Roughly 10,000 years ago, people of the Jomon Period began activity in the Minato City area. In the early period, settlements increased and shell mounds began to form. This situation continued until the latter half of the later period, yet nearing the end of the Jomon Period, people’s activity began to wane. People of the Jomon Period built dwellings on elevated ground or slopes facing rivers or valleys, and lived a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, although in consideration of the landform, it is unlikely that any large-scale settlement formed within the city area.