The is a group of kofun—megalithic tombs—in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Originally consisting of more than 100 tombs, fewer than 50% of the key-hole, round, and rectangular tombs remain.

The , the largest kofun in Japan, is believed to have been constructed over a period of 20 years in the mid 5th century during the Kofun Period. While it cannot be accurately confirmed, it is commonly accepted that the tomb was built for the late Emperor Nintoku. The Imperial Household Agency of Japan treats it as such.

Location

The Mozu Kofun Group is located in the city of Sakai which is within Osaka Prefecture. The tumuli are built on a plateau overlooking Osaka Bay near the ancient coastline and are distributed in a range of about four kilometers from east-to-west and north-to-south. The Furuichi Kofun Cluster is located in nearby Habikino and Fujiidera cities.

History In the Japanese archipelago, more than 20,000 tumuli (kofun), which are mounds of earth and stones erected over graves of the ruling class, were built between the later part of the 3rd century and the 6th century. It was the peak period of building such mounds. They represent a cultural tradition which is an expression of "forms, and design of the kofun" of the sociopolitical hierarchical order and the link that was prevalent during that period between regions. This period is termed as the Kofun Period. The most prominent imperial mausolea in this cluster of tumuli are those of Emperor Nintoku and Emperor Richū.

There are 44 burial mounds in the Mozu Group, including those that are partially destroyed. Of these, 19 have been designated as national historic sites, and separately, the Imperial Household Agency has ruled three to be Imperial mausoleums, two to be "Tomb Reference Sites", and 18 to be "baichō", or ancillary mausoleums connected with an Imperial mausoleum.Of the burial mounds, the Itasuke burial mound was designated as a national historic site in 1956, and 19 units have been designated by 2019, including those that were additionally designated after that (Notice of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology on October 15, 2018). No. 193, February 26, 2019, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Notification No. 25). There used to be more than 100 burial mounds, but due to the rapid development of residential land after World War II, more than half of the burial mounds were destroyed.古墳データベース – 堺市ウェブサイト

In 2010, the Japanese government proposed that the Daisen Kofun and the entire cluster of Mozu Kofun Group and Furuichi Kofun Group be designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 9 years later on 6 July 2019, the site was approved and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under Criteria: (iii) and (iv) as the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group: Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan.

Features The kofun are found in many shapes and dimensions in varying patterns. Some are of simple circular or square shape (empun and hōfun). The larger ones are keyhole-shaped (zempō kōenfun); they represent the highest class of kofun and were built in great detail. The three prominent aspects of these kofun are their massive size and being surrounded by several moats and many secondary kofun.

In the Osaka Plain and Nara Basin, which were the cultural centre of the Kofun Period, the rounded keyhole-shaped tombs were built extending to very large lengths, out of which the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group is the most prominent. These are in two kofun groups which are dated to the later part of 4th and early part of 6th centuries. These kofun are of the largest dimensions in the country. The Nintoku-tennō-ryō Kofun, is one grave mound which is a long tumulus enclosed by a moat and a fortification which is in length; this is said to be the largest such mound in the world. This cluster also has the Richū-tennō-ryō Kofun, made of a tumulus of length and said to be the third largest in the country.

Another group of mounds, located about away from the Mozu Kofun Group is known as the Furuichi Kofun Group. It has the Ōjin-tennō-ryō Kofun of length which is said to be the second largest in the country. This group also has 11 more huge massive rounded "keyhole-shaped kofun" with mound length of or more.

A feature of these funerary mounds is that they contain – along with the buried people – grave goods made of iron, weapons worn by individuals including arrowheads, swords, hoe and spade tips, and many other similar items. Also found in the mounds are antiquities made of gilded bronze such as horse tacks and sash buckles.

The Daisen Kofun mound is approximately long and across at its widest point, while the entire tomb area is long. Enclosed by three moats, the mound rises approximately 35m above the surrounding terrain. The highest point is , making it visible to the seafarers in nearby Osaka Bay. The inner moat is the widest of the moats at approximately . The mound is approximately in area, and the entire tomb is .

Today, the tomb is off-limits and protected by the Imperial Household Agency in the centre of Sakai City. The moats have been maintained and provide a sanctuary for fish and waterbirds. The mound itself is completely overgrown by vegetation. A viewing platform from the second (middle) moat is accessible at the south side of the site. The viewing platform is 500m away from Mozu Station on the Hanwa Line and is directly across the street from the Sakai City Museum. This museum provides visitors with information about the kofun and its history.

Gallery

+List of major kofunMozu / Furuichi Kofungun List (Mozu)（Mozu-Furuichi Kofungun World Cultural Heritage Registration Promotion Headquarters Meeting）NameNameLocationTypeLengthNational Historic SiteImperial Household AgencyWorld Heritage Site & CommentsDaisenryō Kofun大仙陵古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaikeyhole525 m Emperor NintokuWHSKamiishizumisanzai Kofun上石津ミサンザイ古墳Nishi-ku, Sakaikeyhole365 m Emperor RichūWHSHazenisanzai Kofun土師ニサンザイ古墳Nishi-ku, Sakaikeyhole290 mNHSEast Mozu Reference SiteWHSKobyōyama Kofun御廟山古墳Kita-ku, Sakaikeyhole203 mNHS Mozu Reference SiteWHSChin'ooka Kofun乳岡古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaikeyhole155 mNHS Tadeiyama Kofun田出井山古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaikeyhole148 m Emperor HanzeiWHSItasuke Kofunいたすけ古墳Kita-ku, Sakaikeyhole146 mNHS WHSNagatsuka Kofun長塚古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaikeyhole106 mNHS WHSNagayama Kofun永山古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaikeyhole100 mSakai city HSEmperor Nintoku baichōWHSMaruhoyama Kofun丸保山古墳Sakai-ku, SakaiScallop87 mNHSEmperor Nintoku baichōWHSGobyō-Omotezuka Kofun御廟表塚古墳Kita-ku, Sakaikeyhole85 mNHS Zenizuka Kofun銭塚古墳Sakai-ku, SakaiScallop72 mNHS WHSJōnoyama Kofun定の山古墳Kita-ku, SakaiScallop69 m Daianjiyama Kofun大安寺山古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaicircular62 m Emperor Nintoku baichōWHSTatsusayama Kofun竜佐山古墳Sakai-ku, SakaiScallop61 mSakai city HS）Emperor Nintoku baichōWHSGuwashobō Kofunグワショウ坊古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaicircular61 mNHS Monjuzuka Kofun文珠塚古墳Nishi-ku, Sakaikeyhole59 mNHS Osamezuka Kofun収塚古墳Sakai-ku, SakaiScallop58 mNHS WHSHatazuka Kofun旗塚古墳Kita-ku, SakaiScallop58 mNHS WHSChayama Kofun茶山古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaicircular56 m Emperor Nintoku baichōWHSMagodaiyūyama Kofun 孫太夫山古墳Sakai-ku, SakaiScallop56 m Emperor Nintoku baichōWHSKabutozuka Kofunかぶと塚古墳Nishi-ku, SakaiScallop50 m Hinotani Kofun樋の谷古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaicircular47 m Emperor Nintoku baichōTerayama Minamiyama Kofun寺山南山古墳Nishi0ku, Sakaisquare45 mNHS WHSGenemonyama Kofun源右衛門山古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaicircular34 m Emperor Nintoku baichōWHSChinjuyama Kofun鎮守山塚古墳Kita-ku, Sakaicircular34 m Komoyamazuka Kofun菰山塚古墳Sakai-ku, SakaiScallop33 m Emperor Nintoku baichōWHSShichikannon Kofun七観音古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaicircular33 mNHS WHSTsukamawari Kofun塚廻古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaicircular32 mNHS WHSKitsuneyama Kofun狐山古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaicircular30 m Emperor Nintoku baichōZan'emonyama Kofun善右ヱ門山古墳Kita-ku, Sakaisquare28 mNHS WHSKagamizuka Kofun鏡塚古墳Kita-ku, Sakaicircular26 mNHS Dōgameyama Kofun銅亀山古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaisquare26 m Emperor Nintoku baichōWHSDonchayama Kofunドンチャ山古墳Kita-ku, Sakaicircular26 mNHS Mozuyama Kofun万代山古墳Kita-ku, Sakaikeyhole25 m+ Nishisakenomi Kofun西酒呑古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaicircular25 m Emperor Richū baichōHinokizuka Kofun桧塚古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaikeyhole25 m Emperor Richū baichōSuzuyama Kofun鈴山古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaisquare22 m Emperor Hanzei baichōHigashisakenomi Kofun東酒呑古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaicircular21 m Emperor Richū baichōKyōdō Kofun経堂古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaicircular20 m Emperor Richū baichōShorakujiyama Kofun正楽寺山古墳Kita-ku, Sakaicircular 16 mNHS Tennō Kofun天王古墳Sakai-ku, Sakaisquare11 m Emperor Hanzei baichōHōzuyama Kofun坊主山古墳Kita-ku, Sakaicircular10 m Emperor Nintoku baichōHigashi Ueno Shibamachi No. 1 Kofun東上野芝町1号墳Sakai-ku, Sakaicircular

See also Buried Cultural Properties List of Historic Sites of Japan (Osaka) List of National Treasures of Japan (archaeological materials) World Heritage Sites in Japan Japanese imperial tombs

References

Bibliography

External links

Entry on UNESCO World Heritage tentative list Mozu Kofun database Decorated Kofun Database