When you travel to Osaka, your eyes might catch a strange, bewitching sight: mounds of earth surrounded by a moat. These are kofun - massive tombs that serve as a statement to Japan’s growing wealth in the 4th to 5th century. While they used to be free of any flora and vegetation, these days, most are covered with trees. Though not all are open to the public, there are many ways you can appreciate the kofun as you learn more about the rich history surrounding them.
Before the Kofun period (named so because of the style of burial mounds), earlier tombs simply featured a coffin inside a mound or stone chamber. In the 3rd to 6th century, however, Sakai was a bustling trade city, together with neighboring countries, China and Korea. The royal burial mounds in those countries likely served as inspiration for the tombs in Osaka.
Because flat land was so precious at that time (and even today), allocating vast areas of land to these gigantic tombs was a symbol of wealth only the rich and influential could afford. It was during that time that burial mounds were built on flat land with a surrounding moat. Most powerful people also had thousands of jewelry, weapons, and other pieces buried with them in separate mounds.
One of the most popular kofun in Japan is the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group, with its 49 mounds belonging to the king’s clan and other royalty and elites. Mozu, the first cluster, is in Sakai, while Furuichi is near Habikino and Fujiidera. These burial mounds have been recognized and registered as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The largest kofun is the Nintoku-tenno-ryo Kofun, also known as the Daisen Kofun -the tomb of Emperor Nintoku. It is one of the biggest burial mounds in the world. With the triple moat surrounding it, the kofun measures about 800 meters long and 600 meters wide.
Another popular kofun is the Ojin-tenno-ryo Kofun. It also features a keyhole-shaped mound surrounded by a double moat and several smaller tombs. The Tsudo-shiroyama Kofun is the oldest keyhole-shaped mound in Furuichi, surrounded by a bank and one moat, though studies show it probably had another one.
A bird’s-eye view shows the unique shape of each kofun, which could be any of the following: a keyhole (unique to Japan), a scallop shell, a circle, or a square.
These phenomenal architectural pieces were carefully designed according to a highly sophisticated funerary system that embodied the socio-political structure of the Kofun period. They present a hierarchy in descending order, with the keyhole being the largest and the most majestic—the burial site of emperors. The surrounding, smaller tombs hold the bodies of the other royalty.
Around the kofun are significant decorations of paving stones and clay figures called haniwa. Unearthing these ancient artifacts helped to identify the period and status of each kofun, as there are not that many significant records about the period. Other discovered artifacts include armor, jewelry, art, and even miniature houses.
The number of haniwa, trinkets, weapons, and other items buried varied depending on the person’s status. Nintoku-tenno-ryo Kofun alone reportedly had almost 30,000 haniwa. Building this tribute to the fallen emperor took more than 15 years, with over 2,000 workers toiling every single day.
If you want to go for a walk, you can try circling the Nintoku-tenno-ryo kofun, which is almost a three-kilometer trek. It’s the perfect way to exercise while you listen to the sounds of the local fauna and take in the beauty of these ancient wonders. You might not be able to enter the mound, but you can admire it from a distance.
No matter the season, the views are worth seeing. The Ojin-tenno-ryo kofun (the largest kofun in the Furuichi cluster), in particular, has beautiful flowers in the spring and autumn, which makes a walk around pleasant and relaxing. You can also climb to the top of the Tsudo-shiroyama kofun and spend some moments relaxing and exploring the area. This kofun sits on the northernmost part of the Furuichi group.
For those who want to visit the prayer and observation area of Emperor Nintoku’s tomb, you can take advantage of the volunteer tour guides.
Another way to see the kofun is through the 21st-floor observatory in Sakai City Hall, which shows how big the kofun is, compared to the buildings around it. Up on the observation deck, you have a 360-degree panoramic view of the city. See the Daisen Kofun and its surrounding tombs from a height of 80 meters. On a clear day, catch a glimpse of Mt. Ikoma, Mt. Kongo, and Mt. Rokko.
If you want a bird’s-eye view of the kofun, as well as a closer look at what it is inside, head over to Sakai City Museum, located in Daisen Park, directly across from the Nintoku-tenno-ryo Kofun. While there is a lot of information showcasing the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group, one of the best attractions is the virtual tour.
Take the Emperor Nintoku Tumulus virtual tour, which lets you step back in time and into the tomb. You’ll have a 360-degree view of the inside of the tomb, as well as a bird’s-eye view that will take you 300 meters above it. See what it must be like inside the burial mound of Nintoku-tenno-ryo Kofun, which is currently inaccessible to the public. The virtual reality tour will also show you the other kofun near Daisen, as well as those in Furuichi.
Sakai City Museum also holds other exhibits showcasing the history and culture of Sakai. You can see various artifacts, including haniwa, extracted from the different archaeological sites around the city. There are also matchlock guns made in Sakai and colorful paintings of festivals and rituals in the surrounding shrines.
From Kansai International Airport, take the JR Hanwa Line to Mozu Station to access the burial mounds in Sakai. To reach the Furuichi burial mounds from Kansai International Airport, take the JR West to Tennōji Station, then walk to Ōsaka-Abenobashi Station and take Kintetsu-Minamiosaka Line until Furuichi Station. The mounds are a few minutes' walk from there.
The Chikatsu-Asuka Historical Museum sits in the Chikatsu Asuka Fudoki-No-Oka Historical Park. The museum's sole purpose is to research and present facts on the kofun. A visit will show some archeological sites and over 200 kofun from the 4th to 7th century. There are viewing platforms where you can look at the tombs in their natural surroundings, as well as several section exhibits featuring jewelry, swords, knives, and other artifacts recovered from the burial mounds.
A section recreates the pit style of the burial chamber and explains the kofun building process. You’ll see a glimpse of the tomb’s interiors. There is even a model of the Nintoku-tenno-ryo Kofun that shows how it looked when it was first created.
From Kansai International Airport, take the JR Kansai Airport Rapid Service and get off at Tennōji Station. Transfer to Kintetsu-Minami-Osaka Lin and get off at Kishi Station. From there, take the local buses or grab a taxi to enter the park.
The Osaka Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group is a hidden gem among the other tourist attractions in Osaka. With their rich and fascinating history, don't miss a chance to see these burial mounds, whether you opt to view them up close, sky-high, or through a virtual tour. If you want to learn more about the Kofun period and see how they were built, remember to stop by the Sakai City Museum and Chikatsu-Asuka Historical Museum. With their exhibits of arts, haniwa, and other artifacts, they are worth visiting.
Take a trip to Osaka and see the kofun.
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