Oyu Stone Circles

Kazuno, Japan

Manza circle (previous page) is seen in the top photo, and Nonakado circle with its "sundial" (next page) in the lower photo. The pavilions in Manza are modern shelters. Generally, the site is concerned with ritual and calendrical use; the ground is under snow cover in winter, so people used to think the circles were used seasonally rather than year-around. However, beginning in the 1990's, more evidence of settlement has been uncovered. People were also buried here; no physical remains have been recovered, but there are body-sized trenches with small deposits of grave goods. These burials were generally marked by upright stones.

Numerous objects have been recovered from the site, including clay items and pots that are displayed at the site museum (later page).