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Overview
Kanazuka Kofun is an ancient burial mound in Hirata, Asuka Village, Takaichi District, Nara Prefecture, also known as Hirata Iwaya Kofun. It is a square-shaped tumulus, or square kofun. The Imperial Household Agency designates it as a satellite tomb (baicho) of the Hinokuma no Sakaai Mausoleum attributed to Emperor Kinmei. Set in Asuka Village, the heart of the Asuka period, its role as a mound attending an imperial tomb speaks to the depth of the region's ancient history.
Highlights
- ●Its form as a square kofun with a four-sided mound
- ●Its historic status as an Imperial Household Agency baicho of Emperor Kinmei's tomb
- ●The local naming tradition seen in the alias Hirata Iwaya Kofun
- ●One mound within the ancient landscape linking Asuka's kofun cluster
History
Kanazuka Kofun is a square kofun and is designated by the Imperial Household Agency as a baicho, a subsidiary tomb built alongside a principal mausoleum, of the Hinokuma no Sakaai Mausoleum held to be the tomb of Emperor Kinmei. Kinmei was a sixth-century great king, and this area close to Asuka is dense with kofun, including imperial tombs. The alternate name Hirata Iwaya Kofun derives from its location in Hirata. Theories differ on its precise construction date and who was buried there; for accurate information, please consult the Imperial Household Agency or official sources.
Access
The mound lies in Hirata, Asuka Village, Takaichi District, Nara Prefecture (around 34.47 degrees north, 135.80 degrees east). Asuka Station and Tsubosakayama Station on the Kintetsu Yoshino Line are bases for touring Asuka Village, and the kofun can be visited as one of many scattered along the routes linking Asuka's historic sites. As a baicho it is land managed by the Imperial Household Agency, so please check on-site signage and official information regarding access and viewing.
Best season
Asuka Village is prized for its ancient landscape of terraced and open rice fields and suits strolling year-round. Spring flowers, autumn rice ears, and the clear air of those seasons make cycling or walking the Asuka paths pleasant, and linking the scattered kofun on foot lets you feel the scale of antiquity.
Map
34.4685, 135.8034 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Begin touring Asuka Village's historic sites from Kintetsu Asuka Station
- 2Head to the Hirata area to visit Kanazuka Kofun (Hirata Iwaya Kofun)
- 3Walk on to connect nearby Asuka kofun such as Emperor Kinmei's tomb
- 4Return to the station gazing over the terraced fields of the Asuka path
Did you know?
💡 As shown by its katakana name Kanazuka and its alternate name Hirata Iwaya Kofun, this mound has several names. Its designation as a satellite tomb of an imperial mausoleum hints that the person buried there may have been close to the great king, making it an intriguing clue for thinking about the power structure of Asuka.
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