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Kurozuka Kofun Tomb and Museum
Early 4th Century
A clue to the mysteries of the earliest days of Japan.
Unopened for about 1,700 years, Kurozuka Kofun tomb is considered by many to be a clue that solves one of Japan’s greatest mysteries.
Though there is evidence of attempts to rob the tomb, at some point after construction, an earthquake caused the burial chamber of Kurozuka Kofun tomb to collapse, and kept out any tomb robbers. From 1997 to 1998, an archaeological dig of this tomb excavated many precious items from this 4th century tomb, including 33 bronze mirrors with triangular edges from Wei, China.
The Yamatai-koku nation is considered by many to be the first nation in Japan, but its precise location has been debated. Many scholars have long believed that the nation was located in this region, and that Queen Himiko is buried in Hashihaka Kofun tomb, in nearby Sakurai City. Many also feel that the discovery of so many precious mirrors from that period is a clue that strongly suggests that this was in fact the land of Queen Himiko and the Yamatai-koku nation.
Today, a museum next to Kurozuka Kofun tomb has re-creations of tomb’s burial chamber, the mirrors, and other items discovered inside the tomb on display. With information about the tomb and local history in both Japanese and English, it is a fantastic place to learn about kofun tombs and the fascinating story of this region.
Kurozuka Kofun tomb itself is also a great tomb to visit! A keyhole-shaped tomb surrounded by a moat and within a nice park, it is one of those special tombs that we can physically walk on and enjoy. Steps lead us up to the top of the tomb’s mound, which offers a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains, basin, and townscape. It is a fine example of how close and accessible such ancient history is here in Time Travel City. The museum is open 9:00~17:00, and closed on Mondays and holidays (or the following weekday if Monday is a holiday). The museum is also closed from December 28th to January 4th for New Year’s holidays.
Access
By car: Kurozuka Kofun tomb is about 7 km south of the Tenri IC on the Nishi-Meihan Expressway. There is a parking lot behind a convenience store along Nat. Hwy 169.
By train: Kurozuka Kofun tomb is less than 1 km east of JR Yanagimoto Station on the Manyo Mahoroba Line.
By bus: Kurozuka Kofun tomb is a few hundred meters west of the Yanagimoto bus stop on the Nara Kotsu bus line.
Environment
Kurozuka Kofun tomb is located inside a park, in Tenri City’s Yanagimoto Town. This quiet community has narrow streets lined with traditional and modern houses, and is incredibly rich with history! In addition to the tomb, there are also Mt. Ryuo, the Tomb of Emperor Sujin, Chogakuji temple, the Gochido hall, locations related to the Oda Clan, and the Tenri City Trail Center, so one could spend an entire day enjoying this town.
Point
New to kofun tombs? This is the perfect place for you! As we can walk around and on top of the tomb, and then see a recreation of the burial chamber at the museum across the moat, this is the first place we recommend to people who want to start learning about kofun tombs.
Map
Information
| Course： |
Yanagimoto Course
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| Address： | 1117-1 Yanagimoto Town, Tenri City, Nara Prefecture |
| Admission： | Free |
| Parking： | Yes |
| Rest Area： | Yes |
| Toilet： | Yes |
| Contact： | |
| Website： | |
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