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Tomb of Emperor Sujin
4th Century
The breathtaking ancient tomb where Japan’s 10th emperor sleeps.
Some people say that imperial tombs are the “pyramids of Japan”, and the Tomb of Emperor Sujin is one of the earliest.
Estimated to have been built in the late 4th century, the Tomb of Emperor Sujin (also called Andonyama Kofun tomb) is a keyhole-shaped tomb with a length of about 360 meters (including the moat) and a maximum width of about 230 meters. We marvel at its breathtaking size, wonder how it was constructed when it was, and imagine what kind of a powerful person was buried beneath its sacred forest and deep moat.
Managed by the Imperial Household Agency, the tomb is closed to the public and surrounded by a fence. Visitors can climb the steep steps that lead us up to the stone torii gate on the tomb’s west side, while a small path continues around the moat, offering visitors views of the tomb from all sides.
Japan’s earliest records, the Kojiki and Nihonshoki, describe the Tomb of Emperor Sujin as being located on the Yamanobe-no-Michi path, which is how we can say that the path is the oldest in Japan. Today, the path winds around the east side of the tomb, and many hikers take a moment to visit this sacred place where the 10th emperor of Japan sleeps.
Access
By train: The Tomb of Emperor Sujin is about 1 km east of JR Yanagimoto Station.
By car: The Tomb of Emperor Sujin is about 7 km south of the Tenri IC on the Nishi-Meihan Expressway. The tomb has a parking lot (managed by the Imperial Household Agency), and there is also a Tenri City tourism parking lot nearby.
By bus: The Tomb of Emperor Sujin is about 100 meters south of the Yanagimoto bus stop on the Nara Kotsu Bus line.
Environment
The Tomb of Emperor Sujin is located in Yanagimoto Town, a town rich with local history. In addition to the Yamanobe-no-Michi path, Chogakuji Temple, Mt. Ryuo, Kurozuka Kofun tomb, Izanagi Jinja shrine, and places connected with the Oda Clan are nearby. Just across the way is the Tenri City Trail Center, and the deck offers a nice view of the tomb.
Point
Though we cannot go inside the Tomb of Emperor Sujin, some say that the mystery of what may be buried inside makes it all the more fascinating. Its overwhelming size allows us to imagine what kind of a powerful person was buried here, and what it was like at the time.
Seasonal birds, the wide moat, and the sun setting across the Nara Basin make it one of the local places loved by photographers.
Map
Information
| Course： |
Yamanobe-no-Michi (South) Course
Mt. Ryuo Course Yanagimoto Course |
|---|---|
| Address： | Andon, Yanagimoto Town, Tenri City, Nara Prefecture |
| Admission： | Free |
| Parking： | Yes (Managed by the Imperial Household Agency) |
| Rest Area： | No |
| Toilet： | Yes |
| Contact： | |
| Website： | |
| Social Media： |
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