Kofun

There is also a Kofun period in Japanese history

Daisen Kofun, the largest tomb of Emperor Nintoku in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture (5th century)

Kofun (古墳code: ja is deprecated ) are earthen tombs or tumuli in Japan. They were constructed between the early 3rd century and early 7th century.

These burial mounds give their name to the Kofun period (middle 3rd century - early-middle 6th century).

Many of the kofun have a keyhole-shaped mound (zenpo-koenfun (前方後円墳code: ja is deprecated )) which is unique to ancient Japan.

Kofun Media

• 

  Reconstructed model of a late 4th century zenpō-kōen-fun (Kaichi Kofun), Nantan, Kyoto Prefecture

• 

  Distribution of Zenpokoenfun

• 

  Distribution of tombs in the Late Yayoi Period

• 

  Circular groove tomb at Seta Ruins (Kashihara City, Nara Prefecture)

• 

  Panoramic view of Hashinaka Kofun in Sakurai, Nara

• 

  The stone chamber of Ishibutai Kofun, said to be the tomb of Soga no Umako, Asuka, Nara Prefecture (7th century)

• 

  春のさきたま古墳群の丸墓山古墳（埼玉県行田市）

• 

  Otozuka Kofun, a square kofun

Related pages

• William Gowland, English engineer made the first survey for Saki kofun group
• Ernest Satow, English diplomat wrote about kofun in Kozuke for the Asiatic Society of Japan
• Mozu Tombs

References

• 飛鳥高松塚 (Takamatsuzuka, Asuka), 橿原考古学研究所編, 明日香村, 1972.
• 前方後円墳 (Keyhole-shaped kofun), 上田宏範, 学生社, 東京, 1969.
• 前方後円墳と古代日朝関係 (Keyhole-shaped kofun and diplomatic relations between ancient Japan and Korea), 朝鮮学会編, 東京, 同成社, 2002.

Other websites

• Japanese Archaeology: Kofun Culture
• Kofun Period
• Prehistoric Archaeology of Japan Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine