The Uenohara Historic Ruins were discovered in 1986. During excavations in 1997, pit-dwelling ruins and other artifacts of the Jomon period (14,000 – 300 BC) were unearthed, confirming that a village dating back to the early stages of the Jomon period was located there. This village was the largest and oldest permanent settlement in Japan at that time. Many artifacts peculiar to Southern Kyushu and other important items showing how people lived during that period have been found. Also on the grounds of the Uenohara Historic Ruins is the “Uenohara Jomon no Mori”, a forest park.