Dogu Day

What Is Dogu Day?

October 9th is "Dogu Day" in Japan. It was established by the Dogu Day Committee (now the Jomon Dokidoki Society), a group devoted to "enjoying archaeology," and was registered by the Japan Anniversary Association in 2016. The date is a wordplay: 10-9 can be read "do-gu," the Japanese word for the clay figurines of the Jomon period. The aim is to share the appeal not only of dogu but of Jomon culture as a whole.

A Day for Enjoying Archaeology

Dogu Day was born from a wish to make archaeology, often seen as something only for experts, more approachable and fun.

• Wordplay: 10 (do) and 9 (gu) make "dogu"
• Established by: the Dogu Day Committee (now the Jomon Dokidoki Society)
• Outreach: shares information through the dogu and Jomon portal site "Dogupota"
• Promotion months: the group designates September and October as months to promote dogu and Jomon culture

What Are Dogu?

Dogu are fired clay figures, often in human form, made during Japan's Jomon period. Their distinctive, stylized shapes strike viewers as cute, strange or mysterious, and in recent years they have drawn attention as art and even as characters. There are many theories about why they were made, and much remains unknown, which is part of why dogu spark people's imagination.

Tips for Marking This Day

• See dogu and Jomon pottery at a museum or local history center
• Compare photos of famous dogu and enjoy their different shapes
• Look up Jomon-period archaeological sites in your area
• Hunt for goods or sweets with a dogu motif

Ancient Handiwork Still Moves Us Today

Dogu are like time capsules carrying the lives and prayers of people from the distant past. On October 9th, imagine what the Jomon people shaped into clay, and take a peek into the world of archaeology.