Furumiya Kofun

Overview

Furumiya Kofun is a square burial mound (hofun) in the Miyoshi district of Ōita City, Ōita Prefecture. Believed to date to the Asuka period, it is known for its stone sarcophagus with a side entrance. Designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1973, it is a quiet but valuable window into the ancient history of the Ōita plain.

Highlights

• ●A square burial mound thought to date to the Asuka period
• ●A stone chamber entered from the side rather than the top
• ●Recognition as a National Historic Site of Japan since 1973
• ●A calm setting evoking the ancient past of the Ōita plain

History

The tomb has a square (hofun) shape and is thought to have been built in the Asuka period. Its most distinctive feature is a stone burial chamber with a side entrance, a form that reflects advanced funerary practices of the time and suggests a powerful local figure was interred here. In 1973 the site was designated a National Historic Site of Japan, ensuring its preservation.

Map

33.2270, 131.5877 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Drive to Furumiya Kofun from central Ōita City
2. 2Observe the square shape and scale of the mound
3. 3Read about the side-entrance stone burial chamber
4. 4Combine the visit with other historic sites or museums in Ōita

Did you know?

💡 A stone chamber with a side entrance differs from older shaft-style tombs by allowing entry from the side, marking a new burial custom of the Asuka period. The square hofun form is itself another hallmark of this era.

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