Terado Ōtsuka Kofun, Ancient burial mound in Mukō, Japan.
Terado Ōtsuka Kofun is a keyhole-shaped burial mound stretching 98 meters long, with a squared front section and a circular rear portion. The two burial chambers within the structure had different lengths and show the careful design of these ancient monuments.
This burial mound was constructed in the 4th century during the early Kofun period, when such monuments were built for high-ranking individuals. The valuable artifacts discovered inside reflected the social standing of the deceased in that ancient society.
The mound reflects how the ancient Japanese elite marked their deaths through grand burial sites. The clay figures and pottery discovered here reveal the ceremonial practices of the period.
The site is about a 25-minute walk from Higashimuko Station or a short walk from the Higashiyama bus stop. Walking around the mound allows visitors to appreciate its scale and shape from different angles.
The mound contains two separate burial chambers of different sizes: the front chamber measures about 5.2 meters while the rear chamber measures about 5.6 meters. This arrangement suggests multiple individuals may have been buried within the same monument.
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