An Archaeological Study Tour

Ancient Japan
October 19 – November 5, 2008
Led by Professor Gina Barnes


Japanese archaeology is not well known to Westerners despite its hundreds of state-of-the-art museums and thousands of government-sponsored excavations. Our archaeological study tour provides an introduction to the entire span of Japanese archaeology, from the Paleolithic period to the Middle Ages. It includes some of the great archaeological and historical museums, such as the National Museum of History and Folklore, the Kashiwara Archaeological Museum and the Kyushu Historical Museum, along with important newly discovered sites. Unusual features are an introduction to the archaeology of Kyushu, with travel through southern Kyushu to Kagoshima and Miyazaki. Some of the great temples and gardens of Nara and Kyoto are featured in our six days in the Kyoto area. We have scheduled this tour in the fall, one of Japan’s most beautiful seasons, and have arranged traditional dance performances, a tea ceremony, and have planned our meals in typical Japanese restaurants. Our tour will illustrate how the Japanese work to preserve (and create) their archaeological heritage in a unique system, and it will encourage us to ask questions about the role of ancient culture in the modern nation-state.


Sunday, Monday, October 19 & 20: NARITA: Depart from your home city in the morning arriving in Tokyo Monday afternoon. The airport shuttle bus will provide transfers to the Narita Tokyu Hotel in Narita. We gather with Professor Barnes for dinner and an introductory lecture this evening.
Meals: Dinner

Tuesday, October 21: TOKYO: Our touring begins at the National Museum of Japanese History, providing an overview of the subject. We then drive into Tokyo and visit its most venerable temple, Asakusa Kannon, which is approached by “inside shops street,” so named for the multitude of shops that crowd the stone-paved main street. Our hotel, the Cortyard by Marriot Tokyo Ginza, is a short walk to the restaurants and shops of the Ginza district.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Wednesday, October 22: TOKYO: The day begins at the Tokyo National Museum. This comprehensive museum houses superb Haniwa clay tomb figures, rare Asuka and Hakuho period objects and some of the oldest Buddhist images in Japan. Weather permitting, the fabulous Horyu-ji treasures will be on view. The remainder of the day will be at leisure, allowing us time to pursue our personal interests and to attend a performance at the nearby Kabuki-za Theater.
Meals: Breakfast

Thursday, October 23: FUKUOKA: We fly to the island of Kyushu and its capital, Fukuoka. The remainder of the day will be spent at Dazaifu, a regional capital during the Nara period. Touring will include the Tenjin Tenmangu Shrine, Kanzeonji Temple, Komyo Zenji Temple and the Kyushu Historical Museum, which houses an excellent collection of ancient material from the region. We continue to Fukuoka and the Hakata Excel Tokyu Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Friday, Saturday, October 24 & 25: FUKUOKA: Touring on Friday includes Japan’s first Zen temple, Shofuku-ji, built in 1195, the Buried Cultural Properties Center and other city sites. Saturday touring begins at Yoshinogari. Excavations of this major Yayoi period (300 BC-AD 300) archaeological site have revealed more than 350 dwellings and 2,500 graves. After studying the artifacts from this large settlement in the site museum, we continue to the enchanting pottery town of Onta. This tiny mountain town set along a stream still uses kara-usu, water-powered Korean mortars. We walk down the village’s only street, resounding with the rhythm of the thudding kara-usu and the gushing water.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch daily

Sunday, October 26: KUMAMOTO: This morning we will travel to Kurume to meet one of Japan’s “Living National Treasures,” Moriyama Torao, renowned for his kasuri koba. In his workshop threads are hand tied, dyed in genuine indigo and handwoven in his traditional patterns. We then continue south to Kumamoto, where our touring will include one of Japan’s greatest fortresses, Kumamoto-jo, and the Kumamoto-Kenritsu Bijutsukan, which houses full-scale models of the burial chambers from the region. Kumamoto Castle Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Monday, October 27: KAGOSHIMA: We continue south along the East China Sea to Chiran to visit the well-preserved samurai gardens along beautifully planted and manicured lanes. We continue to the villa garden, Iso Tei-en, ending the day at the Kagoshima Tokyu Hotel, facing the active volcano Sakurajima across the bay.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Tues day, October 28: MIYAZAKI: Today’s journey takes us east through mountain forests to Uenohara, a remarkable and very early Jomon site. Due to its location so far away from the Jomon center at Nagano, Uenohara is changing the perception of the Jomon. We continue to Saitobaru Kofun-gun, where more than 300 round, square and keyhole burial mounds from the 5th-6th centuries dot the landscape. Excavations have uncovered large numbers of gilt-bronze horse trappings and unusual Haniwa, displayed at the site museum. Our day ends at the Sun Hotel Phoenix.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Wednesday, October 29: NARA: After a morning flight to Osaka, we will visit two fine museums, Chikatsu-Asuka Museum, an extraordinary museum designed to evoke a tomb mound with displays of artifacts excavated from the area’s sites, and Osaka Yayoi Museum, situated near the Ikegami Stone Ruins, one of the largest Yayoi culture archaeological sites. We then proceed to Nara and the lovely Nara Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Thursday, October 30: NARA: This incredible day begins with a visit to the wonderful complex of temples and shrines at Horyu-ji, including the fine image of the Bosatsu of the Future at Chugu-ji. Driving south from Nara, we will study the excellent collection of materials from the region at the Kashihara Archaeological Institute Museum. We then cross the historically rich Asuka plain, fringed with golden paddy fields and scarlet amaryllis. Although legend tells of the first emperor, Jimmu, descending from heaven to Kyushu, it is the Asuka plain that is the real cradle of Japanese civilization. We will visit many of Asuka’s monuments and tumuli, including the important 6th-century Asuka-dera temple.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Friday, October 31: KYOTO: Today’s city tour includes the wonderful monuments in Deer Park, Todai-ji temple and the sculpture hall in Toshodai-ji monastery. Lastly, we will visit Kasuga Shrine, approached by paths lined with thousands of stone lanterns. After lunch, we continue to Kyoto and the centrally located Nikko Princess Hotel, our home for the next five nights.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Saturday, Sunday, Monday, November 1, 2 & 3: KYOTO: We have organized our four days of touring to cover the major shrines, temples, castles and gardens in Kyoto, each chosen for its unique qualities and historic importance. We will also experience the quiet beauty of a leisurely stroll along Philosopher’s Walk between Ginkaku-ji and Nanzen-ji temples. Some of the temples to be visited are Kinkaku-ji, Shisen-do, Sanjusangen-do, Ryoan-ji and Kiyomizu, as well as the Kyoto Museum and Nijo Castle. We will also explore the maze of canals and footbridges, tiny alleys and traditional houses in the wonderfully atmospheric Gion Quarter.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch daily

Tuesday, November 4: KYOTO: The famous Byodo-in Temple and the Fushimi Inari Shrine will conclude our touring, leaving our final afternoon at leisure for last-minute shopping or visits to other sites and museums. This evening our farewell dinner will be held at a restaurant specializing in Kaiseki cuisine.
Meals: Breakfast & dinner

Wednesday, November 5: After a morning at leisure, we transfer to Osaka for our flights home.

Meals: Breakfast