Chino City Togariishi Jomon Archaeological Museum — Attraction in Chino

Discover the elegant aesthetic of Japanese prehistoric art

The region has a long history going back to the dawn of Japanese civilization, over ten thousand years ago. In those bountiful and peaceful times following the ice age that we call the Jomon period, people led a serene lifestyle which allowed them to pursue artistic proficiency in their crafts. The over 2000 relics that were excavated at the foot of the Yatsugatake all but confirm that.

If you like art and design, we suggest you pay a visit to Togari-ishi Museum to explore the ancient and mysterious world of Jomon art. The museum features a great number of elaborated clay figurines, bowls, jars and utensils made of obsidian.

The pride of the collection are the statuettes of the “Jomon Venus” and the “Masked Goddess”, both designated as National Treasures,. The two exhibits which dates back to 4,000-3,000 BC are voluptuous and graceful, executed with great attention to details.

In the park adjacent to the museum you can explore six traditional Jomon pit dwellings which have been reconstructed to show visitors what a village of that...

Half-baked. The english version of the website doesn't include trip-critical information about their hands-on ceramic experience. It also fails to mention that the hands-on experience is not available when the work area is booked for group classes and where that information is found. I tried emailing them a few weeks prior to travel and they never replied. The facility itself has really quite a nice quiet atmosphere, and it's clear they have gone to some effort to make their instructions usable for all(using pictures)- but- the instructions are for a solid clay figurine, so it can't be fired or posted. The reason I go off the beaten path is to discover and recommend new things, and in the process help the local businesses, but this time I find myself forced to give a low rating. Would I have braved the sparse bus service to go here had I known I was going to be lugging 1kg of wet clay around for the rest of my...

It was like you were sucked back to the Jomon period. Amazing history! There is an English pamphlets from the counter. I went there alone but there was a group that was guided by a historian, I tagged along for more info. Every relics and clay made has a story to tell. Behold! There is a joyous Jomon fire festival at night on the 1st week of October where they sets up several bonfire. Free hot soba soup and tea are served too. Bring a picnic mat for sitting on the grass. Dance and enjoy your night away! So...