Urama Chausuyama Kofun, Keyhole-shaped burial mound in Higashi-ku, Okayama, Japan.
Urama Chausuyama Kofun is a keyhole-shaped burial mound in Okayama consisting of a rectangular front section and a circular rear portion. The site contains a stone burial chamber constructed from andesite slabs with a clay floor bearing red pigment.
Built in the late 3rd century, this tumulus ranks among the earliest large keyhole-shaped tombs of the ancient Kibi region. The burial chamber was emptied during the Meiji period, which affected the preservation of its original contents.
The name Chausuyama likens the mound to a tea-grinder (chausu). The front section was turned into a field and is now a park with cherry trees, while a bamboo grove and a cemetery lie on the rear mound's north side. Fragments of cylindrical haniwa were recovered from the mound.
The mound stands on a small hill between the Yoshii and Sunagawa rivers, with housing estates pressing against its east and south sides. The rear circular part is a bamboo grove with a cemetery on its north side, and the flattened front section is a park planted with cherry trees. The earthwork is much altered, so the keyhole outline is best read from a distance rather than by climbing it.
The 1988 excavation led by Yoshiro Kondo found the andesite burial chamber 2.5 m below the looted pit on the rear mound. The slabs were traced to northern Kagawa Prefecture or the islands of the Bisan Seto. Grave goods had largely been removed in the Meiji period, yet bronze mirror fragments, arrowheads, swords, sickles, spades and fishhooks remained.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,464 contributors worldwide.