ABSTRACT
Today, archaeological antiquities from the Jōmon and Yayoi periods are exhibited in public in Japan on a massive scale. In recent years archaeological artifacts have traveled overseas to be exhibited in major cities in many countries, returning to Japan with new value and prestige acquired through this role of cultural ambassadors, contributing to Japan's soft diplomacy. Iconic objects from the Jōmon and Yayoi along with other periods inspire public art as part of attempts to reinvigorate a sense of local identity through association with particular forms of ancient material culture. The transition from the Jōmon to the Yayoi, from prehistoric non-agricultural foraging societies to protohistoric farming, metal-using societies continues be a preoccupation of many Japanese archaeologists, even though some scholars now try to understand the sequence in terms of continuities, in particular in regard to the origins of agriculture. Antiquarian interests in early modern Japan often coincided with interests in travel and local specialties and regional products.
