Gobyōyama Kofun, Ancient burial mound in Kita-ku, Japan
The Gobyōyama Kofun is an ancient burial mound shaped like a keyhole, with a round front section joined to a rectangular rear portion stretching several hundred meters. Surrounded by concentric moats and terraced banks, this massive earthwork demonstrates sophisticated engineering from the fifth century.
This burial mound dates to the fifth century and is part of the Mozu-Furuichi group of 49 mounds built during the same era. The entire group gained recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019.
The mound contains numerous haniwa clay figures depicting soldiers and horses, which show how people of that era understood power and social rank. Walking around the site, you notice these figures arranged as they were meant to honor the person buried here.
The site has marked viewing areas and information panels explaining the history and layout of this structure. Guided tours available through the Osaka Cultural Heritage Center help visitors understand the construction and scale better.
Scientific studies reveal that building this monument required about 2000 workers over roughly two decades of sustained effort. This scale of organization shows how advanced the administrative systems were in that period.
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