Ushiishi Archaeological Site

Outside Tsuru, a ring of rocks 50 meters in diameter sits in the Atsuhara area where two rivers meet. Dating back roughly 5,000 years to the Jomon period, it is one of the largest stone circles found in eastern Japan. The site was created during a time when Mt. Fuji was highly active, and the circle is positioned at a spot from which the mountain is just barely visible, suggesting a possible ritual connection to the volcano. A separate find from the nearby Nakaya site, a clay figurine with a heart-shaped face covered in red pigment and decorated with ear ornaments, adds another dimension to what Jomon life and belief looked like in this valley.