| Japan, today, consists of four main
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| | (characterized by rice cultivation and
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| islands Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu and
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| | new types of pottery) and the Kofun
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| Shikoku. There are minor island chains,
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| | AD300-AD650 (characterized by the
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| which include Okinawa (also called Ryuku
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| | construction of large burial mounds for
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| Islands) in the south, the Kuriles north
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| | elites).Archaeology is still done on
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| of Hokkaido and the Izu Islands, which
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| | remains post-dating the Kofun period but
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| extend outwards into the Pacific
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| | it is in the realms of historic
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| Ocean.The archipelago which extends from
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| | archaeology. The unique features of the
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| latitude 45 degrees north to latitude 24
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| | prehistoric archaeology of Japan are the
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| degrees north has a variety of climates
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| | fairly late adoption of domesticated
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| and environmental zones. A cool
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| | plants and animals and the absence of a
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| northerly climate characterizes Hokkaido
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| | formal Bronze or Iron Age. There is
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| whereas the eastern half of Honshu has a
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| | evidence that the Jomon people cultivated
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| temperate climate and deciduous forests.
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| | some plants but dependence on cultivated
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| Also characterized by a temperate climate
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| | plants did not begin until the Yayoi
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| is western Honshu and Shikoku but the
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| | period. This period also sees the use of
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| forests in these regions are broadleaf
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| | bronze and iron.As far as the cultural
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| evergreens (palms) and deciduous trees.
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| | sequence stands for Hokkaido it is
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| Kyushu and Okinawa enjoy a sub-tropical
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| | slightly different from the rest of
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| climate and the forests are of broadleaf
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| | Japan. For Hokkaido the use of pottery
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| evergreens and oceanic vegetation.Japan
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| | began later and agriculture does not
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| sees an abundance of rain especially in
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| | begin until the Satsumon period.Again the
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| the summer months. Anywhere between 1000
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| | dates about to be presented for the
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| millimeters to 3000 millimeters of rain
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| | cultural sequence for Hokkaido are
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| falls in Japan depending on the
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| | approximate. The Jomon period
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| location.Japanese archaeologists (like
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| | 8000BC-300BC (the characteristics of this
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| archaeologists elsewhere) have divided
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| | age being the use of cord marked pottery
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| the prehistory of the archipelago into a
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| | and a hunting and gathering lifestyle),
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| variety of differing periods. These can
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| | The Epi-Jomon period 300BC- 3rd/7th
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| be compared with the Neolithic, Bronze
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| | century AD (characterized by the
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| Age and Iron Age seen in the rest of the
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| | continuation of a hunting gathering
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| old world. The Japanese have given each
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| | lifestyle and a pottery tradition akin to
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| period its own name that reflects its own
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| | the final Jomon pottery styles), the
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| unique Japanese character.The dates about
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| | Satsumon/Okhotsk age 3rd/7th century
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| to be given are approximate dates and
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| | AD-13th century AD (characterized by the
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| different scholars have different
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| | use of iron and bronze and also some
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| criteria for when a particular age ended
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| | plant cultivation) and lastly the Ainu
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| and a new one began. The Palaeolithic
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| | period 13th century AD-Present ( this has
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| period is 50,000BC-13, 000BC (Use of
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| | a mixed economy based on hunting and
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| micro-blade stone tools was
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| | gathering, sea mammal hunting and plant
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| characteristic of this period), The Jomon
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| | cultivation).It should be taken note that
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| period 13,000BC-300BC (the
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| | the Ainu are still resident in Hokkaido
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| characteristics of this age were pottery
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| | and the cultural groups preceding them
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| production and a hunting and gathering
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| | are known only through archaeological
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| lifestyle), the Yayoi period 300BC-AD300
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| | record.
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