Remains of 7th-century banquet hall unearthed

Excavations at the Asukadera Seiho site, the first Buddhist temple founded in Japan, located in Asuka, Nara Prefecture, Japan, revealed architectural remains of what is believed to be part of a banquet hall complex for the nobility, dating back to the 7th century AD.

Probably oldest use of Kanji character found

Archaeologists discovered possibly the oldest use of a Kanji character  on a pottery shard in Japan, dating back to the late Yayoi Pottery Culture period (300 BC-AD 300). The fragment was found at Karakami archaeological site in Iki, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.

Mysterious clay jar found at lake's bottom

An ancient jar, dated to between the Asuka Period (592-710 AD) and Nara Period (710-784 AD) has been found at significant depth at an underwater site at Lake Biwako, Japan’s biggest freshwater lake in Shiga Prefecture, Honsiu.

Structures pointing to a second capital in Osaka unearthed

Archaeologists unearthed structures dating back more than 1000 years at a site of Higashi-Yuge ruins in Yao, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. These remains offer a hint on the existence of a second capital in Osaka, Yuge-no-miya,  that is known only through eighth-century chronicles.

2300-years-old carpenter's tool unearthed

Archaeologists discovered a well preserved ancient carpenter’s tool – an iron “yariganna” cutting chisel, at the Yokaichijikata ruins in Komatsu, Ishikawa province, Japan. The tool is believed to be 2300 years old.

10th century tree roots point to ancient display of power

Archaeologists unearthed eighteen roots of willow trees from the late 10th century in the Aoyayokogi ruins, Tottori, Japan. The alignment of the roots in intervals of 0.5 to 2 meters along a 60-meter stretch provides evidence to an existence of an ancient boulevard, purpously lined with trees.