RESEARCH
Tracing the roots of the Japanese through land, myth and genes.
Timeline
- 2019
Fieldwork begins
With the archipelago itself as the field, research into the roots of the Japanese people begins.
- 2026
Two ROOTS books published
A book gathering the fieldwork since 2019 appears alongside a digital photo book.
- 2026.08
Toward research grounded in genetics
A new approach takes his own genetic data as the starting point for a deeper study of roots.
Themes
Plural Origins
The Jomon, Yayoi and Kofun periods laid down three layers at the base of Japanese ancestry. We study each of them.
Ancient Peoples of the Sea
We trace the movements of the seafaring peoples of antiquity, who disappeared beyond the waves.
The Individual and the People
Family lines and genes let us place each person's roots within the history of a people.
Joining the Fields
Laying myth, history, folklore, archaeology and belief over one another shows how many roots Japan grew from.