Yokomichi Ruins

The Yokoji Site is located on a river terrace overlooking the Gono River. Excavations conducted in 1981 uncovered a group of bag-shaped pit pits (grain storage pits) and remains of pit dwellings from the early Yayoi period (approximately 2,300 to 2,100 years ago), proving that this is one of the earliest sites in the Chugoku Mountains where people practiced agricultural life. The remains of a stoneware workshop from the early Yayoi period used chert and agate as raw stones, making it particularly noteworthy as there are few similar examples in the prefecture. Excavated artifacts include pottery (pots and jars) and stoneware from the early Yayoi period, but pot-shaped pottery with leaf patterns is a rare find in the Chugoku Mountains.