A terminal-period square mound tucked into a residential block in Sakurai City. Crawling in through the low opening brings you face-to-face with an almost perfectly preserved monolithic house-shaped sarcophagus — a first-rate place to study stone coffins. Located just northeast of Abe Monjuin temple.
Finds & research
Corridor-type chamber (13.16m total) preserving an intact Tatsuyama-tuff monolithic house-shaped sarcophagus (~2.4m long, six bosses). No grave goods are known.
Two views on the occupant
Archaeological view
A square mound ~27m (N–S) × 21m (E–W) (some sources give ~24m per side), built in the mid-7th century. The corridor-type chamber (granite, 13.16m total, opening southeast) preserves an intact monolithic house-shaped sarcophagus of Tatsuyama tuff with six rope-hanging bosses on the lid. The coffin is large relative to the chamber, indicating it was set in place first and the chamber and mound built around it. The occupant is unknown; a connection with the Abe clan is conjectured from the location on the Abe hills.
Imperial Household Agency view
Not designated by the IHA. National Historic Site (designated 1974).
Field notes
About 15 min on foot from Sakurai Station. The opening is low — crouch to enter. Access is via narrow residential paths, so be considerate of neighbors. Usually visited together with Monjuin-nishi Kofun (id:573).