大代古墳, Ancient burial mound in Naruto City, Japan
Oshiro Kofun is an ancient burial mound in Naruto City with a distinctive two-part shape. The structure measures roughly 54 meters long and about 7 meters tall, with a circular rear section connected to a rectangular front portion.
The burial mound was built in the late 4th century and houses a stone burial chamber with a boat-shaped sarcophagus inside. The sarcophagus was coated with a special substance used for preservation during that era.
The name comes from the nearby village, and it remains largely unnoticed by passersby on the highway above. Most visitors can see how the burial mound's form reflects the status of the person buried there during ancient times.
The mound sits on a ridge about 43 meters above the surrounding area and is visible from the highway. Information signs are located at a nearby rest stop, where visitors can park before walking to the burial site.
During highway construction in 2000, engineers changed their plans to build a tunnel beneath the burial mound instead of over it. This decision showed that modern infrastructure and historic preservation could work together.
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