2021-07-04

Kofun Tombs: Keyhole-shaped Mounds

In Japan, very special types of tombs adorn the landscape between Osaka and Nara, both for their authenticity and antiquity, making them unique in the world. These are the Kofun tombs shaped like a keyhole, and their names refer to the period of their creation.

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Daisenryo Kofun, which is 2.8 km in circumference and the largest kofun in Japan, is thought to be the tomb of Emperor Nintoku.

Kofun Japan


Hundreds of years ago, the Japanese built these gigantic tombs. Maybe they wanted to please the gods and the spirits of their ancestors? Probably, but today they amaze their descendants, because any Japanese person can't help but be surprised when they see aerial photographs of the kofun, the keyhole-shaped tombs.

In ancient Japan, these large mound-shaped kofun tombs were built. Such burials were not for normal citizens; they were intended only for the ruling elite. For example, in the northern part of Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, there are more than 50 such tombs, larger or smaller.

Japan's keyhole-shaped Burial Mounds


The two largest tombs, the ones in the photograph, are around 1600 years old and were built with the typical keyhole. The wonderful thing is that so many centuries have been preserved and that today they are in the middle of a modern city. The set of tombs must measure about 4 kilometres in all directions, and in total, it has 46 tombs that were built approximately between the 4th and 6th centuries.

First Image / Source

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Tomb of Emperor Nintoku
Image / Source

Nintoku Tomb


The Osaka Plain, Nara Basin, and the Cultural Center of the Kofun Period were home to the round keyhole-shaped tombs. They were very long, reaching up to the Mozu-Furuichi Kofunguns. These tombs appear in two kofun groups that date to the latter part of the 4th century and the beginning of the 6th century. These kofuns have the largest dimensions in the country. One grave mound, the Nintoku-tenno Ryo Kofun, is a 486-metre-long tumulus, and a moat encloses it. It is 840 metres long. It is twice the size of the Pyramid of Giza! Although it is only a quarter of its height, it is believed to be the largest of its kind in the world. Richu-tenno ryo Kofun is also found in this cluster. It's a tumulus measuring 360m in length, and it is the third-largest in the country.

The Furuichi cluster, a group of mounds located 10 km from the Mozu cluster, is another group. The Ojin-tenno ryo Kofun, which is 425 metres long, is said to be the second largest in the country. The group also includes 11 additional massive, rounded, "keyhole-shaped Kofun", with mound lengths of 200 metres.

Daisen Kofun


These funerary mounds have a unique feature: they include iron items, which are weapons worn by individuals, such as arrowheads, and these mounds also contain antiquities made from gilded bronze, such as horse tacks or sash buckles. The Daisen Kofun mound measures approximately 500m in length and 300m wide at its widest point. The entire tomb area measures 840m. The mound is enclosed by three moats and rises about 35m above the terrain. At 60 metres, the inner moat is the largest of the three. The entire tomb area covers 460,000 square metres.

The Imperial Household Agency, Sakai City's central protection agency, has declared the tomb off-limits. The moats are a refuge for waterbirds and fish. The mound is overgrown with vegetation. On the south side of this site, a viewing platform overlooks the second (middle) moat. The Sakai City Museum is directly across the street from this viewing platform. It is located 500m from Mozu Station on the Hanwa Line. The museum offers information on the kofun as well as its history. One of the best places to admire this and other tombs is in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture. There are some 50 tombs called Mozu Kofungun, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010.

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Kofun Tombs
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Largest tomb in the world
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Japan's keyhole Tomb
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Hashihaka Kofun, located in Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture, is about 280 metres long and is said to be the grave of Himiko, the Queen of Yamatai, from the 3rd century. 
Image / Source

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Japanese Mausoleum
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Historical Tombs
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Biggest Mausoleum
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Mozu tombs Google Map

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Japanese Imperial Tombs
Image / Source
Source → Wikipedia / Itsumojapones / Jref.com
- July 04, 2021
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Location: 7-1079-1 Daisenchō, Sakai Ward, Sakai, Osaka 590-0035, Japan

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