The Jomon Period was the first historical period in Japan, spanning from around 14,500 BCE to 300 BCE. This period is defined by the distinctive pottery produced, known as Jomon pottery, which has simple rope-like decorations. During this time, people migrated from Asia to Japan and populated the main islands, living as hunter-gatherers who began practicing limited agriculture around 5000 BCE. Settlements held populations between 100,000 to 150,000, with evidence of early rice cultivation beginning around 1250 BCE. Common burials during this period involved single or multiple individuals placed in pits, sometimes lined with stones.