Prehistoric Pacific Voyages: Experiment with Primitive Canoe

Scientists replicated the voyages of prehistoric humans in the Pacific, crossing the East China Sea in a primitive canoe. The journey started from Usybi in Taiwan and ended on Yonaguni Island, Japan.

Researchers constructed a 7.5-meter canoe from a Japanese cedar log, using tools similar to those of the Paleolithic era. The crew, consisting of five people, paddled for 45 hours, facing the strong Kuroshio Current.

Anthropologist Yusuke Kaifu stated that the experiment showed that Paleolithic humans could navigate the sea by canoe, despite the difficulties and dangers.

Archaeological evidence suggests that people traveled from Taiwan to the Ryukyu Islands 30,000 years ago.