Remains of whales, centered on small-sized odontoceti, were unearthed from shell mounds originated in the Paleolithic period, including the Jomon period and from remains originated in the Yayoi period.
小型のハクジラ類を中心に、縄文時代以前を含む旧石器時代の貝塚や、弥生時代の遺跡など古くから出土例がある。