Sunazawa Site


Sunazawa Site is an archaeological site located in the city of Hirosaki in Aomori Prefecture, northern Japan. The site is notable for containing some of the northernmost known examples of early Yayoi period wet-rice paddies in Honshū, as well as remains from the preceding Jōmon period. Excavations conducted between 1984 and 1987 revealed well-preserved paddy fields, water channels, pits and dwellings, and a substantial assemblage of pottery, including a ceramic type known as "Sunazawa-style pottery".

Location

The site lies on a low plateau along the left bank of the Iwaki River at the northeastern foot of Mount Iwaki. Much of the original archaeological layer is now submerged beneath a modern irrigation reservoir constructed after the main excavations.

History

Sunazawa was recognized as an archaeological locality as early as the 1950s, when distinctive late-Jōmon pottery was reported from the area. Between 1984 and 1987, the Hirosaki City Board of
Education conducted systematic excavations in advance of reservoir construction, revealing multiple Yayoi-period rice paddies and associated features. These discoveries significantly extended the known northern limit of early wet-rice agriculture in Japan.

Findings

Rice agriculture

Excavation uncovered the outlines of at least six rice paddies, along with irrigation ditches and water channels. Carbonized rice grains, agricultural tools, and soil features associated with wet-rice cultivation were also recovered. The paddies are dated to the early Yayoi period.

Pottery and artifacts

Large quantities of pottery were found, including “Sunazawa-style” pottery, which has become a regional chronological marker linking the late Jōmon and early Yayoi periods in northern Tōhoku.
Other finds include stone tools, Haji ware, charcoal, and plant remains. Factors that make “Sunazawa-style” pottery unique in addition to showing a transition between periods:
  • Paddle-impressed patterns
  • Scraped or shaved surfaces created by wiping/clay thinning
  • Minimal decoration compared to ornate late-Jōmon ware
  • Vessels are thinner and more utilitarian
  • Shapes overlap with early Yayoi ware, but are regionally distinct
  • Common shapes include: deep pots with slightly flaring rims, jar-like vessels with simple profiles, cooking pots with fire-blackening

Cultural sequence

The site preserves a continuous sequence from the late Jōmon period through the Yayoi period, suggesting a gradual transition from foraging-based lifeways to agricultural practices in this region of northern Honshū.

Significance

Sunazawa Site is considered important for understanding the spread of wet-rice agriculture into northern Japan. The presence of early Yayoi paddies at such a northern latitude challenges previous models of agricultural diffusion. The site has also contributed significantly to typological studies of pottery in the Tōhoku region.

Preservation

The construction of the modern agricultural reservoir submerged part of the site, but the artifacts recovered during excavation are preserved in local and prefectural museum collections. Several of the excavated objects have been designated as Important Cultural Properties on December 4, 2000.