Burial mounds(Except Sakitama Burial Mound Cluster)
(1) The Sakamaki Kofun-gun
Sakamaki Kofun-gun is located at the north part of Gyoda, on the right side of Tonegawa River. It was built and developed between the first half of 6th century and 7th century. Up to the present, 23 Kofuns were discovered.
A horse with a flag, male and female figures and Rikishi (sumo-wrestler) shaped Haniwa have been excavated. Particularly, the horse with a flag is an only Haniwa that was found in Japan.
These Haniwa have the similar shapes to the pictures, which had been painted on the stone wall excavated in Chosen Peninsula. The fact shows that the culture of Haniwa and the Kofun came to Japan and handed down by the people from Chosen Peninsula.
Concerning to the numbers of Human-shaped Haniwa in Kofun, Gunma Prefecture is the largest and Saitama Prefecture is the second in Japan. And 43 percent of Kofun is occupied by the both prefectures. Gyoda is one of the most major areas, where Haniwa were excavated.
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Coffee break 1 The stone chamber of Hachimanyama Kofun is called “The Stone Stage in Kanto District”. Ishibutai Tumulus in Asuka, Nara, believed to be the tomb of Soga-no-Umako, this is Japan's best example of a rectangular tumulus.
Question： “How had the people brought the huge stones from the upper areas of the stream of Arakawa River to this place?
Answer: Newer technologies for transporting huge stones from remote areas, such as “Shura” (wooden sled) or a huge raft and an assembling method on a stone chamber might have been used. |
(2) Hachimanyama Kofun Circular burial mound built in 2nd quarter of 7th century
Inside this circular Kofun (Diameter; 80 m.), a stone chamber (Length; 17m. Width; 4.8 m.) has been contained. The soils on the chamber was removed to fill in Kobarinuma Marsh which is located 1 km. away to the south east. Huge green stones (Max. 13.2 square m. Thickness; 0.7m.) from Chihibu areas were used as the ceilings of the chamber.
It is supposed that Mononobe-no-Muraji, who was the ruler of Musashi district in 633 years, took up the post of “Musashi-no-Kunitsukuri”, one of the subordinates of Prince Shotoku. He had let the locals build this Kofun, to utilize the advanced technology and the Buddhist culture.
(3) Jizozuka Kofun
Jizozuka Kofun is a square burial mound, built between the middle and the last of 7th century. (Length: 28m)
It is the only burial mound with a corridor-shaped stone chamber decorated with wall painting by carving. A waterfowl, a person on a ship and some others were carved on the stone chamber. This is the last Kofun that showed us a culture in Gyoda’s Kofun-period. This Kofu is not opened to public because of preserve, however we can see the replica at History and Folklore Museum in Saitama city.
(4) Omi-Shinkanji Kofun
This keyhole-shaped Kofun was built between the late 6th century and the early 7th century. (Length 102m.)
There are two tunnel stone-chambers in it. A gold ring, iron knife, a decorated sword with gold and copper, and a copper bowl were excavated in the chamber. It is supposed to be the last keyhole-shaped Kofun in Gyoda.
(5) Kokuzoyama Kofun
It is a keyhole–shaped burial mound built in the late 6th century. (Length: 60m)
A smiling female Haniwa, horse Haniwa and others were unearthed at around the moat.
(6) Tenjinyama Kofun
It is a circular mound, located close to Kokuzoyama Kofun and belonged to Omi Kofun-gun(cluster).
(7) Manaitayama Kofun
It is a keyhole-shaped burial mound built in the late 6th century. (Length: 127m)
Originally, it had been a huge key-hole shaped burial mound, but the plateau with the burial mound was sank under the ground for 3 meters and the surrounding soils were piled up by floods in the period of 1,400 years.
(8) Sengenzuka Kofun
It is a circular mound built in the first half of 7th century. (Diameter: 50m)
There is a Sakitama Shrine on top of the mound and Sengensha Shrine in the halfway up to the mound. There are stand stone lanterns with an old poem, Manyoshu carved. This is an important Kofun from the point view of suggesting the ending of Sakitama Kofun-gun.
(9) Tobakuchiyama Kofun
It is a big square mound and the only large square Kofun in this Kofun-gun. There have been many houses built on this mound.
(10) Hakusan Kofun
It is a circular mound built in the first half of 7th century. (Diameter: 50m)
This Kofun has a tunnel stone chamber with green muddy stones in it. There is a Hakusan-hime Shrine on this mound. The shrine was built to eliminate an unhappy accidents that happened just after the digging.
(11) Dainichizuka Kofun & Dainichishuji-Itabi
It is a small circular burial mound built between the late 5th century and the first half of 6th century. (Diameter; 18m.)
There is a stone chamber and two burial facilities with clay frames above the chamber, where three persons were buried at least in two different times in this Kofun.
Several Kofun were found around this mound and they belong to Sama Kofun-gun. Dainichizuka Kofun is important to study about the relationship between Sakitama Kofun-gun and the other peripheral Koun-gun.
Itabi is a large Stone Plate (green stone) with 1.93 meters high and 8 centimeters thick. This was built to pray for repose of dead parent’s soul in 1236. It was placed at the top of the mound at that days and it is the oldest Itabi(Stone Plate) in the city.