Abstract
The Satsumon culture was in existence in Hokkaido from 9th to 13th century A.D. as a Pre-Ainu culture of Hokkaido. The Satsumon culture succeeded the Post-Jomon culture. The Satsumon culture was formed on the basic cultural elements of the Post-Jomon culture. Some cultural elements from Japanese culture of that time were added to them. The basic cultural elements of the Post-Jomon culture had their roots in late or the latest Jomon culture in northern Japan. So, the Satsumon culture can be regarded as one of the direct descendants of the late or the latest Jomon culture in the northern Japan.
About two thousands years ago, rice cultivation began in Japan. At first, rice cultivation was practised in southwestern Japan and it gradually expanded to the east. Finally, it reached the southern Tohoku district, but it could not penetrate into northern Tohoku and Hokkaido. In the northern Tohoku and Hokkaido, people lived on fishing, gathering and hunting as was the case in the previous Jomon period. After the introduction of rice cultivation, the livelihood of people in Japan was separated into two different ways. In most parts of Japan, in southern Japan, people depended on rice cultivation and in the northern extremity of Japan, people lived on fishing, gathering and hunting.
