The Yayoi period in Japan lasted from about 300 BCE to 300 CE. It is named after the Yayoi culture first identified in Tokyo. This period marked major changes in daily life.

People began farming rice in wet fields and living in settled villages. Metal tools made from bronze and iron were introduced. Pottery from this period has a smooth surface and simple shapes compared to earlier styles.

Archaeological sites across Japan show houses, tools, and farming systems. The Yayoi period shows the shift from hunting and gathering to farming communities.