An Illustrated Japan / Saga / Culture & Tradition

Yoshinogari Historical Park

Also written: 吉野ヶ里歴史公園 · 吉野里历史公园

Yoshinogari Historical Park is one of Japan’s largest archaeological sites, featuring a reconstructed Yayoi-period settlement. It’s popular with international history enthusiasts as a place to learn about the roots of Japanese history.

Saga Kyushu-Okinawa Culture & Tradition

About this place

Yoshinogari Historical Park spans Kanzaki City and Yoshinogari Town and preserves the Yoshinogari site, Japan's largest Yayoi-period (5th century BCE – 3rd century CE) moated settlement, encircled by a 2.5 km-long double ditch system. Its hey-day in the 1st–3rd centuries CE featured a chief's residential North Inner Bailey with watchtowers and a large central sanctuary, and the South Inner Bailey as the politico-ritual centre, plus extensive raised-floor granaries, pit dwellings, over 3,000 jar coffins, and a chief's mound tomb containing bronze daggers and glass tubular beads that attest to continental exchange. When first opened to the public in 1989, the discovery evoked descriptions in the Chinese chronicle 'Gishiwajinden' and speculation about Himiko's Yamatai and boosted national interest. Designated a Special Historic Site, the site opened as a national park in 2001. The 51-hectare park is divided into Entrance, Ancient Forest, Moated Settlement, and Ancient Field zones. Four watchtowers, including one 12 m high with a 6.5 m floor, the main sanctuary, pit houses, and granaries have been faithfully reconstructed. An exhibition hall displays excavated artifacts and replicas, and daily hands-on programs such as magatama making and fire-starting, plus seasonal ancient lotus and spring wildflowers, let visitors time-slip into Yayoi life and understand why the settlement is called a Yayoi city and the origin of castle fortification.