Placenta Treatment and Burial Practices in Japan and eastern Asia: A Synthesis of Archaeology, Ethnology, and History

TSUTAYA Takumi

The placenta is an expelled organ from the mother after childbirth and has been regarded as an extension of the newborn with special significance across various cultures. While anecdotal records of practices involving the treatment, burial, or disposal of placentas with specific methods and procedures exist worldwide, systematic research on this topic have been scarce. In Japan, placenta treatment and burial were practiced among nobles and commoners until several decades ago, but such practices have now largely disappeared. However, integrating archaeological, ethnological, and historical evidence reveals that such placenta treatment and burial practices persisted for more than 1000 years. This paper reviews the history of placenta treatment and burial practices in Japan, which was revealed by the multidisciplinary integration of knowledge and approaches. Then, this paper examines the placenta treatment and burial practices from a comparative perspective in the broader eastern Asian context.