Early Japan and the Yayoi period
Myths tell about the two gods Izanagi and Izanami when trying to explain the origin of the Japanese islands and the Japanese people. Japan took its present shape as a string of islands about 20 000 years ago. The Japanese islands were once linked to Korea, China and Siberia.
The islands were first settled around 30 000 years ago. The people who then settled are called the Jomon (rope-marked) people, whose name originated from the name of the pottery they made. Japan has pottery dating from before 10 000 B.C – the earliest date in the world.
Wet rice farming became established in western Japan sometime after 500 B.C. This led to more settlements in Japan. Tools, weapons and mirrors of bronze and iron were in time made in Japan. Despite these developments, the Japanese were far from being as civilized as the Chinese. They still did not have a written script and Japan was ruled by clan leaders. This period in Japan, when rice growing, metal working and cloth making and the new pottery were introduced from continental Asia, is called the Yayoi period.
