★ World HeritageHabikino / Fujiidera, OsakaKeyhole-shaped moundIHA imperial tomb
Konda Gobyoyama Kofun
Also known as: Mausoleum of Emperor Ojin
Location
Habikino / Fujiidera, Osaka
Shape
Keyhole-shaped mound
Mound length
425 m
Period
Early 5th c.
World Heritage
Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group (UNESCO)
IHA designation
IHA-managed (no public entry)
Overview
2nd longest burial mound nationally (425m) and centerpiece of the Furuichi group. By total area including the outer moat (~69 ha) it is Japan's largest. The 3-tiered mound reaches 36m at the rear circle, with a 325m-wide front section and double moats. Multiple satellite mounds surround it. Constituent monument of the UNESCO World Heritage "Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group" (2019). The name "Konda Gobyoyama" combines the local place name Konda with gobyo (御廟, sacred mausoleum). Emperor Ojin is depicted in the chronicles as a skilled archer and key figure in Yamato's continental relations. Konda Hachimangu shrine is one of the central hubs of Hachiman faith alongside the Grand Shrine of Usa.
Finds & research
No excavation permitted under IHA mausoleum regulations. Internal structure and grave goods remain unknown. Exterior viewable from public paths.
Two views on the occupant
Archaeological view
Occupant archaeologically unknown. At 425m it is the 2nd longest mound nationally, but by total area including the outer moat (~69 hectares) it surpasses even Daisen Kofun (~47 ha). Dating to early 5th century (c.400–420 CE). The adjacent satellite mound Kondamaruyama Kofun yielded nationally treasured gilt-bronze horse trappings (openwork saddle fittings). Taro Shiraishi and others have proposed this may be the tomb of "King San," recorded in Chinese histories as a 5th-century king of Wa.
Imperial Household Agency view
Officially designated "Egano-Mofushioka-no-Misasagi" (Mausoleum of Emperor Ojin) by the IHA's Shoryobu bureau. Public access is restricted. The adjacent Konda Hachimangu shrine to the west, dedicated to Emperor Ojin, forms an integrated historical landscape with the mound.[IHA Visiting Info] Address: 大阪府羽曳野市誉田6丁目 / Access: 近鉄 土師ノ里駅または道明寺駅から徒歩約17分 / Hours: 原則、8時30分～17時 (open year-round in principle). Stamp storage: 古市陵墓監区事務所.
Field notes
A green corridor links the mound to the adjacent Konda Hachimangu shrine. The Furuichi group is easily accessed by the Kintetsu Minami-Osaka Line, making it a convenient base for kofun tourism.