The is a Kofun period burial mound, located in the Kokubunji-cho neighborhood of the city of Shimotsuke, Tochigi in the Kantō region of Japan. The tumulus was designated a Tochigi Prefecture Historic Site in 1978. It is also referred to as the Kokubunji Atagozuka Kofun or the Atago Jinja Kofun after its location or the Atago shrine located at the constricted part of the tumulus.
Overview The Atagozuka Kofun was constructed on a plateau between the Sugata River and the Omoi River in the western part of Shimotsuke City, in southern Tochigi Prefecture. Nearby, are the Sannozuka Kofun and Maruzuka Kofun, forming the Kokubun Kofun cluster; however, the plateau area is also known for the distribution of large burial mounds, including the Marishitenzuka Kofun, Biwazuka Kofun, and Azuma Kofun. The tumulus is a , which is shaped like a keyhole, having one square end and one circular end, when viewed from above. It has a length of 78.5 meters and height of five meters and is orientated to the southwest. The tumulus is constructed in two stages, with the first stage being a flat, platform-like structure, exhibiting the characteristics of the "Shimotsuke-type tumulus" unique to the Shimotsuke region. No haniwa clay figures have been found on the surface of the tumulus, and it is presumed that none existed. A well-preserved moat and earthen embankment (circular levee) surround the mound in an eyebrow shape, and the total length of the tumulus, including the moat, is 101 meters.
A Sue ware pottery stand and pot were unearthed during the reconstruction of the shrine in 1928. Surveys were conducted in 2012, but proper archaeological excavations has been conducted. The burial facility is presumed to be a horizontal-entry stone burial chamber in the posterior circular portion, but has not been found. The construction period is estimated to be the late 6th century, during the late Kofun period.
+Shimotsuke Tumulus Group (Iizuka/Kokubunji Area)NameTypeDateHS statusMarishitenzuka Kofunzenpō-kōen-funMound length 120mLate 5th centuryNHSBiwazuka Kofunzenpō-kōen-funMound length 123mEarly 6th centuryNHSAzuma Kofunzenpō-kōen-funMound length 128mLate 6th centuryNHSKozuka KofunScallopMound length 80mLate 6th centuryNoneAtagozuka Kofunzenpō-kōen-funMound length 78.5mLate 6th centuryPHS Sannozuka Kofun zenpō-kōen-fun Mound length 89m Late 6th century - Early 7th century None Maruzuka Kofun Circular Diameter 65m Early 7th century PHS
The tumulus is approximately 4.5 kilometers from Koganei Station on the JR East Utsunomiya Line.
See also List of Historic Sites of Japan (Tochigi)
References
External links
Shimotsuke City home page