In Central Japan, many archaeological excavation sites are located around the plains of Toyama, along the middle courses of the Shinano River, at the foot of Mt. Yatsugatake and around Lake Suwa, at the foot of Mt. Ontake, along the Tenryu basin, at the foot of Mt. Atago, and on the Iwatahara tableland.
At the Tategahana site and the Nakamachi site by Lake Nojiri, many cultural layers are found, from the Lower Nojiri-ko Member III (about 40, 000y.B.P.) to the Kashiwabara black ash (Holocene, about 2, 000y.B.P.). Therefore these are the most important sites for the Palaeolithic chronology in the middle courses of the Shinano River.
The Sugikubo A site is a type site for the Sugikubo Culture that occupied North East Japan. The culture layer of the Sugikubo A site corresponds to the Upper Nojiri-ko Member III (about 15, 000y.B.P.).
The Black Band of Upper Nojiri Loam Member I is the oldest culture layer except for the Tategahana site; its Carbon-14 age is about 20, 000 years.
Palaeolithic chronology in the Nojiri-ko site group and the middle reaches of the Shinano River is divided as follows.
Phase I: “Najiri-ko Culture”. Nojiri-ko Tategahana site. From Lower Nojiri-ko Member III to Upper Nojiri-ko Member I, about 40, 000-24, 000y.B.P.
Phase II: “Backed-blade Culture”.
(Phase IIa) Seimeidai site and Shogetsudai site. Black Band of Upper Nojiri Loam Member and lower part of Yellowish Brown Loam.
(Phase IIb) Nakamachi site and others. Upper part of Yellowish Brown Loam.
Phase III: “Micro-blade Culture”. Nakamachi site and Mukoushinden site. “Kimoya”, uppermost part of Upper Nojiri Loam Member II
Phase IV: “Incipient Jomon Culture”. Nakamachi site and Kitsunekuho site. Upper part of “Kimoya” and “Kuromoya”, uppermost part of Upper Nojiri Loam Member II
According to this chronology, palaeolithic cultures of Toyama Prefecture and the southern part of Nagano Prefecture correspond to Phase IIa and later, and that of Niigata Prefecture corresponds to Phase IIb and later. The stratigraphy of Tategahana and Nakamachi sites is very important for the palaeolithic chronology of Central Japan.
Considering the correspondence of culture layers, “Nuka-I” tuff near Lake Nojiri corresponds to “AT” tuff of Toyama Prefecture, and not to “AT” tuff of the South Kanto district.
In Central Japan, there is clear evidence that man has been dwelling by Lake Nojiri since about 40, 000 years ago and in Toyama Prefecture and the southern part of Nagano Prefecture since about 20, 000 years ago.

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