Mimitori Site

The Mimitori ruins are located in the Higashiyama Hills in the eastern portion of the Niigata Plain, on a ridge with an altitude of 76 meters. The size of this village ruin extends over 16,000 square meters, which makes it the largest in the Hokuriku region. The settlement existed from the middle Jōmon period (3000–2000 BC) through the late and final Jōmon period (2000–300 BC). and covered three overlapping areas. The middle Jōmon settlement was in the center of the hill, with houses in a horseshoe-shaped configuration and a central plaza, measuring 60 meters north-south by 70 meters east-west. The foundations of 12 oval-shaped pit dwellings measuring 8 x 3 meters were found, as was a large (10.6 centimeter) jade sphere.

The settlement expanded in the late Jōmon period to the west, forming a donut-shape, 200 meters north-south by 118 meters east-west. and a central plaza 18 meters in diameter. A total of 66 pit dwelling foundations were found in this area. A midden was also discovered from this period. The final Jōmon period extended to the east of the original settlement. The style of buildings appears to have transitioned to elevated floor buildings. The pillar hole about 130 cm in diameter and was dug more than 1 meter deep, and a pillar about 50 cm in diameter was erected in it. Only two buildings were confirmed, but 36 similar holes were found in a wide area on the eastern side of the ruins. These are also considered to be pillar holes of the same building.

The site has been known since the end of the 19th century; however, it was not first excavated until 1967 after a spate of tomb robberies occurred in the area. As a result of these survey results, the momentum for protecting the ruins increased, and a development plan for a large-scale housing area was canceled. From 2011 to 2014, the Mitsuke City Board of Education conducted excavations

• List of Historic Sites of Japan (Niigata)

• Mitsuke city official site (in Japanese)