1:45 PM - 3:15 PM
[O11-P34] The Wisdom of the Jomon People: Living Through Disasters for Over 10,000 Years – Toward the World Registration of Sanriku Geopark
Keywords:Geopark activities, Jomon ruins, disaster prevention and mitigation, tsunami
The Wisdom of the Jomon People: Living Through Disasters for Over 10,000 Years – Toward the World Registration of Sanriku Geopark
SUGIMOTO Yoshino¹, KAWAGUCHI Keiji¹, TAIRA Nozomi¹, IWAOKA Misaki¹
¹ Marient Chikyu Tanken club senior
1. Background and Objective
Since 2018, our club has been engaged in research on the Sanriku Geopark, exploring meaningful and appealing activities that promote resilience (the ability to recover from disasters) and sustainability (long-term coexistence with the environment).
In 2024, we focused on the Korekawa Archaeological Site (Fig. 1), a geo-cultural site within the Geopark and part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage "Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan."
Although the site is designated as a geosite, it lacks sufficient explanation regarding geological and geomorphological features. Additionally, the Sanriku Geopark’s founding themes of disaster prevention, mitigation, and remembrance are scarcely addressed. To enhance the site’s value and support its registration as a Global Geopark, we examined the “wisdom of the Jomon people,” who lived in this region for over 10,000 years.
2. Data and Methods
We first considered what “disaster” might have meant for the Jomon people. We then examined various environmental changes that could have affected their way of life, including climate change, transgression and regression of the sea, earthquakes and tsunamis, floods and landslides, the Towada volcanic eruption, wildfires, and infectious diseases.
We analyzed archaeological remains and artifacts to determine periods of settlement and migration. If stone tools or pottery fragments were found—even in the absence of dwellings—we interpreted this as evidence of habitation.
Particular attention was paid to surrounding landforms and water sources, which were likely crucial in relocating dwellings in response to environmental change. For this, we conducted fieldwork using shaded relief maps from the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (Fig. 2) to examine the area in more detail.
3. Results
The Jomon people adapted to environmental stress such as climate shifts, sea-level changes, and volcanic ash from the Towada eruption by adjusting their dependence on marine and land-based resources and increasingly relying on food storage. The small size of settlements likely helped with flexible movement and adaptation. These practices demonstrate a high level of resilience in coping with disasters and environmental change.
Landforms and water sources were found to be key. The site is located on a river terrace with gentle slopes and near small valleys. Both upstream and downstream areas include floodplains between gorges and open spaces. These features may have reduced the impact of tsunamis, upstream floods, and volcanic mudflows.
Archaeological evidence indicates active exchange with nearby sites from the same era and style, such as Katanoyama and Naratate, which are visible from the Korekawa site. These may be seen as forming a long-standing cultural zone.
4. Discussion and Future Directions
The Jomon people’s long-term survival demonstrates three key practices: (1) selecting living spaces based on a careful understanding of landforms and water sources, (2) changing residence and lifestyle in response to environmental shifts, and (3) fostering community cooperation through shared beliefs, as seen in clay figurines. These strategies supported a resilient way of life.
In addition, other practices—such as maintaining dietary diversity, preserving small-scale settlements, and passing down specialized knowledge through crafts like Japanese lacquerware—reflect values essential for sustainability.
Based on these findings, we propose two actions:
① Expand and redefine the boundary of the Korekawa geosite to include the Kazahari (1) Site (where the Gassho clay figurine, a National Treasure, was found), Kazahari (2), Katanoyama, Nitta, and Naratate sites.
② mphasize the relationship between the Towada volcanic ash (tephra) and archaeological layers by displaying a “Surface Peel Specimen” cross-section for visual interpretation.
We believe these enhancements will increase the geoscientific value of the site and contribute to its recognition as a Global Geopark.
Acknowledgements
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Hachinohe City, the Hachinohe City Board of Education, the Hachinohe City Council Members’ Association for the Promotion of Utilization of JAMSTEC Research Results, and the high schools to which our members belong, for their invaluable guidance and support throughout this research.
SUGIMOTO Yoshino¹, KAWAGUCHI Keiji¹, TAIRA Nozomi¹, IWAOKA Misaki¹
¹ Marient Chikyu Tanken club senior
1. Background and Objective
Since 2018, our club has been engaged in research on the Sanriku Geopark, exploring meaningful and appealing activities that promote resilience (the ability to recover from disasters) and sustainability (long-term coexistence with the environment).
In 2024, we focused on the Korekawa Archaeological Site (Fig. 1), a geo-cultural site within the Geopark and part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage "Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan."
Although the site is designated as a geosite, it lacks sufficient explanation regarding geological and geomorphological features. Additionally, the Sanriku Geopark’s founding themes of disaster prevention, mitigation, and remembrance are scarcely addressed. To enhance the site’s value and support its registration as a Global Geopark, we examined the “wisdom of the Jomon people,” who lived in this region for over 10,000 years.
2. Data and Methods
We first considered what “disaster” might have meant for the Jomon people. We then examined various environmental changes that could have affected their way of life, including climate change, transgression and regression of the sea, earthquakes and tsunamis, floods and landslides, the Towada volcanic eruption, wildfires, and infectious diseases.
We analyzed archaeological remains and artifacts to determine periods of settlement and migration. If stone tools or pottery fragments were found—even in the absence of dwellings—we interpreted this as evidence of habitation.
Particular attention was paid to surrounding landforms and water sources, which were likely crucial in relocating dwellings in response to environmental change. For this, we conducted fieldwork using shaded relief maps from the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (Fig. 2) to examine the area in more detail.
3. Results
The Jomon people adapted to environmental stress such as climate shifts, sea-level changes, and volcanic ash from the Towada eruption by adjusting their dependence on marine and land-based resources and increasingly relying on food storage. The small size of settlements likely helped with flexible movement and adaptation. These practices demonstrate a high level of resilience in coping with disasters and environmental change.
Landforms and water sources were found to be key. The site is located on a river terrace with gentle slopes and near small valleys. Both upstream and downstream areas include floodplains between gorges and open spaces. These features may have reduced the impact of tsunamis, upstream floods, and volcanic mudflows.
Archaeological evidence indicates active exchange with nearby sites from the same era and style, such as Katanoyama and Naratate, which are visible from the Korekawa site. These may be seen as forming a long-standing cultural zone.
4. Discussion and Future Directions
The Jomon people’s long-term survival demonstrates three key practices: (1) selecting living spaces based on a careful understanding of landforms and water sources, (2) changing residence and lifestyle in response to environmental shifts, and (3) fostering community cooperation through shared beliefs, as seen in clay figurines. These strategies supported a resilient way of life.
In addition, other practices—such as maintaining dietary diversity, preserving small-scale settlements, and passing down specialized knowledge through crafts like Japanese lacquerware—reflect values essential for sustainability.
Based on these findings, we propose two actions:
① Expand and redefine the boundary of the Korekawa geosite to include the Kazahari (1) Site (where the Gassho clay figurine, a National Treasure, was found), Kazahari (2), Katanoyama, Nitta, and Naratate sites.
② mphasize the relationship between the Towada volcanic ash (tephra) and archaeological layers by displaying a “Surface Peel Specimen” cross-section for visual interpretation.
We believe these enhancements will increase the geoscientific value of the site and contribute to its recognition as a Global Geopark.
Acknowledgements
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Hachinohe City, the Hachinohe City Board of Education, the Hachinohe City Council Members’ Association for the Promotion of Utilization of JAMSTEC Research Results, and the high schools to which our members belong, for their invaluable guidance and support throughout this research.