Shallow Bowl-Shaped Earthenware from Nukatsuka Site, Takayama: A Glimpse into Jomon Life in the Hida Mountains
Hidden deep in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture, the historic city of Takayama is best known to international travelers for its preserved Edo-period townscape, sake breweries, and the spectacular Takayama Festival. Yet within the quiet halls of the Hida Takayama Museum of History and Art rests a pair of unassuming clay vessels that tell a far older story—one that reaches back more than five thousand years to the Jomon period. These are the Asabachi-gata Doki, or shallow bowl-shaped earthenware vessels, excavated from the Nukatsuka Site in Katano-machi. Designated as a National Important Cultural Property in 1988, they offer an extraordinary window into a community that once flourished in the highlands of Hida and maintained cultural ties with the wider world of eastern Japan.
The Site and Its Discovery
The Nukatsuka Site lies approximately two kilometers southeast of central Takayama, on a gentle alluvial fan that extends northwest from the foot of Mt. Onishi. The terrain offered everything a Jomon community would have needed: fresh water, sloping ground that drained well, and easy access to the forests above and the basin below.
The site came to light in 1982, when archaeological investigations preceded a land improvement project. What the excavators uncovered far exceeded expectations. Two Jomon-period pit dwellings, five storage pits, and two clustered stone features emerged from the early prehistoric layers. Above them, fifteen pit dwellings dating from the late seventh to early eighth century revealed that the same favorable location continued to attract settlement long after the Jomon era had ended. Two further structures of uncertain age completed the picture of a place inhabited across many generations.
The greatest treasure, however, was found at the very heart of Pit Dwelling No. 1. There, on the floor near its center, two shallow bowl-shaped vessels lay side by side, one large and one small, almost as though they had been placed together intentionally and then left undisturbed for millennia.
Why It Was Designated an Important Cultural Property
The Agency for Cultural Affairs registered these two vessels as a National Important Cultural Property on June 6, 1988. The designation rests on several distinctive features that set them apart from the many thousands of Jomon vessels recovered across the Japanese archipelago.
First, their condition is remarkable. Both pieces were recovered virtually intact from the floor of the dwelling, a rarity for ceramics of such age. Second, their form is unusually refined. Both vessels are shaped like flat disks rather than the deep cooking pots typical of the Jomon. This shallow form, together with the symmetrical placement on the dwelling floor, has led researchers to suspect that they were not used for everyday cooking but rather for ceremonial or ritual purposes.
Most importantly, the vessels carry the unmistakable stylistic fingerprints of eastern Japanese Jomon culture. In the late early Jomon period, the Hida region sat at the cultural crossroads between eastern and western Japan, and these vessels stand as physical evidence that the influence of eastern traditions reached deep into the mountains. They are, in essence, a snapshot of cultural exchange frozen in clay.
Highlights and Features
The larger of the two vessels is the more elaborate. It takes the form of a flat disk with a rim that curves strongly inward, and its body steps down in three concentric tiers radiating outward from the base. Along the rim, forty small circular holes pierce the clay at regular intervals—their precise purpose remains a matter of debate, but they may have served to suspend the vessel or to thread cords for ritual use.
Look more closely and the surface reveals an intricate decorative program. At each step of the tiered body, herringbone-like continuous lines and rows of impressed dots define bands of ornament. Within these bands, alternating triangles and S-shaped figures have been formed by continuous nail-impressed patterns. Traces of red pigment and a black resinous substance remain in mottled patches across the exterior—evidence that the vessel was once vividly colored, its decoration far more striking than the muted earth tones visible today.
The smaller vessel echoes the form of its companion in miniature. Twenty-one small circular holes ring its rim at equal intervals, and its strongly flared body descends through two tiers of flexion to a rounded base. Together, the pair forms one of the most distinctive Jomon assemblages from the highland regions of central Japan.
Visiting the Hida Takayama Museum of History and Art
The two vessels are housed at the Hida Takayama Museum of History and Art, located in the heart of Takayama's historic district at Kami-Ichinomachi. The museum occupies a complex of ten preserved earthen storehouses—former kura built in 1875 by the Nagata family, once a prosperous merchant house. The hinoki-cypress structures themselves are a piece of cultural heritage worth experiencing.
The collection holds approximately 75,000 historical and folk artifacts from Takayama and the surrounding Hida region, with around 900 items on permanent display across fourteen themed exhibition rooms. Visitors can see materials related to the Kanamori clan who ruled Takayama Castle, statues by the wandering Edo-period monk Enku, items connected to the famous Takayama Festival, and craft works that flourished in this castle town. Admission is free, which makes a leisurely visit easy to fit into any itinerary.
The garden surrounding the museum is open from early morning until late evening, offering a quiet retreat from the bustle of the nearby tourist streets. Please note that the specific display rotation of the Asabachi-gata Doki may vary, so visitors hoping to see them are encouraged to check with the museum in advance.
Around the Museum
The museum sits within easy walking distance of Takayama's most beloved attractions, making it an ideal stop on any itinerary through the old town.
- Sanmachi Historic District — Just a few minutes on foot, this preserved townscape of dark wooden merchant houses, sake breweries, and small shops is the postcard image of Takayama.
- Takayama Jinya — The only surviving Edo-period government office in Japan, where the Tokugawa shogunate's local administrators once governed the Hida region.
- Takayama Yatai Kaikan — A hall displaying several of the elaborately decorated festival floats that parade through the city during the Takayama Festival each spring and autumn.
- Miyagawa Morning Market — A riverside market where local farmers and craftspeople sell produce, pickles, and handmade goods.
- Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine — A short walk from the museum and the spiritual home of the autumn Takayama Festival.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Gifu
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Shallow Bowl Shaped Pottery / Excavated from the First
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Q&A
- How old are the Asabachi-gata Doki from the Nukatsuka Site?
- They date to the late early Jomon period, roughly 5,000 to 6,000 years ago. They are among the earliest finished ceramic forms from highland central Japan.
- Can I see the vessels on display every day?
- As with most museum collections, exhibits rotate periodically. The Hida Takayama Museum of History and Art is open daily with rare exceptions, but the specific display of these vessels may change. It is best to confirm with the museum before your visit if seeing them is your goal.
- Is there an admission fee for the museum?
- No. Admission to the Hida Takayama Museum of History and Art is free for all visitors.
- Why are there small holes around the rims of the vessels?
- The precise function of these holes is not fully understood. Suggestions include suspending the vessels with cord, threading decorative cords, or some ritual purpose. Their regular spacing—forty on the larger and twenty-one on the smaller—suggests they were intentional and meaningful elements of the design.
- How do I reach the museum from Takayama Station?
- It is about a 15-minute walk east from JR Takayama Station. Local loop buses also stop nearby, and the museum is in the same district as the Sanmachi historic streets, making it easy to combine with sightseeing.
Basic Information
| Name | Asabachi-gata Doki (Shallow Bowl-Shaped Earthenware) Excavated from Pit Dwelling No. 1 at the Nukatsuka Site, Katano-machi, Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture |
|---|---|
| Designation | National Important Cultural Property (designated June 6, 1988) |
| Category | Archaeological Materials / Jomon Period |
| Quantity | 2 pieces (with associated potsherds and stone tools) |
| Owner | Takayama City |
| Storage / Display | Hida Takayama Museum of History and Art |
| Address | 75 Kami-Ichinomachi, Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture 506-0844 |
| Telephone | +81-577-32-1205 |
| Opening Hours | Exhibition rooms 9:00–19:00 / Garden 7:00–21:00 |
| Closed | Open year-round (occasional temporary closures) |
| Admission | Free |
| Access | Approximately 15 minutes on foot from JR Takayama Station |
References
- Cultural Heritage Online — Asabachi-gata Doki / Excavated from Pit Dwelling No. 1 at the Nukatsuka Site, Katano-machi, Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/158068
- Gifu Prefecture Official Website — Asabachi-gata Doki, with attached potsherds and stone tools
- https://www.pref.gifu.lg.jp/page/356515.html
- Agency for Cultural Affairs National Cultural Property Database
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/201/10055
- Hida Takayama Museum of History and Art (Takayama City)
- https://www.city.takayama.lg.jp/machihaku/
- Hida Takayama Museum of History and Art — Facility Information (Takayama City)
- https://www.city.takayama.lg.jp/shisetsu/1004139/1000039/1001660.html
Last verified: 2026.05.15