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(I reprint it than "Japan atlas" http://web-japan.org/atlas/historical/his10.html )
The Toro Ruins in Shizuoka Prefecture mark where a village used to exist around AD100 to AD 300. In the conventional history of Japan, this period is classified as the latter half of the Yayoi Period, the first age of agricultural culture based on rice cultivation. The Toro Ruins are one of the most important sites explaining the agricultural culture of this particular period. The large-scale ruins consist of dwelling areas, rice paddies, and forests and are thought to have been buried by a river flood caused by a typhoon.
As a result of careful excavation and research for four years starting in 1947, ruins of rice paddies in the Yayoi Period were discovered for the first time. Remnants of Japanese cedar woods neighboring the village, 12 houses, and two storehouses with elevated floors were also found, and farming tools such as wooden hoes, spades, spatulas, and stone knives, building materials, weaving machines, musical instruments, and pieces of earthenware were excavated almost intact. Many of the unearthed articles convey the affluence of life and culture at that time, such as fishing gear, ornaments, a variety of grain and fruit seeds, and bones of birds and beasts.
Excavation work of the Toro Ruins was exceptionally large-scale and systematic, considering that the work was being carried out during the rebuilding of devastated Japan after the Second World War. The research was of such academic significance that it led to the establishment of the Japanese Archaeological Association. The Toro Ruins were designated as a national Special Historic Site in 1953. The houses and storehouses have been restored to their original state, and the site is open to the public as a historic park.
The eight islands of Japan sprang into existence through Divine Intervention.The first two gods who came into existence were Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto, the Exalted Male and Exalted Female. It was their job to make the land for people to live on.They went to the bridge between heaven and earth and, using a jewel-encrusted halberd, Izanagi and Izanami churned up the sea into a frothy foam. As salty drips of water fell from the tip of the halberd the first island was formed. Its name was Onogoro.So far, so good. But when Izanagi and Izanami first met on their island, Izanami spoke to Isanagi without being spoken to first. Since she was the female, and this was improper, their first union created badly-formed offspring who were sent off into the sea in boats.The next time they met, Izanagi was sure to speak first, ensuring the proper rules were followed, and this time they produced eight children, which became the islands of Japan.I'm sure you did not fail to miss the significance of this myth for the establishment of Japanese formal society.At present, Japan is the financial capital of Asia. It has the second largest economy in the world and the largest metropolitan area (Tokyo.)Technically there are three thousand islands making up the Japanese archipelago. Izanagi and Izanami must have been busy little devils with their jewelled halberd...Japan's culture is highly technical and organized. Everything sparkles and swooshes on silent, miniaturized mechanisms.They're a world leader in robotics, and the Japanese have the longest life-expectancy on earth.Text by Steve Smith.
