The is a group of middle Kofun period burial tumuli located in the Rokusei neighborhood of the town of Nakanoto, Ishikawa in the Hokuriku region of Japan. The site was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1982.

Overview

The Amenomiya Kofun Group consists of 36 ancient tombs dating from the middle of the 4th century to the beginning of the 5th century centered on Mount Bijo-san, a 188-meter hill in Nakanoto.

Tomb No.1, located on the highest elevation is the largest "two conjoined rectangles" type () tumulus in Ishikawa Prefecture, with an overall length of 64 meters. The posterior is 43.6 meters long by 8.5 meters high and the anterior is 31 meters long. It was made by partially cutting away a natural hill, and by using two different types of soil in alternate layers for strength and stability. It is a two-stage tumulus and was covered with fukiishi. These fukiishi are in three sizes, with larger stones 40 to 60 centimeters used in the bottom tier, smaller stones 2 to 30 centimeters in the upper tier, and smallest stones (10 centimeters) as filler in-between the larger stones. The stones are in a variety of materials, some of which can only be found at considerable distances from the site. Two burial facilities were confirmed on the flat surface at the posterior top. The first is located approximately in the center, and the second burial facility is located to the west of it. The burial chamber contained a split bamboo-shaped wooden coffin that was 6.2 meters long and 80 centimeters wide with a rope hook on both the lid and the body. There is evidence that it was robbed in antiquity; however, some remaining grave goods included a bronze mirror, 165 metal artifacts, 34 jade beads, and fragments of lacquerware and pottery. These artifacts were collectively designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 2008. The second burial chamber is made of andesite stone slabs, but has not been opened. A portion of the tumulus was damaged by the 2007 Noto earthquake.

Tomb No.2 is a round keyhole-shaped tumulus, , having one square end and one circular end, located to the northeast of Tomb No.1. It has an overall length of 65 meters, with a circular portion 42 meters in diameter, and the width of the rectangular port of 28 meters, narrowing in 25.5 meter where the two portions join. It also has two tier construction and uses fukiishi. There is no evidence of tampering, and it is possible that the burial chamber is intact; it has not been excavated. The other tumuli in the cluster are mostly smaller ().

Per the Ishikawa Archaeological Society, the tumuli are as follows:

Designation Type Diameter Height (m) Comments 1号墳 co-joined rectangle See text above 2号墳 keyhole-shaped See text above 3号墳 Circular 30 4.5 known as "Atagozuka" 4号墳 Circular 20 2.5 evidence of grave robbery 5号墳 Circular 13 2 6号墳 Circular 12.5 1.5～2 7号墳 Circular 8 2 8号墳 Circular 12 1.5 9号墳 Circular 10 1.5 irregular shape; may be a natural hill 10号墳 Circular 14 1.8 11号墳 Circular 12 1.5 12号墳 Circular 8 1.5 irregular shape; may be a natural hill 13号墳 Circular 17 2.8 14号墳 Circular 10 1.0 15号墳 Circular 6 0.8 irregular shape; may be a natural hill 16号墳 Circular 8 1.0 bisected by a road 17号墳 Circular 16 1.5 stone sarcophagus found 18号墳 Circular unknown unknown only the edges remain 19号墳 Circular unknown unknown only the edges remain 20号墳 Circular 22 2.2 low mound, like a cushion 21号墳 Circular 12 1.5 irregular shape; may be a natural hill 22号墳 Circular 13 1.8 Modified on one side 23号墳 Circular 11 2.0 Modified on one side 24号墳 Circular 18 2.5 Modified on one side 25号墳 Circular unknown unknown only the edges remain 26号墳 Circular 20 2.5～3 mostly destroyed 27号墳 Circular 15 1 possibly square-shaped 28号墳 Circular 12 1.2 may be a natural hill 29号墳 Circular 12 1.2 may be a natural hill 30号墳 Circular 10 1.2 irregular shape; may be a natural hill 31号墳 Circular 12 2 irregular shape; may be a natural hill 32号墳 Oval 9.0×14.0 1.3～1.0 33号墳 Circular 7.0 0.5～0.0 34号墳 Circular 9.0 1.0～0.0 35号墳 Circular 21 2.0～1.0 damaged by road on the west 36号墳 Circular 7.0 0.5 damaged by road on the west 37号墳 Circular 10.0 0.5 38号墳 Square 8.5×10.0 0.5 39号墳 Circular 13.0 2.5～1.0 damaged on the south side R35号墳 Square (?) 10～5 0.5 Debris from No.1; possibly not a tomb R36号墳 Square 11 0.5 beads found; possibly a ritual site and not a tomb

The site is preserved as an archaeological park, with the . It is located about 30 minutes by car from Notobe Station on the JR West Nanao Line.

Gallery

See also List of Historic Sites of Japan (Ishikawa)

References

External links

Ishikawa Prefectural information home page Nakanoto town home page