Keyhole mound 103m at the summit of Mt. Wakakusa (342m a.s.l.), Kasugano-cho, Nara City. Summit-type kofun are extremely rare in Japan, making this a singular example of the diversity of kofun culture. The panoramic view — overlooking Todaiji, Kasuga Grand Shrine, and the Nara townscape — is breathtaking. Mt. Wakakusa is normally open for a fee (spring–autumn); walking to the summit to see this kofun is a uniquely Japanese experience. National Historic Site.
Keyhole mound 103m; rear circle 60m diameter, front section 62m wide. Dated late 4th century. No moat owing to the summit location, but fukiishi traces confirmed. Burial chamber presumed to be a vertical-shaft stone chamber; details unknown. The mountaintop setting may reflect a deliberate display of political/military authority or a fusion of mountain worship with kofun ritual. Some researchers interpret the commanding view of the Yamato basin as evidence for a paramount chieftain of the region. Occupant unknown.
Imperial Household Agency view
Not managed by the IHA. National Historic Site (1922). Managed by Nara City. One of Japan's rarest examples of a summit-type kofun, located at the peak of Mt. Wakakusa (342m a.s.l.) — the same mountain celebrated for its January "Wakakusayama-yaki" grass-burning festival.
Field notes
Mt. Wakakusa is nationally celebrated for its January grass-burning festival. Only the grass burns; the kofun is protected as a cultural property. The summit can be reached on foot via the Kasuga Shrine approach from Kintetsu/JR Nara Station in ~40–50 min. Recommended as a "summit edition" of the classic Nara circuit combining Kasuga Grand Shrine, Todaiji, and Nara Park.