“Seven mounds. Seven blessings?” A question hangs in the air. It invites us to ponder the mysteries held within the ancient burial ground before us. This is the Nagaokakyo City Nagahodoji Nanatsuzuka Kofun Cluster. It is a testament to a bygone era.
These mounds are Kofun. Kofun are ancient burial mounds. They were constructed for the ruling class from the 3rd to the 7th centuries. Imagine powerful figures like emperors, empresses, and local chiefs. They chose these sites as their final resting places.
The Kofun period derives its name from these very tomb mounds. This era lasted roughly from 250 AD to 538 AD. During this time, the construction of Kofun became a significant practice. It reflected the evolving social and political landscape of Japan.
These burial mounds weren’t just simple piles of earth. They were carefully designed. They often contained burial chambers filled with treasures. These treasures included bronze mirrors, tools, weapons, personal ornaments, and clay vessels. The more grave goods, the more powerful the person buried was considered to be.
Around the mounds, stones were arranged. Haniwa, terracotta clay figures, stood guard. They were placed at the base, on the crest, or along the slopes. These figures sometimes served as stands for offering vessels. This suggests the tombs were once the focus of community rituals.
Kofun came in various shapes. The most famous is the keyhole shape. It has a circular rear and a rectangular front. Other shapes include circles, rectangles, and octagons.
Building these Kofun required immense labor. It’s estimated that constructing the largest Kofun, Emperor Nintoku’s tomb, needed 2,000 people working eight hours a day for 16 years. Today, this would cost around 700 million US dollars.
The Nagaokakyo City Nagahodoji Nanatsuzuka Kofun Cluster adds to the vast number of Kofun across Japan. There are over 160,000 Kofun sites. Kyoto itself is among the prefectures with a high concentration of these ancient tombs.
As you stand here, consider the people who built these mounds. They were showing off their authority. They believed in an afterlife. They left behind a legacy that continues to fascinate us today. The artifacts excavated from Kofun are displayed at the Nagaokakyo City Local Buried Cultural Property Center. It is a place for ongoing study and appreciation.