★ World HeritageNara Pref.Octagonal moundIHA imperial tomb
Kengyushizuka Kofun
Also known as: Ochi-no-oka-no-e Ryobo Sankochi
Location
Nara Pref.
Shape
Octagonal mound
Mound length
30 m
Period
Late 7th c.
World Heritage
Asuka-Fujiwara (UNESCO, inscribed 2026)
IHA designation
IHA-managed (no public entry)
Overview
Octagonal mound (~30m diagonal) in Asuka Village, the probable joint tomb of Empress Saimei (the mother of Emperor Tenji) and Princess Hashihito. The octagonal form was reserved for emperors and empresses, making this a key monument of 7th-century imperial funerary culture. The 2010 excavation results attracted major media coverage. Now open to the public after conservation work. Inscribed in July 2026 as a component of the UNESCO World Heritage site "Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara."
Finds & research
Octagonal mound form confirmed. Bone container and human remains found in the central pit of the stone chamber. Skeletal analysis conducted during 2009–2010 re-excavation.
Two views on the occupant
Archaeological view
Octagonal mound (八角墳), ~30m diagonal, ~4.5m high. Late 7th century (Hakuho period). The octagonal form was exclusive to imperial and royal tombs — the same class as the mounds of Emperors Tenji and Tenmu. The stone chamber contains a central pit that held a bone container. Re-excavation in 2009–2010 and DNA/osteological analysis strongly support identification as the joint tomb of Empress Saimei (r. 655–661) and her daughter Princess Hashihito.
Imperial Household Agency view
Designated as the Ochi-no-oka-no-e Ryobo Sankochi by the IHA, associated with Empress Saimei. Administered by the IHA Shoryobu bureau. Following the significant 2010 survey findings, the site has been opened for exterior viewing after conservation work.[IHA Visiting Info] Address: 奈良県高市郡高取町大字車木 / Access: JR 掖上駅から徒歩約13分 / Hours: 原則、8時30分～17時 (open year-round in principle). Stamp storage: 畝傍陵墓監区事務所.
Field notes
Empress Saimei died in 661 in Kyushu during the Korean peninsula campaign (on the eve of the Battle of Baekgang). She was Japan's second female emperor after Empress Suiko. Princess Hashihito was the consort of Emperor Kotoku and daughter of Empress Saimei. Together with the adjacent Iwayama Kofun, this forms the late kofun cluster in western Asuka Village. About 15 min by bicycle from Kintetsu Asuka Station.