After the Jomon Period, the Yayoi Period is next. This is common knowledge of Japanese history that everyone has learned in social studies. However, did you know that the Yayoi period did not exist in Hokkaido? The proof of Hokkaido's unique history is engraved in the "Fugoppe Cave" in Yoichi Town. What does this mean?

In Honshu, rice cultivation was introduced in B.C., and people's lives shifted from the Jomon Period to the Yayoi Period. However, the climatic conditions in Hokkaido were unsuitable for rice paddies. People living in Hokkaido naturally continued the lifestyle of the Jomon period, which relied on hunting and fishing.

What emerged was a unique line of thought known as the Sequential Jomon Culture. In addition to earthenware and stone tools, many animal and fish bones and shellfish have been found in the Hugoppe Cave. There are also engravings of people riding boats on the rock walls. This is the best evidence that food was abundant in those days and that people hunted and fished.

Although the Fugoppe Cave conveys the lifestyle of the Continental Jomon culture to the present day, it was not discovered until 1950. It was a piece of earthenware that was collected by a junior high school student from Sapporo, who was visiting the area for swimming.

In 1951 and 1953, assistant professors of Hokkaido University and others conducted a full-scale academic survey of the cave and discovered the remains of one of the largest caves in Japan with engravings. The interior of Hugoppe Cave, which was designated a National Historic Site in 1953, is now open to all visitors upon payment of an admission fee.
The site is open to the public under strict control to preserve the precious remains. Since the rock walls are sensitive to strong light, the lighting inside is kept quite dark. Therefore, before entering the cave, we recommend that you first check out the full-size model of the rock wall engravings at the entrance to preview the location of the engravings.
As your eyes become more accustomed, you can see the various carvings through the glass. The aforementioned carving of people on a boat is said to be similar to the one found in North Asia.
It is known that the Continued Jomon culture lasted longer than the Yayoi period in Honshu. A large number of late Hokkaido-style thin Jomon pottery from the 1st to 5th centuries has been excavated from the Hugoppe Cave, again indicating that Hokkaido built its own unique culture.
It is also said that the Hugoppe Cave was not a dwelling place, but a place where ritualistic ceremonies were held. The mysterious Hugoppe Cave is a reminder of what Hokkaido used to be like in ancient times.

There are several other interesting engravings to be seen, so please take a moment to contemplate the passage of time.


For more information, please visit Domingo's spotlight page.
Hugoppe Cave


*This cave is currently closed temporarily to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Please check Yoichi Town's official website for details.

<Fugoppe Cave
Location: 87 Sakae-cho, Yoichi-cho, Yoichi-gun, Hokkaido
Phone: 0135-22-6170
Closed: Mondays (if Monday is a national holiday, the museum will be open on Monday and closed the following day)
Closed during winter: Mid-December to early April
Hours: 9:00 - 16:30
Admission: 300 yen for adults, 100 yen for elementary and junior high school students
Yoichi Town Official Website: https://www.town.yoichi.hokkaido.jp/machi/syoukai/fugoppe.html

<Cooperation
Yoichi Fisheries Museum, Yoichi Town Board of Education, Education Division
Location: 21 Irifune-cho, Yoichi-cho, Yoichi-gun, Hokkaido
Phone: 0135-22-6187 (direct line)