TOKYO — Following external allegations casting doubt on their authenticity, three “dogu” earthenware figures from Japan’s ancient Jomon period have been taken down from the Cultural Heritage Online portal of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, according to sources connected with the agency.
Up until April 17th, the items identified as “shakoki (light-blocking device) dogu,” “nyonin (woman) dogu,” and “kaijin (monster) dogu” were cataloged among the archaeological ceramic artifacts of the Jomon era (approximately between 13,000 BC to 400 BCE). An official from the organization stated that these entries were removed to avoid confusion. They added, “In January, we received a query suggesting that they could potentially be fakes. Currently, we’re conducting investigations to confirm their authenticity and ensure they truly originate from the Jomon period.”
Launched in 2008, the Cultural Heritage Online platform aimed to showcase cultural treasures preserved by museums and artistic organizations throughout the country. By April 18th, an impressive array of data had been compiled from 1,055 establishments spread across Japan. This collection encompasses more than 290,000 items spanning various classifications such as architectural marvels, artworks, sculptures, and archaeological artifacts.
The portal enables administrators from every pre-registered and approved organization to upload pictures of cultural assets along with their descriptions directly. These specific figurines were first posted on the platform several years back by a private museum located in Aichi Prefecture. Regarding this matter, the Cultural Affairs Agency has not provided any comments about potential formal evaluations of these items or the adequacy of the website’s validation procedures, as they mentioned an active investigation is still underway.
In the meantime, the museum’s director firmly rebutted these accusations during a phone conversation with the Mainichi Shimbun. They maintained that the figurines identified as Jomon dogū were authentic. The director noted, “We acquired these pieces from private collectors,” yet chose not to provide additional specifics like purchase dates, explaining, “It would be inappropriate for me to elaborate over the phone.” Furthermore, they condemned the organization’s choice to remove information, commenting, “They have zero understanding of Jomon relics. This action makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.”
(Originally written in Japanese by Sahomi Nishimoto for the Tokyo City News Department)