Before the Kofun Period

The Old Stone Age

Sea Level

I have learned about it as follows:

• During the Old Stone Age, global climate was much colder than today and a lot of sea water was kept on land as ice or snow
• Sea level was much lower than today and large-sized animals including elephants habitated present Setonaikai Sea.

Natural environment in the Paleolithic seem not to have been directly related to Iwase-senzuka. However, I think I need to remember that the first people from the continent came to the proto-Japanese Islands in the period.

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The Jomon Period

Periodization of the Jomon Period

I have learned the Jomon Period is generally divided into the next six periods.

• the incipient Jomon Period: 16,500 to 11,500 years ago
• the initial Jomon Period: 11,500 to 7,000 years ago
• the early Jomon Period: 7,000 to 5,500 years ago
• the middle Jomon Period: 5,500 to 4,400 years ago
• the late Jomon Period: 4,400 to 3,200 years ago
• the final Jomon Period: 3,200 to 2,300 years ago

◇ The Jomon Period in Japan is correspond to the New Stone Age in the world.

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Some fundamental understanding of mine about the Jomon Period

• When the global climate drastically began to change into warmer one around 11,700 years ago, natural environment around the Japanese Islands also turned into temperate one. That was the beginning of the Holocene epoch.
  • Sea level rose and the Japanese Islands were perfectly detached from the continent.
  • Large-sized animals became extinct and middle-sized animals like sika deer and wild bores thrived.
• Jomon people were hunter-gatherers.
  • They hunted middle-sized and small-sized animals in deciduous broad-leaved forests and evergreen broad-leaved forests by using bow and arrows, and others.
  • They gathered fish including shellfish and edible wild plants.
  • They were able to cook food with rudimentary earthenware called "Jomon pottery."
  • It is said that they did not make wars.
• The Jomon Period lasted for as long as 9,000 years.
  • In other words, the period continued for 90 centuries.
  • Environmental conditions during the Jomon period were not always the same and rather cold stages sometimes elapsed.
  • Sea level kept on rising until around 7,000 years ago and the highest one was a few meters higher than the present one. As a result, flatlands were formed at the mouths of rivers.
  • Climate change including volcanic activity directly affected Jomon people's life. They must have been in awe of nature.

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The Yayoi Period

The beginning of the Yayoi Period

Around 2,500 years ago, wet rice cultivation was introduced into the northern part of Kyushu from the Korean Peninsula. That was the beginning of the Yayoi Period in Japan.

Some people who were familiar with the new agriculture might have migrated from the continent. Jomon people must have been completely surprised to see a large amount of nutritious grain and some of them might have decided to acquire skill in the novel farming.

After the pioneering experiments in Northern Kyushu, wet rice cultivation gradually spread out over Western Japan by the 4th century BCE and then diffused to Eastern Japan. Therefore, the commencing time of the Yayoi Period was different fome region to region.

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Nutritional value of rice grains and wheat flour

• 100 grams of brown rice contains 353 kcal and 6.8 g protein.
• 100 grams of polished rice contains 358 kcal and 6.1 g protein.
• 100 grams of cooked polished-rice contains 168 kcal and 2.5 g protein.
• 100 grams of wheat flower (low-gluten flour) contains 367 kcal and 8.3 g protein.
• 100 grams of bread roll contains 265 kcal and 8.5 g protein.

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Outlines of the Yayoi Period

Some of my basic knowledge about the Yayoi Period is as follows.

• As nutritious rice supported larger population than before and wet rice cultivation required group work, Yayoi people resided in villages located by paddy fields.
• Pottery used in the Yayoi Period is called "Yayoi pottery."
• Their society in the agricultural communities was effectively organized and the chiefs became in charge of farm production command, rites to pray for bountiful harvest and security against outside enemies.
• In the 2nd half of the Yayoi Period, stone tools were no longer produced. It must have been because iron farm implements greatly improved the agricultural output.
• Villages developed into small countries.
• The small countries sometimes went to wars against each other. They might have fought for rice stock in other countries, especially when unseasonal weather caused food shortages.
• Countries in the northern part of Kyushu seem to have monopolized iron import. That is why countries in other regions entered into an alliance.
• The union must have initially aimed to bring iron in their regional small countries, and eventually evolved into one single large country with tributary relationship with China.

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During the Kofun Period

The Situation on the Korean Peninsula

It is needless to say that the Korean Peninsula circumstances have deeply influenced Japan since the end of the New Stone Age. Also in the Kofun Period, power struggles among countries in the peninsula directly affected the policy of the Yamato sovereign, because the proto central government of Japan relied on the region for iron. I would like to review those countries briefly here.

Bare essentials in my understanding are as follows.

Gaya Confederacy

Outlines

• Gaya Confederacy was a group of small states which existed from the 1st century to the mid 6th century in the most southern part of the Korean Peninsula (present South Gyeongsang and the surrounding area).
• They are called by several different names.
• The region was blessed with iron and natural harbors. Wa (ancient Japan) imported iron by boat from there.
• Gaya Countries were gradually annexed to Silla and Baekje and collapsed in 562.

Geumgwan Gaya

• In the 3rd century, Gyeongsang Province included a part of Byeonhan confederacy and a part of Jinhan confederacy. Each federation consisted of 12 small countries. A Byeonhan country developed into Geumgwan country.
• While records on Geumgwan Gaya is extremely limited, Record of Gaya「駕洛国記」 quoted in Samuguk yusa (1281) is highly important.
• The fall of Geumgwan Gaya is generally thought to have been in 532, based on an article in Samguk sagi
• A large number of rectangular iron plates (material for iron products, or iron ingots) have been unearthed at Daeseong-dong Tombs. Iron-manufacturing settlements have also been found. The foundation of development in Gaya confederacy is thought to have been iron production.

Baekje

Outlines

• Baekje was established in the northern part of Mahan in the middle of the 4th century.
• Baekje and Wa Japan are generally thought to have entered military alliance in the 2nd half of the 4th C (366 or 367). It was the seven-pronged sword that was produced in commemoration of the association. The relationship basically continued until the early 6th C.
• In 475, Goguryeo threatened Baekje to relocate the capital to Unjin.
• In 538, Baekje relocated the capital to Sabi.
• The royal family of Baekje is said to be related to Gokuryeo.
• Baekje had a close relationship with Japan and exerted considerable influence on Japanese ancient culture development, including introduction of Buddhism to Japan.
• In 660, Baekje was overthrown by Tang and Silla.

Seven-Branched Sword

• It is an iron sword owned by Iso-no-kami Shrine in Tenri City, Nara Prefecture. It is 75 cm long. The sword blade has 3 small blades on its both sides.
• In 1890s, a chief priest of the shrine noticed inlaid gold characters dimly glittering on the lateral and deciphered some characters by removing the rust.
• In 369, a prince of Geunchogo of Baekje produced the sword. In this year, Baekje was fighting war against Goguryeo and the prince was at the front of his armed forces.
• In 371, the king and price of Baekje attacked Pyongyang Castle and the king of Goguryeo was killed in the battle.
• Chronicles of Japan says that Baekje presented Wa (ancient Japan) with the Seven-Branched Sword in 372.
• Baekje seems to have intended to ally with Wa in order to provide for a decisive battle against Goguryeo.

Silla

• The first unified dynasty in Korea.
• In the middle of the 4th century (356), Saro founded Silla by consolidating 12 countries of Jinhan in the south-eastern part of the Korean Peninsula.
• In the 7th century, Silla allied to Tang, and achieved unification of the peninsula after overthrowing Baekje and Gokuryeo.
• Silla emulated Tang and increased political centralization.
• In 935, Wang Jian of Goryeo submitted Gyeongsun of Silla (the final ruler of Silla).

Goguryeo

• One of three kingdoms of ancient Korea.
• Chumo, a leader of one of the Buyeo tribes, founded Buyeo by the first century BCE.
• Goguryoe conquered Lelang Commandery and possessed the northern part of the Korean Peninsula in 313.
• The capital city was relocated to Pyongyang in 427.
• Goguryoe entered a golden age in the days of Gwanggaeto the Great and his two successors (from the end of the 4th century to the 6th century).
• Goguryoe was defeated by allied forces of Tang and Silla defeated in 668.

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Large-sized Kofun in Japan

When thinking about Iwase-senzuka history, it is clearly beneficial to have knowledge of historical circumstances in the Japanese Islands during the Kofun Period. The distribution of large-sized kofun must contain something helpful about that. The list of kofun which are 200 meters long or more is as follows. (Kofun Name indicates that the kofun is an imperial mausoleum, or ryobo in Japanese, which is designated by the Imperioal Household Agency.)

The 3rd Century

In the southern part of the Nara Basin

• Hashihaka Kofun (276m, the mid 3rd C) at Makimuku Kofun Cluster, Sakurai City
• Sakurai Chausu-yama Kofun (208m, the late 3rd C after Hashihaka) at Tomi-yama Kofun Cluster, Sakurai City
• Nishi-tonozuka Kofun (234m, the late 3rd C) at Kayo Kofun Cluster, Tenri City
• Mesuri-yama Kofun (230m, the late 3rd C or the beginning of the 4th C) at Tomi-yama Kofun Cluster, Sakurai City

The 4th Century

In the southern part of the Nara Basin

• Andon-yama Kofun (242m, the 1st half of the 4th C) at Yanagimoto Kofun Cluster, Tenri City
• Shibutani-mukai-yama Kofun (300m. the 2nd half of the 4th C) at Yanagimoto Kofun Cluster, Tenri City
• Shima-no-yama Kofun (200m, around the end of the 4th C or the beginning of the 5th C) at Umami Kofun Cluster, Kawanishi Town, Nara Prefecture
• Su-yama Kofun (204/220m, around the end of the 4th C or the beginning of the 5th C) at Umami Kofun Cluster, Koryo Town, Nara Prefecture

In the northern part of the Nara Basin

• Saki-misasagi-yama Kofun (207m, the 2nd half of the 4th C) at Saki-tatanami Kofun Cluster, Nara City
• Saki-ishizuka-yama Kofun (218m, the 2nd half of the 4th C) at Saki-tatanami Kofun Cluster, Nara City
• Gosashi Kofun (275m, the 4th C) at Saki-tatanami Kofun Cluster, Nara City

At Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group in Osaka Prefecture

• Tsudo-shiro-yama Kofun (210m, the 2nd half of the 4th C) at Furuichi Kofun Cluster, Fujiidera City
• Nakatsu-yama Kofun (290m, around the end of the 4th C) at Furuichi Kofun Cluster, Fujiidera City

In Osaka Prefecture

• Mayu-yama Kofun (200m, the 2nd half of the 4th C) in Kishiwada City

At other places in Japan

• Amino-choshi-yama Kofun (201m, the late 4th C or the beginning of the 5th C) in Kyotango City in Kyoto Prefecture

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