“What on Earth?!”
Flame Pots and Snow Counry Culture
in the Shinano River Basin

Cauldron for the 1964 Niigata National
Sports Festival!

A work modeled on a flame pot made by sculptor Ami Hayakawa. Originally made of clay and now in bronze.

Niigata City Athletic Stadium
(Chuo Ward, Niigata City)

Pot art in the Shinano River estuary!

A stone carved version of the same type as the cauldron of Niigata City Athletic Stadium. The pots decorate the railings of Showa Ohashi Bridge.

Showa Big Bridge
(Chuo Ward, Niigata City)

Here goes a dignified looking pot

At first glance, March No. 1, Pomp and Circumstance, goes around in your head?! With a huge height of 3 meters, this is a Jomon symbol of the Yoita Region.

Yoita River Ryokuchi Tachibana Park
(Yoita Town, Nagaoka City)

Jomon pot that shocked Taro Okamoto!

Jomon pot made artist Taro Okamoto shout “What on earth?!” Taro Okamoto attended the unveiling ceremony for this monument.

Bullet train concourse of JR Nagaoka
Station
(Jonai-cho, Nagaoka City)

Is this the very first pot monument?

A monument set up in Nagaoka City in 1959, where the first flame pot was discovered. The monument stands quietly today at the junction of three roads, surrounded by trees.

At the three road junction, Senju 2,
Nagaoka City

I am the flame pot!

The monument at the entrance of Umataka Jomon museum was formerly located close to the spot where the first flame pot was found. The figure appears as if saying with dignity," I am the flame pot".

Umataka Jomon Museum
(Sekihara-machi, Nagaoka City)

A thrilling pot at your feet!

The first flame pot and fireworks, a castle and cherry blossoms in Yukyu-zan Park and the city flower, azalea- these charming Nagaoka sites and views are engraved on manhole lids.
※ The lids buried in ground are not colored

Nagaoka City

This is a rare crown-type!

Among many flame pots, this is the only crown-type monument. Two other flame types stand near the parking lot of the Niigata Prefectural Museum of History.

The Niigata Prefectural Museum of History
(Sekihara-machi, Nagaoka City)

A monument that indicates the southern
end of the upstream area of the Shinano River!

Modeled after a flame pot (a prefecture-designated cultural property) excavated from Okinohara Site. This is in the parking lot of the Tsunan Souvenir Store.

Tsunan Souvenir Store
(O-aza Ashigasaki, Tsunan Town)

A welcome pot at the entrance
of Tsunan Town!

Modeled after a flame pot, an important cultural property, excavated from Dodaira Site. The monument stands by the route 117 at the boundary of Tokamachi City and Tsunan Town facing the Kiyotsu river with a signboard of Japan Heritage.

Pocket Park along National Route 117
(O-aza Shimo-funato, Tsunan Town)

Soaring flame pots!

Echigo’s well-known hexagonal kites bear the archaeological illustrations of flame pots excavated from Nagano Site (Sanjo City), Sasayama Site (Tokamachi City), Dodaira Site (Tsunan Town) and Umataka Site (Nagaoka City) with a phrase: Adopt the flame pot design for the cauldron the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Sanjo city Museum of Shitada district (Iida, Sanjo City)

Tokamachi City Museum (Nishi-honcho, Tokamachi City）

Tsunan Agriculture and Jomon Experience Museum “Najomon”
(O-aza Shimo-funato Otsu, Tsunan Town)

Umataka Jomon Museum (Sekihara-machi, Nagaoka City)