Archaeological evidence shows that 30,000 years ago, Palaeolithic people travelled from the island now known as Taiwan to the southern islands of Japan. This voyage would have included crossing the Kuroshio, one of the world’s strongest ocean currents.
Yousuke Kaifu at The University Museum of the University of Tokyo wanted to put this journey to the test, so his team built a dugout canoe using tools available to people at the time and set out from Taiwan. The journey spanned 225 kilometres and took the crew 45 hours before they reached Yonaguni Island. This trip came after previous failed attempts that used rafts made of reeds and bamboo.
The success of the voyage gives some insight into how Palaeolithic people might have made the treacherous crossing.
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