World Heritage Identification Number: 1632
World Heritage since: 2021
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Archaeological Sites
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇯🇵 Japan
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific
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Exploring the Rich History of Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan
The Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021, offer a captivating glimpse into the rich cultural history of Japan's pre-agricultural era. This extensive serial site encompasses 17 archaeological locations spread across the southern region of Hokkaido Island and the northern Tohoku region, providing a comprehensive understanding of the Jomon culture that spanned approximately 13,000 years.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The property consists of 17 archaeological sites in the southern part of Hokkaido Island and northern Tohoku in geographical settings ranging from mountains and hills to plains and lowlands, from inland bays to lakes, and rivers. They bear a unique testimony to the development over some 10,000 years of the pre-agricultural yet sedentary Jomon culture and its complex spiritual belief system and rituals. It attests to the emergence, development, maturity and adaptability to environmental changes of a sedentary hunter-fisher-gatherer society which developed from about 13,000 BCE. Expressions of Jomon spirituality were given tangible form in objects such as lacquered pots, clay tablets with the impression of feet, the famous goggle eyed dogu figurines, as well as in ritual places including earthworks and large stone circles reaching diameters of more than 50 metres. The serial property testifies to the rare and very early development of pre-agricultural sedentism from emergence to maturity.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (iii): The Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan bears exceptional testimony to a globally rare prehistoric sedentary hunter-fisher-gatherer society which nurtured a complex spiritual culture, as revealed by archaeological artefacts such as clay tablets with the impression of feet and the famous goggle-eyed dogu figurines, as well as remains including graves, ritual deposits, artificial earthen mounds, and stone circles.
Criterion (v): The Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan are an outstanding example of sedentary modes of settlement and land-use from the emergence of sedentism through its subsequent development and ultimate maturity. The Jomon people maintained an enduring hunter-fisher-gatherer way of life by adapting to a changing climate without altering the land significantly, as was the case with agrarian societies. To secure food in a stable manner, diverse locations were selected for settlements, including near rivers where fish swimming upstream could be caught, in tidelands where brackish shellfish could be gathered, and near colonies of nut-bearing trees where nuts and berries could be collected. Skills and tools for obtaining food were developed in accordance with the specific conditions of different locations.
Encyclopedia Record: Jōmon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan
Jōmon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan (北海道・北東北の縄文遺跡群) is a serial UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of 17 Jōmon-period archaeological sites in Hokkaidō and northern Tōhoku, Japan. The Jōmon period lasted more than 10,000 years, representing "sedentary pre-agricultural lifeways and a complex spiritual culture of prehistoric people".Additional Site Details
Area: 141.9 hectares
Number of Components: 17
(v) — Outstanding example of traditional human settlement
Coordinates: 41.0655555556 , 140.5522222222
World Heritage Research
Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.
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Demographic history of the Jomon people: insights from whole-mitogenome analysis
A new analysis of whole-mitogenome sequences from Jomon individuals reveals that the demographic history of these prehistoric hunter-gatherers was marked by a significant population increase during the Incipient–Initial phase, a pattern not observed in present-day Japanese populations. This finding suggests regional demographic dynamics and limited gene flow between eastern and western Jomon populations, challenging traditional assumptions about their population structure. The study also demonstrates that east-west frequency differences in haplogroups N9b and M7a could result from genetic drift under conditions of small initial population size and extreme population split, supporting a monophyletic origin scenario for the Jomon people. These insights were derived from simulation-based population genetic analysis of 40 mitogenomes, including previously unpublished data.
Yoshida, K., Wakiyama, Y., Nakamura, Y., Valverde, G., Tanino, A., Waku, D., Katsumura, T., Ogawa, M., Nagaoka, T., Hirata, K., Koganebuchi, K., Watanabe, Y., Ohashi, J., Yoneda, M., Takahashi, R., & Oota, H. (2026). Demographic history of the Jomon people: insights from whole-mitogenome analysis. Anthropological Science, 134(1), 15–28. https://doi.org/10.1537/ase.251024
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Human Response to Postglacial Sea Level Change in Jomon Prehistoric Sites Around Lake Ogawara, Northern Japan
Jomon populations in northern Japan adapted dynamically to postglacial sea-level changes, sustaining their culture through shifts in settlement and resource exploitation. The study reveals that rising sea levels between 10–8 ka created favorable shellfish habitats along Lake Ogawara's shores, prompting the formation of shell middens. As water shallowed after 7 ka, human habitation moved to southern shores where tidal flats persisted. By 5–4 ka, reduced salinity expanded freshwater wetlands, leading Jomon people to exploit brackish clams or relocate northward. This research demonstrates how geomorphological changes influenced human adaptation, offering insights into the resilience of prehistoric societies.
Sato, Y., Ono, E., Koiwa, N., Toizumi, T., Kudo, T., Saito, Y., & Takahashi, M. (2026). Human Response to Postglacial Sea Level Change in Jomon Prehistoric Sites Around Lake Ogawara, Northern Japan. Geoarchaeology, 41(3). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.70061
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Faunal exploitation of the late Initial Jomon period on the tip of the Chita Peninsula, Japan: faunal remains from the Tenjinyama site
A new analysis of faunal remains from the Tenjinyama site on Japan's Chita Peninsula reveals that late Initial Jomon period hunter-gatherers prioritized deer and wild boar hunting alongside spearfishing for mullet, suggesting a strategic shift toward higher-calorie marine resources. Unlike typical shell midden sites, this location lacked shell deposits, offering insight into non-shellfish-based subsistence strategies. Bone survivorship patterns indicate partial meat sharing with other groups, while sedimentary changes hint at activity decline and recovery post-K-Ah volcanic eruption. The study suggests resilience through marine resource exchange networks, challenging assumptions about Jomon period economies.
Hirose, M. (2026). Faunal exploitation of the late Initial Jomon period on the tip of the Chita Peninsula, Japan: faunal remains from the Tenjinyama site. Archaeological Research in Asia, 47, 100734. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ara.2026.100734
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High-coverage ancient genomes reveal divergent population histories and prehistoric starch-related genetic variation in Japan
A groundbreaking analysis of high-coverage ancient genomes from mainland Japan reveals divergent population histories between the Jomon and Yayoi lineages, offering new insights into the genetic interplay that shaped Eurasia. The study identified a stable post-glacial trajectory for the Jomon lineage, contrasting with the sustained growth of the Yayoi-related ancestral population, which also showed signs of continental interactions before their arrival in Japan. Notably, the Initial Jomon individual exhibited higher salivary amylase (AMY1) copy numbers, suggesting an early adaptation to starch-rich diets predating large-scale rice farming. These findings, derived from two low-contamination ancient genomes with unparalleled resolution, refine our understanding of modern genetic profiles and the evolutionary trajectories of human lifestyles in the region.
Ishiya, K., Mizuno, F., Gojobori, J., Kumagai, M., Taniguchi, Y., Kondo, O., Matsushita, M., Matsushita, T., Wang, L., Kurosaki, K., & Ueda, S. (2026). High-coverage ancient genomes reveal divergent population histories and prehistoric starch-related genetic variation in Japan. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 123(30). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2606162123
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Not fast, slow occlusal wear in Jomon hunter-gatherers
Jomon hunter-gatherers from northern Japan exhibited significantly slower occlusal wear compared to other prehistoric populations with abrasive, plant-based diets. This finding challenges the assumption that hunter-gatherers universally experience rapid dental wear due to dietary habits. Researchers analyzed molar wear rates using average score differences between adjacent teeth, a method independent of age. Their results showed that Jomon wear rates were comparable to or lower than those of cold-climate populations with minimal plant food reliance, suggesting that pottery use and cooking methods may have reduced abrasive exposure. This study provides new insights into the dietary and technological adaptations of prehistoric societies.
Nakamura, K., & Kondo, O. (2025). Not fast, slow occlusal wear in Jomon hunter-gatherers. Anthropological Science, 133(2), 49–56. https://doi.org/10.1537/ase.241122
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Genome of an early Okhotsk individual reveals ancient admixture between Jomon and Kamchatka lineages
A groundbreaking genetic analysis of an early Okhotsk individual from northern Japan provides direct evidence of ancient admixture between the Jomon and Kamchatka lineages, confirming a previously hypothesized population dynamic. The study, published in Scientific Reports, used whole-genome sequencing to reveal that this individual's genome is a mixture of Kamchatka and indigenous Jomon ancestries, supporting earlier theories about migration patterns from the Russian Far East to northern Japan between 2000 and 1600 years ago. This finding sheds new light on the complex prehistoric population dynamics in the region, offering significant implications for archaeological and anthropological research.
Sato, T., Kubo, D., Hirasawa, Y., Yoneda, M., Kimura, R., Tajima, A., & Kato, H. (2025). Genome of an early Okhotsk individual reveals ancient admixture between Jomon and Kamchatka lineages. Scientific Reports, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-21522-4
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High-Coverage Jomon Genomes Provide Insights into Population Structure and Genetic Traits of Ancient Japanese Hunter-Gatherers
A groundbreaking analysis of eight high-coverage Jomon genomes, spanning 9,000 to 2,800 years ago, reveals that ancient Japanese hunter-gatherers exhibited substantial genetic homogeneity with temporal stratification. Initial Jomon (Iyai) individuals formed the earliest branch, showing weaker affinities to present-day Japanese. The study estimates Jomon ancestry in mainland Japanese at approximately 20%, significantly higher than previous estimates of around 13%. Polygenic score analyses provided genetic evidence for phenotypic predispositions in Jomon populations, including elevated BMI and metabolic trait scores, reduced immune-related scores, and larger cardiac dimensions—adaptations consistent with hunter-gatherer lifestyles. These ancestral influences persist today, contributing to contemporary disease susceptibility, such as obesity and dyslipidemia. The findings challenge existing population history models and underscore the enduring impact of ancient adaptations on modern Japanese genetics.
Kato, M., Mizuno, F., Taniguchi, Y., Kondo, O., Matsushita, M., Matsushita, T., Saso, A., Yoneda, M., Kurosaki, K., Wang, L., Ishiya, K., Aoto, S., Watanabe, Y., Isshiki, M., Naka, I., Kim, J., Ueda, S., & Ohashi, J. (2025). High-Coverage Jomon Genomes Provide Insights into Population Structure and Genetic Traits of Ancient Japanese Hunter-Gatherers. https://doi.org/10.64898/2025.12.14.694187
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