Sachihiro Omura, a prominent figure in archaeological collaboration between Japan and Türkiye, passed away in Kırşehir. He had dedicated much of his life to uncovering Anatolia’s ancient history. He had been hospitalized at Kaman State Hospital due to health issues.
Omura, who had been living in Türkiye since 1972, led the excavations at Kaman Kalehöyük from 1985 onwards. Sources differ slightly on his year of birth, citing either 1948 or 1949.
First arriving in Türkiye as a student in 1972, Omura committed his life to exploring the region’s rich archaeological heritage. He was particularly interested in the Hittite civilization and contributed significantly to uncovering the remnants of seven different cultures in the Kırşehir region.
In a past interview, Omura recounted the unusual circumstances that brought him to Türkiye. At age 19, he read in Japan's Asahi newspaper that a Turkish official would be visiting. Curious, he went to the Turkish Embassy in Japan but was turned away. As he left, someone chased him down and suggested he visit the official’s hotel. Again rejected at the door, he was encouraged by a staff member to leave his number – just in case.
To his surprise, he received a call the next day – from none other than Turgut Özal, a future prime minister of Türkiye. Özal invited him to the airport, but Omura – unfamiliar with international travel – missed the flight. Still, Özal didn’t give up, and contact was maintained. Eventually, Omura made it to Türkiye.
Between 1973 and 1976, Omura worked on excavations in Elazığ. In 1985, he began his long-term work in Kaman, Kırşehir, where he helped unearth remains dating back 5,500 years. His leadership marked the beginning of systematic research at Kalehöyük, where earlier brief efforts had been made by Italian and American teams.
Omura highlighted the global importance of the archaeological site, stating that the remnants of civilizations found there – such as the Hittites, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans – are not just part of Turkish history but of world history, as these cultures had a profound impact on the course of global civilization. Excavating here is essentially decoding world history.” He believed Anatolia's richness in layered cultures far surpassed that of other ancient civilizations, such as those of Egypt or Italy.
In 1998, Omura founded the Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology (JIAA) in the village of Çağırkan, Kırşehir. Under his leadership, it became a hub for archaeological studies in the region. The Kaman Kalehöyük Archaeological Museum and the accompanying Japanese Garden later became symbols of deepening cultural ties between the two nations.
In recognition of his contributions to archaeology and cultural relations, Omura was awarded Türkiye's State Medal of Distinguished Service in 2008, as well as Japan’s prestigious Order of the Rising Sun.
Omura lived in the institute's residence with his wife, Dr. Masako Omura, who also serves as the head of the Yassıhöyük excavations. In 2015, he shared that he spent 11 months each year in Kırşehir and just one month in Japan.
Earlier this year, his 77th birthday was commemorated with the publication of a book titled "It All Began with Stratigraphy and Chronology," which detailed his scholarly contributions and his impact on Central Anatolian archaeology.
