Folklore Collection Museum in his local town of Hashikami,

which displays many pieces of Kamegaoka-style Jomon clay pottery.

It's a rare museum where visitors can actually touch pottery vessels under staff supervision, when reservations are made.

Octagons are rare.

Some of the subtle ways the Jomon people crafted their pottery can only be understood through touch.

We are shown one unusual clay figure.

"What do you call this?"

"A clay figure holding its knees." Pretty obvious.

The neck comes off.

It's very rare.

What is the meaning of this figure?

What thoughts went into it?

Don't think about the meaning. It doesn't make
sense to apply it to modern values and culture.

You'll never know what it means
unless you ask the Jomon people.

We have come to the ocean in Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture, which faces Tokyo Bay.

A group of people have come to the beach to dig for shellfish.

Oh, this one's alive.

The most avid shellfish digger is Nishino Masato, who is an archaeologist specializing in the Jomon period.

This is what he's looking for.

These are Ibokisago.

Ibokisago, a type of sea snail, is a seafood loved by the Jomon people in Chiba.

We are about 5km from the center of Chiba City.

The Kasori Shell Mounds is the largest shell mound in Japan.

The first excavation took place here over a hundred years ago, and continues to this day.

We've dug up a lot of Ibokisago.

Masato has been interested in the Ibokisago found in this shell mound for 40 years.

My lifework is the study of
what the Jomon people ate.

Ibokisago and Orient clams are
the most popular shellfish.

Then, much lower are Japanese
cockles, and further down, surf clams.

A portion of the shell mound has been preserved in its original state.

Numerous shells have accumulated in a depth of two meters, where 68 different types of shells were found.

But nearly 90% of the vast number of shells were Ibokisago.

Masato has been harvesting Ibokisago from the ocean and tasting them and trying cooking methods at home.

Masato takes the small flesh out of the shell.

It's good.

"Did Jomon people eat these?"

I believe they did,
because they're delicious.

But I think they were more
important as a broth.

Masato believes that Jomon people stewed chestnuts and acorns,

their staple foods, in Ibokisago broth to make them tastier.

It has an elegant aroma and
flavor. Similar to Orient clams.

The fact is ingredients for flavoring
existed 5,000 years ago,

and I think that counts as the
origin of Japanese food culture.

Wanting to spread the appeal of Ibokisago, Masato has invited fans of Kasori Shell Mounds

to an event where food made with broth from Ibokisago will be served.

The food is cooked in a Jomon pot.

Ten ingredients are stewed together with the shellfish.

The meal exemplifies the diet of the Jomon people living in Chiba

who were blessed with food from both land and sea.

Masato's ancient dish is ready to serve.

The first person to try this
3,000-year-old dish is this boy.

It's good. The broth made from
boar bone and Ibokisago is delicious.

- "How is it?"
- So good.

I didn't expect such good
broth without any seasoning.

Maybe the Jomon people enjoyed a cookout like this three thousand years ago.

But harvesting Ibokisago was not easy.

The Jomon residents at Kasori Shell Mounds had to take a dugout boat down the river to Tokyo Bay,

taking advantage of the ebb tide.

It was a 14km round trip.

The number of shells suggests that they were collected in large quantities on each harvest using special baskets.

I think that the shellfish was attractive
enough to go to all that trouble.

There are coastal shell
mounds all over the world,

but probably no ancient culture in the world
has ever transported seafood this far.

It seems the Jomon people spared no effort to make their food tasty.

The town of Nagawa in Nagano Prefecture is an area with many Jomon ruins.

Once a year, the town's archaeological personnel get together for an inspection.

They look for pieces of pottery and stone tools to find traces of the Jomon life.

It's small.

Ah, that's one. You found a really small one.

It's a tiny obsidian.

Otake Sachie is the town's cultural property manager and an obsidian expert.

When I see a lot of broken pieces,

I can tell there were once people who
worked hard to make stone tools.

It's kind of exciting.

Here at Hoshikuso Pass, 195 large depressions with a diameter of 10 meters were discovered in 1991.

Wait a minute.

An excavation involving the whole town began, spearheaded by Sachie.

After 30 years of digging, it was discovered that Jomon people had been systematically mining obsidian.

These were dug up by Jomon
people 7,000 years ago.

You can see obsidian in some places.

This black mass is obsidian ore.

It's pretty good quality.

Obsidian can be found in other places too,

but the obsidian from this area is known for its high transparency.

A study of the obsidian composition showed that it was transported mainly to the larger Tokyo area

and the mid regions of Japan, and as far away as Kansai and Hokkaido.

Today we join a hands-on learning tour where you can touch the obsidian.

We're at Hoshikuso Pass.

Take a look at the ground. Can you see?

- "Wow!"
- Try touching it.

There's so many here.

Even today, fragments of obsidian from the Jomon era are found.

The glittering stones were eventually called "Hoshikuso," or "star droppings," becoming the name of the pass.

So huge.

"It's proof that someone
existed 10,000 years ago."

"Let's leave them here for the next person."

Happy encounters.

The place Sachie wants to show everyone the most is halfway up the pass.

Let's go back in time to the
Jomon period. Open the door.

7,000 years of excavated strata is stripped and displayed here.

When the Jomon people dug out all the obsidian in one place,

they would dig in different directions, retaining the earth in places that might collapse.

It shows how they continued to dig over generations.

"This is where Jomon people mined obsidian."

"They dug holes to search for obsidian,

digging down like a staircase."

At the end of the tour, Sachie always asks the same question.

Why didn't they keep it themselves?

They shared the obsidian with other Jomon
people all over Japan. Why did they?

Because they traded obsidian for something?

Like deer bones?

Things from the sea that
they couldn't get here?

They exchanged salt with obsidian.

Did they give lots of obsidian to
areas they could get salt and fish,

and none to areas they could get the same
things? In fact, they gave pretty evenly.

Their motive for giving obsidian seems more
than just getting something in exchange.

"They wanted trust?"

Yes, trust is important.

- "How would you feel if you were given obsidian?"
- Happy.

Because it's valuable.

I'd think they were good people.

It seems the good will of the Jomon people helped expand their circle of friendship using obsidian.

The Jomon period in Honshu started to end with the advent and spread of rice cultivation.

The people who lived off the blessings of the land gradually embraced the culture of rice making.

Ruins from that era were discovered in an apple orchard in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture.

It is the Shimizumori West Ruins, which dates back 2,200 years,

in the middle of the Yayoi Period, which followed the Jomon Period.

A site briefing for the public is being held.

Leading the excavation is Kamijo Nobuhiko of Hirosaki University.

He is joined by students of archaeology.

What drew attention to the Shimizumori West Ruins was the discovery of pottery and clay figures

that appear to be remnants of the Jomon culture, despite it being a Yayoi period ruins.

This is a small clay figure about 4 centimeters in length.

It's thought to be a personal talisman, rather than an icon for communal prayer.

This Shakoki-dogu, the star of Jomon figures, is about 30 centimeters tall.

It may have been created to remember the waning Jomon culture.

The Jomon culture prayed for the changes and
blessings of nature, like hunting and gathering.

In contrast, the Yayoi culture
prayed for harvests or used spells.

The objects of their prayers were different.

As Jomon festivals changed, I believe the
Jomon culture gradually came to an end.

Raise it like this. It may be
a little heavy. Don't drop it.

Another clay jar that holds the mysteries of the Jomon period is unearthed.

It's a jar with Jomon patterns, about this
big. We'll find out what's inside later.

Thank you. That's it for today.

A people who lived here a long time ago, but were very different from us.

Why are we so drawn to them?

The unearthing of Jomon continues.