UNESCO · Cultural · 2019

Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group: Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan

百舌鳥・古市古墳群―古代日本の墳墓群―もず・ふるいちこふんぐん―こだいにほんのふんぼぐん―Mozu, Furuichi Kofun-gun – Kodai Nihon no Funbo-gun

The keyhole-shaped tombs of Japan's early kings

The Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group comprises 49 mounded tombs of the late 4th to late 5th century in two clusters on the Osaka plain, in the cities of Sakai, Habikino and Fujiidera. Ranging from small round mounds to keyhole-shaped tombs nearly 500 m long, they were built for the ruling elite of the Kofun period and were inscribed in 2019.

Inscribed 2019Criteria: iii, ivOsaka

Overview

Between the 3rd and 7th centuries, the rulers of the Japanese archipelago were buried in kofun, earthen mounds surrounded by moats, faced with stones and lined with clay figures called haniwa. The period takes its name from them. The largest and most distinctive were keyhole-shaped, combining a circular burial mound with a rectangular front platform, a form found only in Japan.

The World Heritage property brings together 49 kofun from the peak of this tradition, the late 4th to late 5th century, in two groups about 10 km apart: the Mozu group in Sakai, near the ancient shore of Osaka Bay, and the Furuichi group in Habikino and Fujiidera, on the route inland towards the Nara basin. Their position overlooking the sea and the approach to the political centre was meant to display power to those arriving by ship from the continent.

The tombs vary in shape and size — keyhole, scallop-shaped, round and square — reflecting a hierarchy of rank. At the top stand the Daisen Kofun in Sakai, whose mound is about 486 m long and which is counted among the largest burial monuments in the world by area, and the Kondagobyoyama Kofun in Habikino, the largest by volume. Many of the tombs, including these two, are managed by the Imperial Household Agency as mausolea of emperors and imperial family members.

Why it is World Heritage

UNESCO recognised two criteria. The group bears exceptional testimony to the culture of the Kofun period, a time when the archipelago's political order and social hierarchy took shape and the tombs served as a visible expression of power and status (criterion iii).

The tombs are an outstanding example of a type of burial monument unique to Japan, whose standardised shapes and graded sizes reflect the socio-political structure of the time; their earthworks, stone facings and haniwa demonstrate advanced engineering and craft (criterion iv).

The attribution of the largest tombs to particular emperors, such as Nintoku and Ojin, follows tradition recorded by the Imperial Household Agency; historians and archaeologists debate these identifications. The component names in the listing follow the traditional designations, while archaeologists often prefer neutral site names such as Daisen Kofun.

Component sites

Daisen Kofun (Nintoku-tenno-ryo Kofun)
仁徳天皇陵古墳（大仙古墳）Nintoku-tennō-ryō Kofun (Daisen Kofun)
Keyhole-shaped tomb in Sakai, about 486 m long and surrounded by three moats; traditionally the tomb of Emperor Nintoku. It is an imperial mausoleum and cannot be entered.
Kondagobyoyama Kofun (Ojin-tenno-ryo Kofun)
応神天皇陵古墳（誉田御廟山古墳）Ōjin-tennō-ryō Kofun (Konda Gobyōyama Kofun)
The centre of the Furuichi group in Habikino, about 425 m long and the largest kofun by volume of earth; traditionally attributed to Emperor Ojin.
Kamiishizu Misanzai Kofun
履中天皇陵古墳（上石津ミサンザイ古墳）Richū-tennō-ryō Kofun (Kamiishizu Misanzai Kofun)
The third-largest keyhole tomb in Japan, near the old coast in Sakai, traditionally the tomb of Emperor Richu.
Keyhole-shaped mound
前方後円墳Zenpō-kōen-fun
The characteristic form combining a circular rear mound with a square front, built in terraces faced with stones and ringed with haniwa; the burial lay in the circular part.
Haniwa
埴輪Haniwa
Unglazed clay cylinders and figures — houses, warriors, animals, boats — set in rows on the terraces of the mounds to mark the sacred boundary of the tomb.
Smaller satellite tombs
陪塚Baichō
Round and square mounds grouped around the great tombs, thought to hold relatives, retainers or grave goods; several are open to the public and have been excavated and restored.

History

Late 4th c.
Construction of the first large tombs of the Furuichi and Mozu groups begins.
5th c.
Peak of construction; the Kondagobyoyama and Daisen kofun are built.
6th c.
Construction of giant keyhole tombs on the Osaka plain ends.
1870s
The Meiji government designates tombs as imperial mausolea under the Imperial Household Ministry.
1950s
Development after the war destroys many smaller kofun; local campaigns to save the Itasuke Kofun help launch the heritage-protection movement.
2019
Inscription on the World Heritage List, the first in Osaka Prefecture.

Visiting

The Daisen Kofun is near Mozu Station on the JR Hanwa Line; a path of about 3 km follows its outer moat, but the mound itself can only be seen as a wooded hill from ground level.
The scale of the tombs is best appreciated from above: the observation lobby on the top floor of Sakai City Hall looks over the Mozu group.
The Furuichi group is reached from Furuichi or Domyoji stations on the Kintetsu Minami-Osaka Line; the Sakai City Museum and local guidance centres explain the finds.
Imperial mausolea can be approached only at their worship places in front of the tomb; entry into the mounds is not permitted.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Daisen Kofun really the tomb of Emperor Nintoku?

It is designated as such by the Imperial Household Agency, following tradition. Many archaeologists consider the identification uncertain, since the tomb has not been excavated and the dating of the emperors is debated.

Can you go inside the kofun?

No for the imperial mausolea, which are closed to everyone including researchers except under special arrangements. Some smaller kofun managed by the cities can be walked on.

How big is the Daisen Kofun?

The mound is about 486 m long and some 35 m high, surrounded by three moats; including its moats the tomb covers an area larger than the Great Pyramid of Giza.

What does kofun mean?

Kofun means 'old mound' and refers to the earthen burial mounds built for the elite between the 3rd and 7th centuries, which gave the Kofun period its name.

Sources

1.Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group: Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan (opens in a new tab) — UNESCO World Heritage Centre
2.日本の世界遺産一覧 (opens in a new tab) — 文化庁
3.百舌鳥・古市古墳群 (opens in a new tab) — 百舌鳥・古市古墳群世界文化遺産保存活用会議
4.堺市 (opens in a new tab) — 堺市