Kumamoto Prefectural Ancient Burial Mound Museum, Archaeological museum in Yamaga, Japan.
The Kumamoto Prefectural Ancient Burial Mound Museum displays Kofun-period burial chambers in full-scale replicas, complete with decorations and archaeological finds. The collection features items from multiple tomb sites in the region, arranged to illustrate the lives of the deceased.
The museum opened in 1992 and focuses on burial mounds dating from 400 to 700 AD, with many concentrated along the Kikuchi river basin. This period marked an era of great social divisions, when powerful families buried their dead in elaborate tumuli.
The displays show how ancient Japanese elites honored their deceased and what precious objects they placed in tombs as offerings. The bronze mirrors, jewelry, and ceramics on view reveal beliefs and daily practices of that distant era.
The museum is open from morning through late afternoon and offers a comfortable size to explore without fatigue. The tomb chamber replicas are easily accessible and allow a close look at ancient burial practices.
The building was designed by architect Tadao Ando and echoes the shape of ancient keyhole-shaped burial mounds. From inside, you can actually see unopened tombs in the surrounding landscape, still holding their secrets.
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