Nara Pref. Keyhole-shaped mound

Yamato Tenjinyama Kofun

LocationNara Pref.
ShapeKeyhole-shaped mound
Mound length103 m
PeriodLate 3rd–Early 4th c.

Overview

A ~103m keyhole mound in Tenri City — Nara Prefectural Historic Site. Late 3rd–early 4th century. Famous for its remarkable assemblage of 26+ bronze mirrors (including 23 triangular-rim type) — among the most mirror-rich kofun in Japan. Located in the same Yanagimoto area as Emperor Sujin's and Emperor Keiko's mausolea, marking it as an important early Yamato royal center.

Finds & research

The vertical pit stone chamber (split-bamboo wooden coffin) yielded 23 triangular-rimmed 神獣 mirrors, 3 inner-flower-pattern mirrors, and over 26 bronze mirrors in total — among the largest mirror assemblages ever recovered from a Japanese kofun. Tenri University's Tenri Sankokan Museum holds the excavated mirrors, with some on permanent display. Iron swords and beads were also found.

Two views on the occupant

Archaeological view
A ~103m keyhole mound in Yanagimoto-cho, Tenri City. Late 3rd–early 4th century. The vertical pit stone chamber (split-bamboo wooden coffin) yielded 23 triangular-rimmed 神獣 mirrors and other mirror types — over 26 mirrors in total, among the largest mirror assemblages in Japan. This attests to a close relationship between the occupant and the core of the Yamato polity. An important early landmark in the Yanagimoto Kofun cluster, which later saw construction of Andonzan (Emperor Sujin, 242m) and Shibuya Mukoyama (Emperor Keiko, 300m).
Imperial Household Agency view
Not designated by the IHA. Nara Prefectural Historic Site.

Field notes

About 10 min walk from JR Sakurai Line "Yanagimoto" Station, and about 5 min from Andonzan Kofun (Emperor Sujin Mausoleum, id:203). Recommended combined with Shibuya Mukoyama (id:204) and Uenoyama (id:421) on a Yanagimoto kofun cluster tour. The Tenri City Kurozuka Kofun Exhibition Hall (at nearby Kurozuka, id:205) also provides context for this region's kofun culture.

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Sources

天理市教育委員会奈良県教育委員会天理大学附属天理参考館Wikipedia

Related kofun

Uwanari-zuka Kofun (110m) Isonokami Otsuka Kofun (107m) Akatsuchiyama Kofun (106m) Uenoyama Kofun (144m) Minezuka Kofun (36m) Nishi-Norikura Kofun (118m)
← Uenoyama Kofun Kaibukiyama Kofun →