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When you set foot in the Sakuragi area of Wakaba Ward, Chiba City, you enter a place where the flow of time quietly reverses and the breath of the Jomon era still lingers. This is the Kasori Shell Mound, where people lived and wove their lives from about 5,000 to 3,000 years ago. (city.chiba.jp)
In this area, there are two large shell mounds: the North Shell Mound and the South Shell Mound. The North Shell Mound forms a ring with a diameter of about 140 meters, while the South Shell Mound describes a horseshoe shape with a major axis of about 190 meters. These are connected, and when viewed from the sky, they create a magnificent landscape resembling the number “8.” (city.chiba.jp)
A shell mound is a place where ancient people piled up shells, fish bones, animal bones, and other remains from what they ate. At the Kasori Shell Mound, these relics are preserved in good condition, conveying traces of life from the Jomon period to the present day. The calcium from the shells neutralized the acidity of the soil, protecting organic matter that would normally have decayed. (city.chiba.jp)
As you walk through this area, you will find reconstructed pit dwellings scattered about, allowing you to physically sense how people lived in those days. When you enter one of these dwellings, you are enveloped by the scent of earth and a feeling as if the activities of long ago are unfolding before your eyes. (city.chiba.jp)
In addition, at the shell layer cross-section viewing facility, you can observe the excavated shell layers up close. There, shells such as Ibogai and clams are stacked in many layers, offering a glimpse into the dietary habits of the Jomon people and their coexistence with nature. (city.chiba.jp)
The Kasori Shell Mound was designated a national historic site in 1971, and in 2017, it became the first shell mound to be designated a special historic site. This is proof of its extremely high academic value and its recognition as a symbol of Japanese culture. (city.chiba.jp)
When you visit this place, you can forget the bustle of modern life and, in the silence where the wind of the Jomon era blows, feel the breath of people from long ago. The Kasori Shell Mound is a treasure of Chiba, inviting you on a journey beyond time.