| Location | Sakai, Osaka |
|---|---|
| Shape | Keyhole-shaped mound |
| Mound length | 203 m |
| Period | Early 5th c. |
| Designation | Imperial Tomb (IHA) |
| World Heritage | Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group (UNESCO) |
A large keyhole mound (203m, 4th largest in the Mozu group) in Mozuhonmachi, Kita-ku, Sakai City. The three-tiered mound, 18.3m high at the rear circle, faces west and has a single projection on the south side of its waist. One moat is visible today, but a second, outer moat once encircled it and is preserved underground. Access to the mound itself is restricted as an IHA reference site. Located only about 500m southeast of Daisen Kofun, the two giant mounds together form the dominant landscape of the Mozu plateau. One of the 49 constituent monuments of the "Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group" UNESCO WHS (2019).
The mound is built in three tiers, and cylindrical haniwa set edge to edge were recovered from the first terrace. On and around the projection (tsukuridashi) a wide range of figural haniwa came to light — notably an enclosure-shaped (kakoigata) haniwa among the largest known, and a house-shaped haniwa whose form recalls shrine architecture. Miniature vessels, underfired Sue ware and clay models of fish and baskets were also found, evidence of rites performed on the projection. The burial facility and grave goods remain uninvestigated under IHA management.
About a four-minute walk southeast of JR Mozu Station. The front and rear sections can be observed from the moat-side path; convenient to combine with nearby Daisen Kofun and the Sakai City Museum.