Ruin / Grave / Ancient Tomb Spots in Nara Area

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Nara
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Category

Travel / Tourism

History / Culture / Tour

Ruin / Grave / Ancient Tomb

Ishibutai kofun (tomb)

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Takaichigunasukamura Shimashou

One of the largest of its kind in Japan at 50 meters per side, this tomb was built by piling up 30 large boulders. Having lost the soil which once covered it and due to the flatness of the ceiling stone, the tomb is called the Stone Stage. It is not clear to whom the tomb belonged, but due to the fact that a garden which belonged to Soga no Iruka’s grandfather Soga no Umako is located nearby, one leading theory is that it is his tomb. The surrounding area blooms with cherries in the spring and red spider lilies in the fall. The tomb is a nationally designated a Special Historic Site.
Kitora Tomb

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Takaichigunasukamura Abeyama

This is a special national historical site inside the Kitora-kofun Tumulus in the Asuka Historical National Government Park located in Mt. Abe, Asuka Village. In excavations conducted in 1983, murals were found on the wall of the stone burial chamber and became known as the second mural tomb in Japan. Currently, works continues to restore the site to its original state and the artifacts found are being stored and exhibited in the Kitora Tumulus Mural Experiential Museum Shijinno Yakata. (The murals are open to the public for limited periods of time.)
Hashihaka Ancienct Burial Mound

Travel / Tourism

Nara Sakurai-shi Hashinaka
Kameishi Boulder

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Takaichigunasukamura Kawahara

This granite boulder sits near a residence in Asukamura. It is 3.6 meters long by 2.1 meters wide and 1.8 meters tall. Its period and purpose of construction are still unknown. On the lower section an animal-like face was carved, and as it resembles a turtle the boulder was named Kameishi (turtle rock). The Kameishi currently faces south west but there is legend that when it turns to face the west the whole of the Nara Basin will turn into a sea of mud.
Hashihaka Burial Mound

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Sakuraishi Hashinaka

This large-scale burial mound was built around the late third century. One of the oldest and largest national tombs in the shape of a key hole, it is postulated to be the grave of Queen Himiko of Yamataikoku. The Imperial Household Agency manages it as the Mausoleum of Princess Yamato-totohi-momoso-hime-no-mikoto-, the daughter of the seventh generation Emperor Korei. The moat around the tumulus, named the Great Hashinaka Pond, was created in 2010 and selected as one of Japan’s top 100 ponds by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Makimuku Ruins

Travel / Tourism

Sakurai City Nara Prefecture Turned Area

These ruins, the biggest of the Yayoi period, reaches about two kilometers east and west and about 1.5 kilometers north and south of the Makimuku alluvial fan. This group of archeological sites from the first half of the third century is believed to be either the last Yayoi burial mounds or perhaps the oldest kofun tumuli. Visitors can see traces of the area's ancient history amongst its natural beauty created by a mild climate and four seasons.
Tomb of Emperor Suinin

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Narashi Amagatsujinishimachi

This is a large keyhole-shaped tumulus with a total length of 227 meters, located in Amagatsuji Town. The small island in the surrounding moat is said to be the gravesite of Tajimamori, retainer to Emperor Suinin.
Saru Rocks

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Takaichigunasukamura Hirata

These are four rock carvings lined up in front of the grave of Kibihime no Okimi, the holy mother of Emperor Kotoku and Empress Saimei. The engraved rocks are said to represent, from the left, a woman, a mountain deity, a monk, and a man, three of which have a face on the back as well.
Sakitatenami Burial Mounds

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Narashi Sakichou etc

This is a group of ancient burial mounds in Saki Town, Nara City. Including the 200 meter-long key-hole shape tumuli called Sakimisasagiyama tumulu, there are dozens of tombs of various sizes in the surrounding area. This group of ancient burial mounds is as large as the Yamato tombs in the same prefecture and as the Furuichi mounds ancient tumulus clusters in Osaka.
Fujinoki Tomb

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Ikomagunikarugachou Houryujinishi 2-1

This is a historic site west of Horyu-ji Temple in Ikaruga Town. The large round burial mound is 48 meters in diameter, however it is unknown who is entombed here. The archaeological artifacts discovered in excavations conducted in 1985 and 1988 include stone coffins, earthenware and gold and copper horse riding gear which are designated as Important Cultural Property. These artifacts are kept in the Museum, Archaeological Institute of Kashihara.
Remains of Heijokyo Sakyo Sanjo Nibo Palace Garden

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Narashi Sanjouoji 1-5-37

These ruins located on National Route 369 in Sanjooji, Nara City are the site of a Nara period palace garden discovered during an archeological excavation in 1975. The ruins, which center on a palace garden with a pond, have a high historical value for the information they have provided on ancient Japanese gardens. It has been designated by the government as both a Special Historic Site and a Special Scenic Spot.
Nakaoyama Tumulus

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Takaichigunasukamura Hirata

This nationally-designated Historic Site is located to the north of the Takamatsuzuka Tomb off of Prefectural Route 209 in Hirata, Asuka Village. This three-tier octagonal tomb, some 30 meters across, is classified as a late Kofun period tomb. This is the same category as the nearby Takamatsuzuka Tomb and the tomb of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jito.
Mausoleum of Emperor Keiko

Travel / Tourism

Nara Tenri-shi Shibutanicho
Shimanoyama Kofun

Travel / Tourism

Nara Shiki-gun Kawanishicho

This excellently-preserved burial mound dates to between the end of the fourth century and the beginning of the fifth and is one of the 20 largest such burial mounds found in Nara Prefecture. The keyhole-shaped mound is 200 meters long with a 104-meter-long oblong base and 113-meter-in-dimater rounded top. The mound is also 17.42 meters tall and is surrounded by an oblong moat that is 265 meters long north to south and 175 meters wide east to west. According to legend, it is the grave of Soga no Iruka, a member of a powerful governing family who was assassinated.
Maruyama Kofun

Travel / Tourism

Nara Kashihara-shi Gojonocho

This keyhole-shaped burial mound, believed to have been built in the latter half of the sixth century, is the largest of its kind in Nara Prefecture. 310 meters long, the round section at the top is 150 meters in diameter, while the oblong base is 210 meters wide. The surrounding moat is also 420 meters long. The tunnel tomb inside the mound is equally impressive, and is known as the largest of its type in Japan. Based on the period when the mound was made as well as the sarcophagus which was contained within, several candidates have been proposed as the person for whom the mound was made, including Emperor Kinmei and Soga clan leader and statesman Soga no Iname.
Midoro Kofun

Travel / Tourism

Nara Gose-shi Kose

The Midoro Kita-kofun and Midoro Minami-kofun tumuli, separated by around 100 meters, were jointly designated a National Historic Site in 1961. The Midoro Kita-kofun is located on the grounds of the Nishio Residence; a round burial mound 20 meters in diameter, the mound has a tunnel tomb which flares out on both sides from an access passageway. The large-scale tomb was constructed in the mid-sixth century. In comparison, the Midoro Minami-kofun is smaller. Its 25-meter-in-diameter round mount was built in the latter half of the sixth century and the entrance to its tunnel tomb faces south.
Muro Miyama Tomb (Muro no Oobaka)

Travel / Tourism

Nara Gose-shi Muro

This vast keyhole-shaped burial mound seemingly appeared in the early 5th century without any archeological precedents in the area. The exceptionally large tomb is 238 meters long. There are two graves on either side of the round mound portion, north and south, and both consisted of stacked stone pit tombs holding chest-shaped sarcophagi made of hyaloclastite stone. Of the many large-scale burial mounds managed by the Imperial Household Agency, this is the only one the general public may tour.
Mausoleum of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jito

Travel / Tourism

Nara Takaichi-gun Asukamura Noguchi

This is a joint tomb for Emperor Tenmu and his wife and successor to the throne Empress Jito. The tomb's burial mound is 50 meters in diameter and 6.36 meters high. The mound is said to be a round burial mound by some and octagonal by others; the stone burial chamber is eight sided and contained a gilt bronze funerary urn. Emperor Tenmu laid the foundations for Japan's ancient Ritsuryo codes of governance and Empress Jito continued to implement and refine them. Empress Jito was also the first emperor/empress of Japan to be cremated.
Sakurai Chausuyama Tumulus

Travel / Tourism

Nara Sakurai-shi Tobi

"This keyhole-shaped burial mound was created by building on and sculpting an existing hill. The mound's tomb is a pit-style stone burial chamber and the mound appears to have been covered with small ""fukiishi"" roofing stones. Based on its shape resembling a straight-handled hand-held mirror, the mound is believed to have been constructed at the beginning of the fourth century, making it a particularly old example even for an early Kofun period burial mound. The pit-style stone burial chamber is magnificent, having been created by stacking vermilion-lacquered slate, and artefacts found inside included a scepter, precious stones carved into the shapes of leaves, and iron swords. Based on the size of the mound and the burial accoutrements, it is conjectured that it was the burial site for a member of the royalty."
Akasaka Tennozan Old Tomb

Travel / Tourism

Nara Sakurai-shi Kurahashi 2846

This flat-topped burial mound whose side is 45 meters long was constructed on a ridge extending from the southeast to the northwest. The mound appears to have been made in the late Kofun period (the end of the sixth century). The mound's tunnel tomb burial chamber has a south-facing entrance and is one of the largest found in Nara Prefecture. A house-shaped sarcophagus was found in the chamber. The mound is believed to be the burial site of Emperor Sushun, who was assassinated at the end of the sixth century, but the mausoleum which the Imperial Household Agency designates as belonging to Emperor Sushun is situated around a kilometer away from the Shorinji Temple in the direction of Tonomine.

Nara

Nara City Ikaruga / Yamatokoriyama Asuka Kashihara Yamanobe Road / Sakurai Yoshino Tenkawa Village / Totsukawa Village Ikoma

Travel / Tourism History / Culture / Tour Ruin / Grave / Ancient Tomb

Nara Areas

With a reputation almost as stellar as that of Kyoto, Nara is a must-visit for those searching for the remains of "traditional Japan." The largely green Nara city holds the majority of the prefecture’s treasures, such as the iconic Todai-ji Temple, in which a 15-meter tall Great Buddha sits, and Nara Park, where deer flock to befriend passersby. While mountains are by no means hard to come by in this area, for hiking with a reward, head to the Kii Mountains’ Yoshino district in spring, when the hillsides put on an impressive display of white and pink cherry blossoms.