The Jōmon Period in Japan
Japan’s Jōmon Period was a very long time in history.
- The Early Period was about 6,000 years ago.
- The Middle Period was about 5,000 years ago.
- The Late Period was about 4,400 to 3,200 years ago.
- The Final Period was about 3,200 to 2,400 years ago.
After that, rice farming began to spread, and the time was called the Yayoi Period.
People often say that the Jōmon Period was a peaceful time without war.
When I was a child, I admired this time very much.
Later, when I began to study the Bible, I learned something else.
About 2,700 years ago, the Kingdom of Israel was destroyed by the Assyrian Empire.
Many Israelites were taken away from their land and scattered to many places around the world.
So, it is possible that during the time when Japan changed from the Jōmon Period to the Yayoi Period,
some groups of Israelites who believed in the God of the Bible traveled a long way along the Silk Road,
crossed the sea from the Korean Peninsula by dangerous boats,
and finally settled in different parts of Japan.
Old words that look like Hebrew, and many old legends found in Japan, made me very curious.
Even the Tengu legends—
with red faces, long noses, and something like a small box on the forehead for holy words—
look very much like ancient Israelites, don’t they?
(The story below is from my imagination.)
A boy named David, who grew up in a group that crossed the rough Sea of Japan and arrived in places like today’s Ishikawa and Niigata.
He lost his parents there.
After that, David traveled alone up the Shinano River (Chikuma River)
and reached what is now Saku City in Nagano Prefecture.
This village may have been the farthest place where salmon could swim upstream in those days.
David collapsed there from cold and hunger.
A girl named Tomo found him, and the people of Saku Village kindly took care of him and saved his life.
To repay their kindness, David worked very hard for the village.
Using his knowledge of iron-making, he created many useful tools.
As time passed, the villagers trusted him more and more.
David and Tomo grew up like brother and sister, and David quietly loved her.
But while David was away, Tomo married a traveler from a faraway land and left the village.
David was very sad.
Still, he followed the wishes of the villagers and led them to move together to the eastern coast of Japan
(today’s Saitama area).
They named their new home Saita Village, after Saku Village.
Now, in this background story,
Tomo—who had married far away (in today’s Shizuoka area)—
lost her husband in war.
She left her village and began a desperate journey back to her hometown, Saku Village,
traveling with her young son, Soran.
…This is the background of the story of the ancient boy Soran.
At that time, the sea level was much higher than today.
This period is called the Jōmon Transgression.
Much of what is now Saitama Prefecture was under the sea.
Even today, when I drive across a bridge over the Arakawa River,
I often think, “This place used to be the sea.”
On clear days, you can see Mount Fuji, larger than you might expect.
“Ancient Boy Soran” does not end with this story.
There is also a “young man” story.
Influenced by his stepfather David,
Soran grows into a strong and brave young man.
Please look forward to it!
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