The is a group of early Kofun period burial mounds located in the Mita and Ōsawa neighborhoods of the city of Uda, Nara Prefecture, Japan. The site was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1983.
Overview The Mita-Ōsawa Kofun Cluster is located on a ridge at an elevation of about 360 to 370 meters in the Uda Basin, southeast of the Nara Basin. Archaeological excavations in 1980 discovered burial mounds and remains of medieval residences. This group of burial mounds consists of one , which is shaped like a keyhole, consisting of two conjoined rectangles, when viewed from above, and four square tumuli, each separated by a moat. Kofun No. 1, 2, and 3 are built on the ridge that runs north to south, and Kofun No. 4 and 5 are built on the ridge that runs east to west. Many grave goods been recovered from the burial chambers of each of these tombs, and indicate that the construction period was at the start of Kofun period, at a time when the large zenpō-kōen-fun tumuli were starting to appear in the Nara Basin.
+Mita-Ōsawa Kofun ClusterNameImageTypeDimensionsburial facilityGrave goodsKofun No.1keyhole-shaped27.5 meter length20 meters diameter circular portion12.7 meters wide rectangular portiondetails unknownKofun No.2 Square 14 meters per side1.7 meters highDirect burial in split bamboo coffinbronze mirror, amber magatama, small glass beads, chlorite schist beads, hatchet, Haji wareKofun No.3 Square 16 meters per side3 meters highUnknown due to grave robbingiron swords, arrowheads, Haji wareKofun No.4 Square 17meters per side3 meters highDirect burial in split bamboo coffinFour-beast mirror, magatama, cylindrical beads, iron sword, Haji wareKofun No.5 Square 14 meters per side3.2 meters highDirect burial in split bamboo coffinHaji ware
See also List of Historic Sites of Japan (Nara)
References
External links
Uda City home page Nara Prefecture History and Culture Guide