A photographic introduction to items from the collection

The legacy of the Jomon people in Hokkaido - Keisaku Ochiai's collection of artifacts from the Jomon Period

Keisaku Ochiai, born in Hokkaido in 1882 (Meiji 25), went to Tokyo in his youth as a soldier and had his interest in archaeology sparked through his relationship with Baron Haku Oyama. After returning to his hometown, Ochiai conducted surveys in his hometown of Kamiiso and at ruins around the Hakodate area. (Right Photo was provided by Mr. Haruhiko Ochiai) The vast collection of the artifacts collected during the final years of the Taisho and first years of the Showa Periods is items mainly from the Jomon Period. These came to be known among knowledgeable people as the Ochiai Collection.

Nearly 30 items from the Hakodate area sites make up the majority of the collection. Among these, the principal items come from Moheji Ruins, Soeyama Ruins and Kunebetsu Ruins, all in the town of Kamiiso, and from Menasawa Ruins in Hakodate. The Moheji Ruins date back about 3,000 years from the end of the latter period to the beginning of the close of the Jomon Period. The other ruins are from 2,500 to 2,700 years old, mainly from the middle of the close of the Jomon Period and later periods.

Relics excavated from the Moheji Ruins such as a clay pitcher with human figure decoration, have been designated important national cultural assets. The other artifacts in the collection were purchased by the National Museum of Japanese History in 1981. We will introduce the primary relics in this article. Furthermore, the Ochiai Collection is now being organized and there is a plan to publish a catalogue of photographs and survey maps within the year.

Hiromi Shitara
Archaeological Research Department, National Museum of Japanese History

Excavations from the Moheji Ruins:
Clay pitchers (1. Height: 14.0 cm, 2. Height: 10.5 cm) Latter Jomon Period (approx. 3,000 years old)
3. Kunebetsu Ruins excavation:
clay figure (Height: 14.1 cm) Close of Jomon Period (approx. 2,600 years old)
4. Menasawa Ruins excavation:
Clay head figure (Width: 7.0 cm) Close of Jomon Period (approx. 2,500 years old)
5. Menasawa Ruins excavation:
Clay figure (Width: 7.2 cm) Close of Jomon Period (approx. 2,500 years old)

Many clay vessels were found at the Moheji Ruins (1, 2). This magnificent earthenware, painted red and with rope patterns sanded down to look like clouds, comes from the Kunebetsu Ruins. It exemplifies the special characteristics of the Northeast region's Kamegaoka-style earthenware (6-10). In areas other than Hokkaido, almost all the earthenware has a simple bucket shape, but many shapes are seen here such as vases, bowls and stands.

Kunebetsu Ruins excavation: Clay vessel
(6. Height 9.3 cm, 7. Height: 12.4 cm, 9. Height: 9.4 cm, 10. Height: 7.6 cm) Close of Jomon Period (approx. 2,600 years old)
The collection contains artifacts from Etorofu Island and Sakhalin.
11. Samabe Ruins, Etorofu Island excavation: Earthenware (Height: 8.0 cm) 12. Menasawa Ruins excavation: Stone product with holes (Left: Diameter 5.7 cm, Right: Diameter 6.4 cm) Close of Jomon Period (approx. 2,500 years old)
13. Reconstructed image of Item 14 in use
14. Tokiwa-cho excavation: Fish-shaped stone tool
(Length: 26.2 cm) Post-Jomon Period (approx. 2,100 years old)
15・16.Menasawa excavation: Stone tool (16. Width: 20.8 cm)
Close of Jomon Period (approx. 2,500 years old)
17. Hinohama Ruins excavations: Ground stone axe and half-formed axes (Left: Length 29.0 cm)
Close of Jomon Period (approx. 2,500 years old)
Soeyama Ruins, Menasawa Ruins excavations: Stone swords, stone bar (20, Length: 37.3 cm) Close of Jomon Period (approx. 2,500 years old)
Soeyama Ruins, Menasawa Ruins excavations: Stone swords, stone bar (20, Length: 37.3 cm)
Close of Jomon Period (approx. 2,500 years old)
21. Moheji Ruins excavations: Clay ear decorations (Largest artifact. Diameter: 6.0 cm) Latter Jomon Period (approx. 3,000 years old)

The stone tools exhibit the special characteristics of Hokkaido. The Hokkaido-style stone crown (15) is a Sanskrit character-shaped stoneware and was used for grinding nuts and roots together with the stone plate (16). It may have been used for preparing the roots of lilium cordatum and other plants. The fish-shaped stoneware object (14) is a lure for catching cod or halibut. A stone axe ground from a large stone, and other half-formed axes were also collected (17). These techniques, which are found mainly in Hokkaido in the Japanese archipelago, are spread throughout northern Asia and give a hint of connection to continental culture.

What we now call earrings were a distinctive decorative accessory in Jomon culture (21). Many ear decorations made of clay were discovered at the Moheji Ruins. A half-formed stone sword and a large amount of fragments were collected from the Menasawa Ruins (19). The amount of specific spell charms held appears to differ depending on the village. The donut-shaped stoneware (12) resembles the Ainu sash clip known as "kukkurukeshi."