Japan Heritage story
Flame-style pottery of the Shinano River: Jomon art from snow country
「なんだ、コレは！」 信濃川流域の火焔型土器と雪国の文化
About 5,000 years ago, people along the Shinano River in Niigata made pots crowned with wild flame-like rims. When the artist Okamoto Taro saw one he shouted "What on earth is this!". They are among the most striking objects of Japan's Jomon era.
Key facts
- Theme
- Sea and waterside, Forests and timber, Festivals and rituals, Textiles and dyes, Food and sake, Mines and minerals
- Era
- Jōmon
- Region
- Chubu
- Official name in Japanese
- 「なんだ、コレは！」 信濃川流域の火焔型土器と雪国の文化
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 新潟県（十日町市，新潟市，三条市，長岡市，魚沼市, 津南町）
The story
The Shinano River, at 367 km Japan's longest, runs through Niigata. About 8,000 years ago a warm sea current changed the climate and this became one of the snowiest places on earth. Around 5,000 years ago, Jomon people here made flame-style pottery: deep pots with four huge projections that look like fire, or to some eyes like waves. They would have got in the way of cooking, so the shapes seem to express beliefs rather than use. Such pots are found almost only in Niigata.
What to see
- Flame-style pottery: look for it in the local museums of the heritage towns, such as Tokamachi, Nagaoka, Sanjo and Niigata City.
- Jomon village sites: ring-shaped villages about 100 m across, with around 50 pit houses circling a central plaza, built on river terraces near springs.
- Snow-country crafts and food: preserving and weaving techniques, such as angin cloth, that the story traces back to Jomon times.
Plan more with the Niigata prefecture guide and see more history and heritage. For the Jomon world of the central highlands, see this story.
Good to know
- See the pots in person; photos rarely show how deep and sculpted the rims are.
- Winter here means deep snow, so plan driving with care or come in the green seasons.
- Read up on Tokamachi's snow country for how people still live with heavy snow.
Questions travellers ask
What is flame-style pottery?
Jomon pottery from about 5,000 years ago, with four large flame-like projections around the rim, found almost only in Niigata.
Who was Okamoto Taro?
A Japanese artist who was among the first to see Jomon pottery as art. He is said to have shouted "What on earth is this!" when he saw it.
Where it comes from
More heritage stories from the same area
Local foods from the same area
Crafts from the same area
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.