Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

The Sannai-Maruyama Ruins are the remains of a Jomon-period village located in the southwestern part of Aomori City on Japan’s Honshu Island. Situated on a riverbank terrace about 20 meters above sea level on the right bank of the Omonogawa River, the site was designated as a Special National Historic Site by the Japanese government in 2000. It is of great importance for researching the cultural life and traditions of the Jomon period on Honshu Island and the area’s natural environment. The Jomon Period refers to the time from approximately 14,000 BCE to 300 BCE, representing the latter phase of Japan’s Paleolithic Age.

The Sannai-Maruyama Ruins are the remains of a village that existed approximately 5,500 to 4,000 years ago. Since their discovery in 1992, numerous artifacts and structures have been uncovered here, including small pit dwellings, large pit dwellings, graves, post-hole buildings, large post-hole buildings, storage pits, and road remains—covering nearly all aspects of life in a small settlement. It is the largest Jomon-period village ruin in Japan. In addition, the Sannai-Maruyama Ruins Museum houses a vast collection of locally excavated Jomon pottery, stone tools, clay figurines, stone and earthen ornaments, bone and horn implements, as well as materials such as jadeite and obsidian brought from other regions. Visitors can gain a detailed understanding of Jomon culture through realistic modern means such as videos and computer simulations.