An Archaeological Study Tour

Ancient Japan
October 14 – 29, 2010
Led by Professor Robert Thorp


Despite its hundreds of state-of-the-art museums, thousands of annual government-sponsored excavations, and vigorous local press coverage, Japanese archaeology is not well known to Westerners. Our archaeological study tour provides an introduction to the entire span of Japanese archaeology, from the Paleolithic period to medieval castles. It includes some of the great archaeological and historical museums, such as the Tokyo National 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 and our fascinating day spent at Ise Jingu, Japan’s most prestigious shrine. 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 planned visits to traditional villages, workshops of Japan’s legendary craftsmen as well as 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.



Thursday, Friday, October 14 & 15: TOKYO: Depart from your home city in the morning, arriving in Tokyo Friday afternoon. We will gather with Professor Thorp for dinner this evening. Our hotel, the Courtyard by Marriott Tokyo Ginza, is a short walk to the restaurants and shops of the Ginza district.
Meals: Dinner

Saturday, October 16: TOKYO: After an introductory lecture, our touring 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. We then visit the Palace East Garden or the Edo-Tokyo Museum, depending on the weather.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Sunday, October 17: FUKUOKA: This morning 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 Temmangu Shrine, Kanzeonji Temple, Komyo Zenji Temple and the Kyushu Historical Museum, which houses an excellent collection of ancient materials from the region. We continue to Fukuoka and the Hakata Excel Tokyu Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Monday, October 18: FUKUOKA: Touring begins at Yoshinogari. Excavations of this major Yayoi period (300 BCE- 300 CE) 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

Tuesday, October 19: KAGOSHIMA: 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 along the East China Sea to the Kagoshima Castle Park Hotel, facing the active volcano, Sakurajima, across the bay.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Wednesday, October 20: 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 to 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 Hotel Sky Tower, conveniently located in the heart of the city.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Thursday, October 21: NARA: After a morning flight to Osaka, we will visit the Chikatsu-Asuka Museum, an extraordinary museum designed to evoke a tomb mound with displays of artifacts excavated from the area’s sites, and Tondabayashi, a well-preserved Edo-era merchants’ town with historic houses and shops. We then proceed to Nara and the lovely Nara Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Friday, October 22: 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. We then visit Heijo-kyo, the 8th-century capital site and archaeological park, and Toshodai-ji, a beautiful monastery founded by the Chinese priest Ganjin in 759. Ganjin was invited to Japan to train clergy. His reforms resulted in a stricter form of Buddhism and its art.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Saturday, October 23: ISE: Today’s city tour includes the wonderful monuments in Deer Park, Todai-ji temple and Shosoin. Lastly, we will visit Kasuga Shrine, approached by paths lined with thousands of stone lanterns. After lunch, we will proceed to Ise, site of Japan’s most prestigious shrine.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Sunday, October 24: KYOTO: Today is devoted to a full-day visit to Ise Jingu, with a focus on the Inner Shrine (Naiku). The shrines of Ise are consecrated to an agricultural divinity and to Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, divine ancestor of the imperial line. The architecture of the Ise shrines and their setting are unique to Japan and are free of any Chinese or Korean influences. There will also be time to browse the small Meiji-era merchants’ quarter in town. Late in the day we travel to Kyoto and the centrally located Nikko Princess Hotel, our home for the next five nights.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Monday, October 25: KYOTO: We have organized our days of touring to cover the major shrines, temples, castles and gardens in Kyoto, each chosen for its unique qualities and historic importance. Today’s touring takes us to several important temples, including Ryoan-ji, famed for its fine Zen Abbot’s Garden, Kinkaku-ji, with its stunning Golden Pavilion and Saihoji (pending permission), known for its moss garden, as well as Nijo Castle to visit its ornate audience halls and simple residential areas.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Tuesday, Wednesday, October 26 & 27: KYOTO: Our touring continues to the early Edo period villa Shisen-do (pending permission), which houses paintings of the thirty-six classical poets, Sanjusangen-do, with its awesome array of Kannon statues, the Kyoto Museum and the wonderful Kiyomizu Temple, reached by narrow lanes lined with vendors of Kiyomizu pottery, which has been sold to pilgrims who have visited this temple since before Kyoto was built. We will also experience the quiet beauty of a leisurely stroll along Philosopher’s Walk between Ginkaku-ji and Nanzen-ji temples and explore the maze of canals and footbridges, tiny alleys and traditional houses in the wonderfully atmospheric Gion Quarter.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch daily

Thursday, October 28: 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 one of Kyoto’s fine restaurants.
Meals: Breakfast & dinner

Friday, October 29: This morning we transfer to Osaka for our flights home.

Meals: Breakfast