Okuwa village History and Folklore Museum shows you the whole history of Okuwa village from 5,000 years ago to the Showa period. Especially ancient earthenware is worth to look and tells you the life of ancient village inhabitants. In addition, the major industries that had supported the village in the modern era can also be seen with implements used by the workers.
Earthenwares in Jomon and Yayoi periods
Okuwa village has more than 60 ancient ruins of Johmon and Yayoi period. The earthenwares excavated at those ruins are exhibited in the museum. All of them are real ones, not replicas. It should be a great experience to see the real ancient earthenware and to imagine how the life of 4,000 years ago was.
Major earthenware of the four ruins; Yakushi, Manba, Takoh and Ohno ruin are picked up here. Each ruin is pinned on the map below.
Eathenware out of Yakushi ruin
It is a kind of hanging type earthenware of about 4,000 years ago (Late of the middle Johmon period) . It is supposed that it was used as a lamp especially in a religious activity. It is very unique and rare.
It is an arabesque pattern earthenware of about 3,500 years ago (Late of the middle Johmon period). It was a burial pot and was buried at the entrance of house. It is supposed that a placenta or a stillbirth was in the pot, in order to pray a rebirth or healthy growth.
Earthenware out of Manba ruin
It is an earthenware of about 4,000 years ago with a horn shape protrusion. It was getting thinner than before.
Earthenware out of Takoh ruin
It is an earthenware of about 4,000 to 4,500 years ago. It is supposed that is was used in cooking since it got sooty.
Earthenware out of Ohno ruin
It is a pot with a human face and a ring top with holes of 4,000 to 5,000 years ago. It was designated to the treasure of Nagano prefecture in 2018. The pot is now a symbol of the village named the Eternal Smile.
Forestry
Okuwa vil. has a special history after the Meiji Restoration. It is in the deep forest and the mountains have special trees, Japanese Cypress or Hinoki. Castles, Shrines and Temples need huge amount of big lumbers and the most suitable tree for them is Japanese Cypress because of its charactristcs. Before the Edo Shogunate, such the trees had not been well preserved and the mountains turned out bald. Therefore, the Edo Shogunate strictly managed the Japanese Cypress in the Kiso region. Even residents hardly cut down a tree in Edo period. Such the strict control continued after the Meiji Restoration.
The Meiji Government put the Kiso under strict control and managed every single tree in the reserved mountains in Kiso. As workers, many people in the village had been engaged in the forestry.
Sericulture
After the Meiji Restoration, sericulture became the main industry in the village. The Japanese silk had a huge demand in the world. Even in Okuwa vil. such the demand made many people engage in sericulture and had made them rich. The implements used in sericulture can been seen in the museum, which will make you imagine how the village people had worked.
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