Introduction to Japanese Architecture. David Young

Both skeletons and material remains indicate a Korean origin.

      By the late Yayoi Period", Yoshinogari possessed two smaller areas within the larger area, marked off by inner moats and fences. The most important buildings were located in these smaller areas, one on the south and one on the north. In 1986, two watchtowers and three pit houses were reconstructed in the south fenced area, as well as two raised storage buildings to the west of this fenced area.

      Reconstruction of the north fenced area has been under way since 1999. This area, which contains several buildings, was probably the compound of a chief. It includes a pit house and several raised structures, one of which is a large building believed to be an early shrine. The other raised buildings include what appear to be lookout towers, storehouses, and a structure that the chief may have used for residential, political, religious, and ceremonial functions—an early form of a palace. It would have been difficult, however, to construct a fire pit in a raised structure, so cooking was probably confined to the pit house. In later times, new methods of containing fire allowed cooking to be done in raised buildings.

      In recognition of the fact that it was the largest Yayoi settlement surrounded by moats, and that it probably developed into a key component of the emerging Yamato State, Yoshinogari has been designated a Special National Historic Remain.

      Yoshinogari is a very large Yayoi site containing two smaller areas for the most important structures, one on the north and one on the south. Depicted here are the buildings that were reconstructed in the south area in 1986. They are enclosed by a fence on top of a high earthen wall and two moats. There are entrances at both ends and watchtowers on both sides. Elevated storehouses and numerous pit dwellings lie outside the enclosed area.

      Long House at Sannai Maruyama

      Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of 800 pit structures and 120 post-and-beam structures at Sannai Maruyama. The long house shown here, based on a model at the National Museum of Japanese History, is the largest of the pit structures. Because of its size, it is believed to be a public building used for meetings and ceremonies. The massive roof rests on walls, unlike most small pit structures in which the roof rests directly on the ground.

      Ceremonial building at the Ikegami-sone reconstructed Yayoi site. The members of the structure are tied together (see above right), as was common in prehistoric buildings and later farmhouses. Since rope can stretch, such buildings could move during a typhoon without causing serious damage. Next to the building is a covered well, made from a hollowed out camphor tree, probably used for purification ceremonies connected with the large building. Photographs courtesy of Izumi City.

      Ikegami-sone Iseki

      This Yayoi site, in Osaka Prefecture, is located on a low hill surrounded by a moat, with rivers (that no longer exist) to the east and west. As at Yoshinogari, there is a smaller enclosed area that seems to have been set aside for the chief, as well as factory areas for making stone tools and other products. Ikegami-sone was settled for the entire Yayoi Period, from 300 BCE to 300 CE.

      A large-scale excavation was done between 1969 and 1971. In 1994, they discovered the remains of a large building 6.9 by 19.2 meters with a floor area of 130 square meters. Parts of the 17 posts used in the building are still in the ground. Using modern dating methods, it has been determined that one of the posts was cut in 52 BCE, about the middle of the Yayoi Period. So far, one pit house and two elevated post-and-beam buildings have been reconstructed.

      A distinguishing feature of this building is the use of thick posts at either end to support a roof with a large overhang. Unlike most Yayoi elevated storehouses, this use of end posts is in the fashion of Shinto shrines, such as those at Ise and Izumo, discussed in the next section. The ceremonial building at Ikegami-sone may, in fact, have been an early shrine.

      Changing Conceptions

      It was long thought that the Jōmon people lived a simple hunting and gathering lifestyle that preceded rice cultivation, lived in small villages of only five or six simple buildings, used stone tools, and subsisted on wild boar, deer, shellfish, and nuts. In contrast, it was believed that the Yayoi people brought a much more sophisticated culture, including advanced forms of architecture, with them from the mainland.

      Though there is undoubtedly some truth to this generalization, the distinction between the two cultures should not be overemphasized. Recent findings indicate that although Yayoi villages were more heavily fortified and exhibit a greater degree of social stratification, Jōmon villages were sometimes quite large, diverse, and persisted over considerable periods of time. Moreover, Jōmon people traveled long distances by boat, engaging in trade with areas as far apart as Hokkaido and western Honshu. Imported items included jade and obsidian implements, fish, and asphalt. The latter was mixed with clay to make utensils and to decorate clay figurines. The Jōmon people also cultivated chestnuts and appear to have experimented with growing other crops. One of the most interesting findings is that there is considerable continuity between Jōmon and Yayoi architecture.

      Reconstructed shrine from the northern enclosure at Yoshinogari. Like the elevated storehouses, the shrine was constructed on posts sunk in the ground. It also may have had some of the features of later Shinto shrines, such as verandas that encircled the interior space. The actual appearance of the building, however, is conjectural. For example, it is impossible to know whether it had two stories, as indicated in the reconstruction, or a single story, as in the case of later shrines such as those as Ise

      Evidence Used in Reconstructions

      Archaeologists working at the Yoshinogari Yayoi site in Kyushu.

      Reconstructing what buildings may have looked like at Yoshinogari and other prehistoric sites involves educated guesswork based upon archaeological evidence, designs on bronze mirrors and bells, designs on earthenware pots, and clay models (haniwa) of buildings that have been found in concentric rings on the slopes of tomb mounds. Clues can also be obtained from contemporary ethnographic evidence such as Shinto shrines that have periodically been rebuilt over the centuries, the construction methods used in centuries-old farmhouses, temporary structures that were used until recently for a variety of purposes such as birthing, and architectural styles still found in other parts of Asia that supplied immigrants to Japan in prehistoric times. Piecing these various kinds of data together requires a high degree of teamwork.

      legata haniwa (house-shaped clay model) found at the Saitobaru site in Miyazaki Prefecture.

      Pot In the Osaka Pre-fectural Museum of Yayoi Culture, from the Karako site in Nara Prefecture, depicting a raised structure.

      The Grand Shrines at Ise

The architectural significance of the Ise shrines is that they are an early example of some of the basic principles of architecture now considered to be typically Japanese, such as using thatch for roofing and exposed, unpainted wood for beams and walls, raising the structure on wooden posts, and adapting a building to the natural environment. Of the ancient shrines in Japan, Ise Jingū is the most important.

      The main compound (viewed from the south) of the Naikū at Ise Jingū consists of a sanctuary and two treasure houses enclosed by a series of fences. Omitted in the drawing is a