Japanese pre- and protohistory: generalities
First, it is important to note that the periodization (read: division) of Japanese prehistory is different in many regards from that of Europe. While China followed a development that makes terms like "Neolithic" or "Bronze Age" relevant, Japan didn't. Therefore, it seems like a good idea to introduce this section dedicated to Japan before history by shortly presenting those divisions
Second, I would like to underline that I am using here the term "protohistory" loosely. History in Japan really began sometime around 700 AD, but there's a period which is sometimes referred to as "protohistoric" because Japan, although it hasn't by then developed its own literature, appears in chinese and, later, korean writings. This period begins sometime during the Middle Yayoi and lasts until the end of Kofun. The latter, as well as most of the Asuka period, are therefore also considered protohistoric; however, Iv'e decided to move them to the "Ancient Japan" section because it's during that time that the necessary political, social and structural changes took place to lead the country towards a unified Japan
Finally, note that for this, as well as any page in that section, updates can be made any time. The texts are in no way meant to remain as they are, but to evolve with the new readings and discussions
Paleolithic
This period goes from around 35-30,000 to 11,000 BC (depending on sources). This is the only division name borrowed from European archeology, although it doesn't quite cover the same reality, as the people living during that time in Japan were certainly hunter-gatherers who didn't know pottery, which is a common trait shared by all paleolithic populations, but they seem to have used, around the end of that period, ground stone tools, which is unusual. Also, "Paleolithic" in Japan cannot be used in conjunction with the latter Mesolithic and Neolithic, since those are irrelevant. Pre-ceramic was used instead by some but when artefacts dating back to 200,000 BC or before were "discovered", it seemed misleading to call such a long-lasting reality "pre-ceramic", a term that clearly indicates a time just before pottery came into use. We now know that we cannot take any of those ancient artefacts in account, but it seems unlikely that we revert back to the term "pre-ceramic" at least in English literature
Jomon
Generally accepted dates for this period are 11,000 to 500 BC (although these dates can vary significantly depending on the region - more details can be found in the Jomon section coming soon) and is subdivided into 6 periods: Incipient (11, 000 - 7,500 BC), Earliest (7,500 - 4,000 BC), Early (4,000 - 3,000 BC), Middle (3,000 - 2,000 BC), Late (2,000 - 1,000) and Latest (1,000 - 500 BC) Jomon
When talking about the economy of that time, a term frequently used is that of hunter-gatherers, but as we will see in more details, this term needs to be refined to fit the particular subsistence system of the Jomon population. Other characteristics include the widepsread use of pottery; the Jomon period ends with the development of rice agriculture, which signals the beginning of the subsequent Yayoi period (some traces of plant cultivation are evident during the second hald of the Jomon period, but those are rather isolated and don't play a significant role in the economy of the sites). The term "Jomon" means "cord-marked", referring to a technic used both to treat the surface and decorate, and which is different from another "cord-marked" techinic, used elsewhere in continental Asia. However, even if the period borrows that name, the pottery itself does not defines the Jomon period, at least not its end: Yayoi people still used jomon-type pottery. Some examples of plain and linear-relief pottery dating back from before 11,000 BC have been discovered, but in small quantities
Go to the Jomon main page
Yayoi
This period goes from 500-400 BC to 250-300 AD, depending on sources, and is divided into 3 sub-periods, Early, Middle and Late Yayoi. The primary characteristic is definitely the full-scale agriculture introduced, alongside with the introduction of iron as well as the beginnings of social stratification, particularly evident through burials, an evolution that will only accelerate during the subsequent period
Sources
Loosely based on chapter 2 of Imamura, Kenji, "Prehistoric Japan, New Perspectivea on insular East Asia", University of Hawai'i Press, 1996, Honolulu, except for what concerns the Paleolithic Artefacts Hoax, since it was exposed in Novembre 2000 (and Imamura's book was published earlier). For that affair, there are several sources online which will be refered to inside; for an excellent summary of the facts in English, one can read Shoh Yamada's article at Harvard Asia Quarterly