Did you know that the \u6885\u585a\u53e4\u58b3 belongs to a fascinating period in Japanese history? It is a Kofun. These megalithic tombs or tumuli dot the Northeast Asian landscape. Kofun construction boomed in the Japanese archipelago. This occurred from the middle of the 3rd century to the early 7th century AD.
The term “Kofun” itself names the Kofun period. This era spans from the mid-3rd to the early-mid 6th centuries. Many kofun boast distinctive keyhole-shaped mounds. These are called zenp\u014d-k\u014den fun.
Imagine viewing one from above. It has one square end and one circular end. Other kofun shapes exist too. There are circular types called empun. “Two conjoined rectangles” types exist. These are zenp\u014d-k\u014dh\u014d-fun. Square types are called h\u014dfun.
The orientation of kofun varies. In the Mozu kofun group in Sakai some circular parts face north. Others face east. Haniwa figures often surround kofun. These terracotta figures delimited and protected sacred areas.
Kofun sizes vary greatly. They range from several meters to over 400 meters long. The largest Kofun is attributed to Emperor Nintoku. It is Daisen Kofun in Sakai City Osaka Prefecture.
Funeral chambers lie beneath the round part. They comprised megaliths. The unlooted Takamatsuzuka Tomb revealed much in 1972. It was found in Asuka. White lime plasters coated the inside rocks. Colored pictures depicted court beauties and constellations. A stone coffin held accessories. Swords and bronze mirrors lay inside and outside. The wall paintings are national treasures. The grave goods are important cultural property.
Kofun burial mounds exist all over Japan. This includes remote islands like Nishinoshima. A total of 161560 kofun tomb sites were found as of 2001.
Most Yayoi period tombs were square mounds. Ditches surrounded them. Tatetsuki Mound Tomb is a notable example. It dates to the late Yayoi period in Kurashiki Okayama.
One of the first keyhole-shaped kofun arose in the Makimuku area. It is in the southeastern Nara Basin. Hashihaka Kofun dates to the mid-3rd century AD. Its scale differed greatly from previous Yayoi tombs.
During the 5th century AD keyhole kofun construction expanded. It started in Yamato Province. It continued in Kawachi. Gigantic kofun arose there like Daisen Kofun of Emperor Nintoku.
Keyhole-shaped kofun disappeared in the late 6th century AD. This likely resulted from reforms in the Yamato court. Buddhism’s introduction led to cremation. Cremation became the primary funerary practice for nobility.
Keyhole Kofun are also called Zenpokoenfun. They consist of a square front part. They also have a circular back part. The middle part connects the two. It looks like a keyhole from above. Round Kofun or enpun only possess a round mound. Square kofun or h\u014dfun only possess a square mound. They are typically smaller than other kofun shapes.
Scallop Kofun have a circular body. A small part extends from them. Octagonal Kofun or hakkaku-fun are rare. They are characteristic of Emperors.
The Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was inscribed on July 6 2019. Located on a plateau above the Osaka Plain it includes 49 kofun. These tombs belonged to elite members of society. They demonstrate social class differences. They show evidence of a sophisticated funerary system. Kofun demonstrate exceptional earthen construction.